Honeyguide Eliane stays overnight at Free port Zwier

Zwier’s Harbour Cottages are cosy and thoughtfully furnished. Each (tiny) cottage, measuring 30m², has its own bathroom with a rain shower, a washbasin and a toilet, a lovely double bed with a circular mattress from the Dutch brand Bedzzzy, and via a step you can reach an extra single sleeping space on a raised mezzanine, where our daughter slept.

There’s a cosy seating area and an outdoor spot for summer days. You always stay at Zwier for at least two nights, because at Vrijhaven Zwier they believe that’s when you can truly unwind. And I can certainly see why after this weekend.

1. It’s close to the outskirts: just a stone’s throw from Amsterdam and Utrecht, at Vrijhaven Zwier you’ll feel as though you’re staying somewhere by a lake in Sweden. The circular wooden cottages and the hot tub only serve to reinforce this feeling. Whether you’re out walking or boating, wherever you look you’ll find endless views, and the lack of distractions means you’ll soon find yourself letting everything slip away.
   
2. Soaking in a hot tub: the hot tub is situated right in the middle of the little harbour. It’s filled with water from the Vinkeveense Plassen and heated using wood. You do this yourself, and this too is all part of the whole experience at Zwier. It takes a good hour and a half of stoking the fire to get the water to the right temperature (unless someone’s beaten you to it, of course), and after that it’s simply a matter of enjoying yourself. So it’s also lovely to stay here during the winter months.
   
3. Organic and vegetarian food: the food at Vrijhaven Zwier is vegetarian and, where possible, organic and sourced from the property’s own vegetable garden. At present, you can collect your breakfast, lunch and dinner in a COVID-safe manner from the De Huiskamer restaurant. We can only dream of what it must be like here when it’s open: a cosy fireplace, a terrace, the hum of conversation.
   
   With every meal, you can sense the love the staff put into it. Little notes on napkins or cards tucked in alongside your meal make you think or spark a lovely conversation. Everything at Zwier makes you pause for a moment longer.
   
4. Sustainable products: not only is the cottage itself sustainably built, but wherever possible, environmental considerations have been taken into account within the cottages too. Think of speakers from House of Marley, products from Marcel’s Green Soap, beds from Bedzzzy and coffee from the fair-trade brand Moyee (which I also have at home). Each and every one of them is a sustainable brand.
   
5. Fine activities: whether you want to walk, cycle or sail at Zwier. It's all possible . The whisper boat is even included in the price, which is ideal. In the cottage you will find plenty of inspiration for walking and sailing trips.

When we set off in the morning, the water in the harbour turned out to be frozen. That made the adventure all the more beautiful. The layer of ice broke open through our boat. We opted for a trip through small ditches. Here you sail past all the summer cottages. It must be magical to have a cottage on an uninhabited island, where you can swim endlessly. The cruises are easy to follow and clearly explained in terms of length. Blankets and a thermos were already waiting in the cottage and they were a nice addition while cruising!

The nice thing about our weekend was that we were confirmed how diverse Zwier really is. There are several Haven houses and they were occupied by; honeymooners, baby-mooners, colleagues for a workation, young couple, older couple with dog and us with our teenager. And everyone was visibly enjoying themselves in their own way. I rest my case, sway we will all go in 2021.