Book custom-made trips to create lifelong memories

966 messages

active 2 hours ago

Fast Facts

Rating:	based on 7 reviews
Full name:	Nadine Hikisch
Destinations:	Belgium, The Netherlands
Lives in:	Huissen
Experience:	12 years
Company:	Beat the Dutch Travel
Specialties:	Culture, family tours, roundtrips, cycling, tailor made adventures

Having been brought up with an English mum and a German dad, born and raised in Limburg. I was at an early age fascinated by different cultures. As a child we always went to Austria for our holidays, and I loved walking in the mountains. Limburg is the southernmost part of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands and of course well known for its beautiful hills. It reminds me of my childhood memories and now I am back to my roots.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"We now live between two interesting cities, Arnhem and Nijmegen. Nijmegen is the oldest city in the Netherlands and steeped in history. Beat The Dutch Travel will assist you in organizing an authentic, unique holiday, round trips, family trips, cycling trips, multi-activity tours, food tasting trips, and visiting art museums in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. They will be tailor-made with much love."

How did you get involved in travel?

"After secondary school and three years of secretarial training, I decided to go and study Tourism and Leisure Management in Maastricht. My first experience was in a hotel in Amsterdam at Leidseplein and I got to know more about this famous city which I still love. In my last year studying I had the opportunity to run a small hotel in Costa Rica and tasted the Latin culture for six months. I obtained my bachelor's degree in International Hotel and Events Management in Lucerne, Switzerland, and got a job for the pre-opening phase of The Chedi 5* in Andermatt and back to my love for the mountains. I remained in Andermatt and gained loads of experience. In 2014 I continued my travels together with my husband. In Dubai I worked for the pre-opening of DoubleTree by Hilton in setting up the Banqueting department. In Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Spain I did different kinds of voluntary work. Living in all these amazing countries gave me an enrichment for my personal and professional life."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"After all these wonderful experiences in different parts of the world and learning about people and their cultures. In Kyrgyzstan I supported the social enterprise, Bel-Zhan, a yurt resort in the village of Grigorevka, to promote and support SME development, and thus to generate income for the inhabitants and neighboring villages in the Chon – Aksu River Basin and Issuk-Kul region."

Nadine is part of the following groups: Belgium Travel Agents, The Netherlands Travel Agents

Nadine's favorite itineraries and travel advice

Recent trip reviews for Nadine

Perfectly curated hotels and experiences
Belgium | Jun 17 - Jun 26, 2024

Helen T.

San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Jun 28, 2024

I took a trip to Belgium to visit military history sites with my teenage son. Having not been to the country, I needed help choosing accommodations and activities. Nadine took all the stress out of planning the trip and suggested hotels and activities I never would have found without her. The whole process was seamless. The private tour guides were excellent, and even gave us special gifts. Nadine and her colleagues were available to help with questions/problems I had while traveling. I... Read more

Hotel Reviews

La Merveilleuse

Dinant

I would recommend staying in a deluxe room in the newer addition of the hotel (gray stone building behind the abbey). My first night I stayed in a room in the older building, which was not what I was expecting. However the hotel upgraded me to the deluxe room which overlooked a beautiful garden. The breakfast was very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Only the deluxe room met the standard I wanted. I would not stay here unless it was a deluxe room.

Comic Art Hotel

Ghent

I loved everything about this hotel. Spotlessly clean, charming art, good view, well located, and the best breakfast of the trip. They serve omelettes and have a great selection of breakfast items,

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel FranQ

Antwerp

This hotel was very clean, luxurious, well appointed and quiet. The breakfast was excellent!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel des Galeries

Brussels

Excellent location near the best restaurants, and short walk to the train station. Despite its central location, it is quiet and peaceful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kayaking on the Lesse from Dinant

Dinant

The kayaking on the Lesse River from Dinant was an incredibly physical but rewarding experience. It was hot, but the adventure was worth it. We had initially planned to do some climbing afterward, but due to scheduling issues, the climbing wasn't available in the morning. We ended up kayaking first and were too tired to go back for climbing. For future travelers, I would recommend planning only one of these activities per day, especially if it's hot, to avoid fatigue. Overall, kayaking was enough to fill the day with excitement.

Waterloo - Namur - Dinant

Belgium

The visit to the battlefield was definitely the highlight of our whole trip. The guide was so knowledgable, and it was so informative!

Local specialist: Nadine Hikisch

Nadine Hikisch

Local specialist in Huissen | Replied on Jul 01, 2024

Hi Helen and Finn,
Thank you for taking the time to review your trip. I am glad you both had such an amazing adventurous trip and many thanks for your kind words.
Wishing you all the best,
Nadine

Read all Belgium reviews

Nadine, our specialist, is AMAZING!
The Netherlands | Apr 22 - Apr 30, 2024

Brian G.

Cambridge, MA | Reviewed on May 28, 2024

Nadine is exceptional! I have used Kimkim for several trips, and this was, by far, the best experience with a specialist. Nadine was responsive and knowledgeable, ensuring we had all the information needed for a safe and fun trip. I truly appreciated all of the additional tips, recommendations, and the welcome package at the hotel. Finally, our airport transfer driver, Robert, and the hotel hostess, Lisa, were phenomenal. I am genuinely grateful for Nadine and her helping curate an... Read more

Local specialist: Nadine Hikisch

Nadine Hikisch

Local specialist in Huissen | Replied on May 30, 2024

Nice to hear from you Brian and thanks for your lovely review. I am glad to hear that you and Mom had a wonderful time in the Netherlands and appreciated my part in planning it. I will tell Robert and Lisa as well🤩
Wishing you all the best,
Nadine

Read all The Netherlands reviews

A truly amazing trip!!!
The Netherlands | May 16 - May 20, 2024

Belen J.

Ecuador | Reviewed on May 27, 2024

We recently had the most amazing trip thanks to Nadine, and we can't thank her enough for the incredible experience. From the moment we told her what we were looking for this trip, and met her in person, it was clear how kind and thoughtful she is. Nadine accompanied us throughout the journey, ensuring that every detail was perfect. What truly stood out was her remarkable attention to detail. On May 19th, she surprised us by booking a stunning hotel in Belgium to celebrate our anniversary.... Read more

What truly stood out was her remarkable attention to detail. On May 19th, she surprised us by booking a stunning hotel in Belgium to celebrate our anniversary. Her thoughtful gesture made our special day even more memorable.

Nadine went above and beyond, making sure everything was perfectly organized. She patiently taught us how to navigate each mode of transportation, making the entire trip smooth and stress-free.

Her warmth and dedication transformed our trip into an unforgettable adventure. We felt so cared for and looked after. Thank you, Nadine, for your incredible service and making our journey so magical. We can't wait to travel with you again!

We even got the chance to meet in person Nadine, and Emma; who also did a wonderful job making our special trip :)
A big shout to the kimkim team and Beat the Dutch!

Suki, Daniel, and Julian

Hotel Review

Hotel FranQ

Antwerp

We recently stayed at Hotel Franq in Antwerp, and it was truly the best hotel experience we've ever had. The family room was excellent – comfortable, and impeccably clean, and the bathroom was simply outstanding. The bathrobes provided were fantastic and added a touch of luxury to our stay. What really took our breath away was the incredible gesture of roses placed in our room. We were also welcomed with a complimentary glass of champagne, making us feel right at home from the moment we arrived. The breakfast was fantastic, offering a wide variety of delicious options to start our day. The service was fantastic, with every staff member going above and beyond to ensure our stay was perfect. Hotel Franq made our visit to Antwerp unforgettable, and we can't wait to return. Highly recommended!

Authenticity & Character

The patio outside is gorgeous. Also loved the detail of wooden room cards.

Location

Walking distance everywhere!

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Local specialist: Nadine Hikisch

Nadine Hikisch

Local specialist in Huissen | Replied on May 30, 2024

Hi Suki, Daniel, and Julian! Dank je wel, for the fantastic review🤩. It was great to plan your special family holiday and we loved meeting you all. Wishing you all the best, Nadine

Read all The Netherlands reviews

Netherlands and Belgium our way!!
The Netherlands | Apr 13 - Apr 21, 2024

Tanuja R.

Brentwood, TN | Reviewed on May 14, 2024

Our group of 6 travelers had the most amazing trip to Netherlands and Belgium. Nadine and Mieke were wonderful… attentive to what we wanted to see and do. We try to pack in a lot in a short period of time and they helped us do exactly what we wanted to. We really appreciate the details that were shared with us … the hotels, the modes of transportation, optional activities as well
as food/dining suggestions. Every day was organized but yet had some flexibility built into it! When... Read more

Local specialist: Nadine Hikisch

Nadine Hikisch

Local specialist in Huissen | Replied on May 16, 2024

Hi Tanuja,

On behalf of Mieke and myself, we sincerely want to thank you for your lovely words, we loved organizing your special trip. Luckily you could still take beautiful pictures in your saree around the blooming tulips. We love the pictures!

Wishing you all the best,
Nadine & Mieke

Fantastic trip !
The Netherlands | Apr 16 - Apr 23, 2024

Nancy A.

North Atlanta, GA | Reviewed on May 02, 2024

Nadine was a dream to work with - responsive, helpful, and kind. She designed an amazing trip for us to experience as much as we could during our first (but definitely not last) trip to the Netherlands. Due to severe weather in the States, we were unable to make our flight to Amsterdam. I emailed Nadine and before waking the next day, she had rearranged our schedule so we could salvage as much of our original plans as possible, including reissuing train tickets. The planned activities hit all the highlights so we got a great introduction to Dutch lifestyle, culture and history. The hotels she selected were exceptional and all conveniently located for rail travel between the cities and towns. For us, our favorite experiences included the restored village of Zaanse Schans. The windmill museum there was exceptionally done. Haarlem was delightful in every way and riding e-bikes through the National Park to the North Sea was a fun adventure. The gardens of Keukenhof should not be missed. I could have stayed there all day because it was so beautiful! Gouda was another place that we loved and could have spent more time there too. Of course, the cheese is legendary and well worth every bite! Riding bikes through the polder landscape was beautiful and fascinating. Thank you Nadine for helping us put together a fantastic trip!