Peace and beauty on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug? Soof Heuvelrug and Brasserie Soof are the places to go
You will find it on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, on the edge of the town of Rhenen Soof Heuvelrug. A small-scale holiday park with Luxury Eco-Lodges and Brasserie Soof where you can (and want to) have drinks for afternoons. In the middle of the woods and right next to the Kwintelooijen recreational area, they conjured up the most sustainable park in the Netherlands. In the very well-organized park you will find an outdoor swimming pool, with a very nice water park, a great playground with climbing tower and (as icing on the cake) the cozy brasserie Soof. When you open the shutters in the morning and take a seat under the veranda on your lounge sofa. Then the only thing you hear is the chirping of the birds and the rustling of the trees. The gardens have a lot of trees and greenery and are laid out in such a way that you really have privacy. So tasty.
It's always great to have cozy (and tasty!) restaurants nearby. For the days when you want to have an extensive lunch or are just really looking forward to gyozas and dim sum. Or when you think that a day can only start well with a fresh croissant and ditto coffee. Or if you just really fancy tea and carrot cake. And yes, there is nothing you can do about it spilling over into wine and snacks. Blame it on the holiday!
A real plus for a holiday destination is a brasserie (or café/restaurant, something!) within walking distance of your house. At Brasserie Soof you will find the classics on the menu, but also snacks and dishes that you might not expect so quickly. Oriental fish cakes, for example, chorizo croquettes and a slightly different hot dog (on a brioche with kimchi and crispy onion – order it, really). If you don't want to go on an oriental route, you can also order a 'normal' meatball sandwich, sausage roll or toasted sandwich. Most fun? Order the snack board and see what the chef makes of it. And then order that gyoza just to be sure.
You can also pick up take-away meals and breakfast from Soof for the Eco-Lodge.
You will find a lot of natural material both inside and outside: wooden benches and tables (even the bar top is made of wood), leather chairs, plants everywhere, dried elms and the colors also fit in perfectly. So have drinks in style. Team Soof knows exactly which wine suits you or whether you should actually order a draft beer. No alcohol? Then of course Soof's non-alcoholic cocktails are served at Soof. When the sun shines, you naturally want to get a spot on the cozy terrace, but don't worry if it rains! There are heaters and fire bowls on the table outside, so sitting under the cloth is very nice, even in bad weather! Or sit inside, light the candles and sit like a king.
Do you want an extensive breakfast and don't have the energy or desire to put it together yourself? Then why not just reserve a place in the brasserie? Also the perfect place if you are walking or cycling in the area and need a boost. Cup of tea, cheesecake and you can continue.
As we already indicated: the small-scale park (with 51 eco lodges) is very well organized. The kids can go about their business in the park and easily find their way back to the house or the brasserie - where you can enjoy a snack board with a drink.
Soof Heuvelrug is equipped with everything you want for a holiday or a weekend away, so you actually don't have to leave at all. That said, the area also has a range of fun and beautiful things. With the bicycle (which you rent at the park), you can cycle around the entire area. Twenty minutes of cycling and you are in the middle of Ouwehands Zoo or the oh-so-cosy Rhenen. You come home to your beautiful eco-lodge. They all have six sleeping places, a kitchen island and a cozy living room (and some even have a hot tub).
The most sustainable park in the Netherlands is completely self-sufficient and many houses have a charging station in front of the door, which we think is cool. During the holidays, the park organizes all kinds of fun activities such as Lazy Sunday (with oysters and bubbles) and in the summer you can do a wine tasting in the forest or recharge with a yoga class. It's also a party for the kids: roasting marshmallows, activities in the woods and in the summer they can tend their own vegetable garden. Look, they don't have time for the tablet at all. Less than a fifteen-minute walk away you will also find the Kwintelooijen nature reserve, where you can enjoy walking (and there is a beautiful viewpoint) or you can choose one of the many mountain bike routes or other walks.
A weekend at Soof Heuvelrug is a combination of relaxation and adventure, the park radiates a lot of tranquility but also liveliness at the same time (yes, that is possible). Would we also do this without children? For sure! Would we prefer to go back next weekend? No doubt about it.
Soof also offers a Christmas package (December 23 to December 27).
