Ain’t it all Grand?

Well, after a delightfully uneventful drive to Folkstone yesterday, and another uneventful drive from there today, we are back at Efteling, and staying at the Grand Hotel.

This is the newest hotel, having only opened in August, and is right in the park. We have a tower room which, technically is classed as having a Fairytale Forest view, but also has a half decent view to the lake, where Aquanura, the evening show, takes place.

The staff that greeted us when we pulled up were very friendly and helpful. Would even have helped us unpack the car if needed, but we were too quick! We’ve done this once or twice! They took our cases, with a promise they would be in our room for 3pm, pointed us towards the exclusive entrances for hotel guests, checked we knew what we needed to and wished us an enjoyable day!

First stop, to no-one’s surprise, was Frau Bolte’s for lunch, followed by Danse Macabre, which has to be one of my all time favourites in any park we’ve been to! After a wander round the rest of the park to get our bearings again – Baron 1898 is closed for refurb and to allow construction of a new ride nearby, so one of the normal paths we take through the park is closed – we headed back to get our first look round the new hotel.

First impressions are favourable to say the least. If you are booked in a regular room, you can actually pick your room in advance. Since we have an accessible one, we don’t have that luxury, but we definitely lucked out with this one! Good size, fantastic views and a bed that feels like lying on a cloud!

Chilled for a bit, watched Aquanura’s first show from the privacy of our room, then went downstairs to the coffee bar for pastries. One downside of the hotel is you pretty much *have* to book for the restaurants, and on travel days we don’t always know if we’ll be hungry. So decent lunch and just snacking worked today.

When we came back upstairs, we caught the second showing of Aquanura – as the sun had gone down by this point the show looks very different in the dark against the daylight.

Tomorrow, we have early entry, straight into the Fairytale Forest.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/MsAMgMmnoYBjpDPr7 – short video clip of the view of Aquanura