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WHO
We are Margot van der Aart & Michiel Smit, both born in 1972. We met in Renesse in the summer of 1993 at Discotheek ‘t Roefke. Luckily, there are hardly any discos in Renesse anymore. The premises of ‘t Roefke are now home to a delicious Italian restaurant called Buon Cuore.
A few months after our first meeting in 1993, our paths unfortunately parted again, as I (Margot) had planned a 6-month working-holiday in Australia together with a friend. A deal is a deal, so we went for our adventure Down Under. After my adventure in Australia and frequent telephone and letter contact with Michiel (emails did not yet exist in 1993), Michiel and I immediately started living together in Utrecht. Michiel worked in a telecom shop there and I worked in a travel agency nearby.
After five beautiful years in Utrecht, we decided to change course and exchanged life in Utrecht for the beautiful Renesse. I grew up in Renesse, where I lived from the age of 2. The beach, the sea, the peace, the space and the nature: after living in the city for a number of years, I longed to return to Renesse. Michiel and I decided to jointly run the guest house that my parents had owned since 1975. Since 1999 we have been working in the guest house with great pleasure!
In our free time, we like walking and cycling. Travelling is also one of our hobbies: we used to travel outside Europe, but in recent years we have mostly stayed in Europe. For example, Madeira (Portugal) is our favourite hiking destination, with its 3000 km of beautiful hiking trails. But Holland is also beautiful! In the summer, in between work, we enjoy the beautiful island of Schouwen-Duiveland!
We are happy to welcome you to our guest house and will do everything to make your stay unforgettable!
WHAT
The House of Grol is a national monument. It is a former estate in the centre of Renesse. Grol is one of the typical country estates that used to be found frequently along the inner dune fringes of Holland and Zeeland.
The origin of the Grol country estate certainly goes back to 1599. ‘Grol’ has the meaning of ‘green’. ‘Grol’ as an old Dutch name for ‘green’ is also found in ‘Grollo’ as an old name for the town of Groenlo. Originally, the area around ‘t Huis Grol has had lush vegetation caused by the fresh water from the dunes that ensures a constant supply of fresh groundwater at the inner edge of the dunes.
The garden of ‘t Huis Grol is still a green oasis. A perfect place to unwind! Pension Grol is the perfect base for a stay in Zeeland.
WHERE
Renesse is a charming seaside resort, situated by the North Sea. The surroundings are perfect for cycling and walking tours. The wide sandy beach is of course the biggest attraction! There are also beautiful historical places to discover in Zeeland, such as Zierikzee, Veere and Middelburg. Zeeland is a treasure trove of regional products that you can enjoy when you eat out. Local products are used in the kitchens of many Zeeland restaurants. Our guest house is located only 100 metres from the charming centre of Renesse with its numerous restaurants and shops.
