Our story
Hospitality with a human face
WiseB&B began with a simple belief: the best stays are not found in anonymous listings, but in real homes, run by real people who love welcoming the world to their corner of the Netherlands.
How it began
From one guest room to a nationwide community
It started in 2019 with a spare room in a Utrecht canal house and a guest book full of thank-you notes in seven languages. We kept hearing the same thing from travellers: hotels felt interchangeable, big platforms felt anonymous — but a good B&B stayed with you for years.
So we set out to build a home for those places. Not a booking machine, but a curated directory where every listing is a real bed & breakfast, every host answers their own messages, and every breakfast is made by someone who knows the best cycling route out of the village.
Today WiseB&B connects guests with independent hosts across all twelve Dutch provinces — and we still visit new B&Bs the old-fashioned way: by knocking on the door and staying the night.
What we stand for
Trust
Every B&B is personally reviewed before it appears on WiseB&B. Real addresses, real photos, real hosts — checked by us, not by an algorithm.
Authenticity
No chains, no key safes, no ghost hosts. Just characterful homes where the person who greets you is the person whose name is on the door.
Hospitality
Breakfast made with care, tips you will not find in a guidebook, and a host who remembers how you take your coffee. That is the standard.
Originality
A windmill in Zaandam, a houseboat in Friesland, a monastery cell in Limburg. No two stays on WiseB&B are alike — on purpose.
A stay should feel like coming home — even when you are somewhere entirely new.
Emma van der Berg — founder, WiseB&B
Our journey
2019
One guest room, one idea
A spare room in Utrecht, a full guest book, and the question: why is there no home for places like this?
2021
The first hundred hosts
We visited every single one. Slept in the beds, ate the breakfasts, and said no more often than yes.
2023
All twelve provinces
From the Wadden Islands to the hills of Limburg: WiseB&B now covers the whole country — and stays proudly independent.
2026
A growing community
Guests message hosts directly, hosts help each other in our community, and the guest book keeps filling up — in more languages than ever.
The people behind WiseB&B
Emma van der Berg
Founder & CEO
Started WiseB&B from her own guest room. Still answers the support inbox on Fridays.
Daan Bakker
Head of hosts
Has personally stayed in over 300 B&Bs. Judges every one by the breakfast and the bookshelf.
Sophie Jansen
Guest experience
Makes sure every question gets a human answer — usually within the hour, always with a tip.
Lars Visser
Product & engineering
Builds the platform — and tests it from a different B&B every month, laptop on the breakfast table.
Become part of the story
Whether you are planning your next escape or thinking about opening your own doors — there is a place for you here.