Unwind in a hot tub Oan't Wetter

📸 All photos were taken by Dian Dillema

Romantic spot by the water

B&B Oan't Wetter is a detached cottage for four on the waterfront in Dokkum. A romantic place to spend a weekend, with lights and a lovely Ducktub Extern. The cottage has its own entrance and garden, so you don't notice that you are actually staying in the backyard of Marieke and her boyfriend. Marieke: "The cottage is fully equipped. It has a kitchenette and a barbecue in the garden. If guests wish, we offer a nice breakfast and you can rent a canoe from us to sail on the water in Dokkum." 

Many German couples enjoy Oan't Wetter 💘.

Most bookings Marieke receives through Airbnb. "Our guests I would describe as quite young; they are usually between the ages of 20 and 50. They are often couples who want to retreat and really spend some time together. About 70% of our guests are from Germany. They love water and often combine it with a day trip to the islands you can easily get to from here."

Ducktub of all comforts and luxuries

Marieke chose a hybrid* Ducktub External with bubble system, filter system and lighting. So equipped with many conveniences and luxuries! "Right now we only use the wood stove for guests. We don't have enough solar panels at the moment to constantly heat it up completely electrically, and besides, it also takes a bit longer to heat the water that way. We do leave it always off the freezing point, at 10 degrees but it never really gets to that. The hot tub gets rebooked quite often so that way it often retains heat."

*Hybrid means a hot tub with electric heating as well as a wood stove.

Warm welcome: hot tub nice and warm on arrival 🔥

When you rent the B&B, you have the choice of whether you also want to use the hot tub. That way, guests who don't want to use it don't pay for it either. "Usually the hot tub does get included. If so, I start stoking it in the morning. Some people want to be relieved of that and I like to do it and then I know for sure that it goes well. If the guests want to use it the next day, they heat the water themselves. This often doesn't take longer than an hour because it has retained the heat from the previous day. They can then just grab wood in our wood storage for that."

"When checking in, I show how it works, where the button for the bubbles is and for the lights, for example. Especially on the bubbles, people often react very surprised. They don't expect that this is also in the hot tub. Even though it is in the description, it is usually not fully read anyway.

Hot tub provides additional luxury

"We found the hot tub as we saw at other accommodations to have a super luxurious look. It also puts you in the slightly more luxurious segment. That's what we wanted. We wanted this to distinguish us from the rest of the B&Bs in Dokkum and we succeeded in this way."

Very good investment 👏

"We've had the hot tub in place since the end of September 2022. And we had an incredibly good last quarter. Well during that period we also got the Super Host emblem on Airbnb, so it has partly to do with that as well. But I'm sure the hot tub has given a huge boost to bookings."

"We did the math and the hot tub was added by 84% of the guests. So it has been a very good investment for us. It is also named at check-in, guests indicate that they came because we offer a hot tub. You always see that in the reviews we get as well."

Some reviews of B&B Oan't Wetter on Airbnb 💚.

• Very pleasant stay had. Beautiful waterfront location with downtown and tasty restaurants within walking distance. Super friendly welcome, with clear explanations about the hot tub and possible places to eat. House neat and clean. Chromecast is available so you can plop on the couch with your own series. Upon arrival the hot tub was already at temperature, very nice! When you can get into the warm hot tub after a nice dinner, this is certainly optimal enjoyment. The extensive breakfast was a nice way to end a wonderful night away!
• We relaxed in the cozy hot tub and enjoyed the delicious breakfast. The cottage was very nicely decorated and also very clean! Highly recommended!
• Had a very nice stay! It was a beautiful place with great attention to detail. The hot tub was top notch, a big plus! Marieke was easily accessible if there was anything.
• What a fantastic place! Extremely enjoyed the very well kept, cozy cottage. Everything is there. The hot tub definitely adds to the feeling of relaxation and luxury. Lovely to experience this in the autumn atmosphere with the cozy lights. Also enjoyed Dokkum itself. When staying, be sure to include breakfast; delicious, extensive and prepared with great attention!

Misuse you have sometimes unfortunately

"In general, things are going very well, but unfortunately we had to deal with a guest who didn't handle it very nicely. The plug had been pulled and this posed risks to the water quality. Fortunately, we were able to change the water that day so this was quickly resolved."

"Now at check-in I do appoint very clearly that they should leave the plug in. A tip if you also offer an electric hot tub. I'm going to figure out how to include something like that in the terms and conditions."

Communication is key 🔑

If you also want to offer a wellness product at your property, Marieke has two tips for you. "I think communication about how you offer the hot tub is really important. That guests are not surprised when they come, for example, and they still have to fill and heat the hot tub themselves when they expect it to be ready to go in." 

"And in addition, schedule enough time to do maintenance. For example, to perform the backwash if you have a filter system or to apply a chlorine shock if necessary. And of course for cleaning. It does take some time, but it's well worth it!"

‍

After a weekend of quality time, canoeing and enjoying the peace and quiet of Dokkum you will return home recharged anyway, but the fact that you were able to enjoy the bubbles in the warm water in the hot tub provides just that little bit extra! ✨