Nature house in Balen
Antwerp, Belgium
- 2 persons
- 1 bedroom
- Pets allowed
This off-grid forest cabin is located in the heart of the Keiheuvel, on 5,000 m² of private land, overlooking the shifting sand dune plain. For us, the cabin brings peace, nature, and happiness. A little piece of paradise on this vast globe. On weekends, you’ll share the Keiheuvel with hikers, cyclists, and the occasional glider. During the week, you’ll often feel like you have the Keiheuvel all to yourself. This place is all about unwinding, enjoying yourself, and above all, going unplugged. You pump your own water; electricity comes from solar panels; and you heat the cottage with the wood stove. After 20 minutes of pumping and an hour of stoking the fire, you can enjoy a soothing bath. In the grove, you’ll find various tree species, all kinds of little creatures, and several cozy spots to sit. Inside the cottage, you can relax by the fireplace with a book or some music from the record player. Important to note: there is a small refrigerator. You’ll need to bring your own linens, drinking water, and water for cooking—on average, 3 liters per person per day.
Nature and surroundings
Step out the front door and immediately enjoy strolling through forests, across shifting sand dunes, and past ponds and heathland. The cottage is located right in the middle of the Keiheuvel–De Most nature reserve. You can reach the De Vennen nature reserve via a short walk past a few hiking trail junctions. Within biking distance, you’ll find the Kattenbos and Pijnven nature reserves—where you’ll also have the chance to bike through the woods. So feel free to leave your car parked during your stay. Want even more variety? Then the Scheps nature reserve in Balen, the Grote Netewoud in Meerhout, and the other nature reserves in Bosland National Park are just a few examples of places you can reach in less than half an hour by car. Don’t feel like being active? Settle into the comfortable chairs on the terrace and keep an eye out for roe deer, hares, woodpeckers, or other birds. Or lie back in a hammock among the trees and enjoy the peace and nature around you.
Facilities
- 2-pers. bed (1x)
- Parking (1x)
- Wood stove
- Electricity
- Garden
- Garden (fenced)
- Garden furniture
- Terrace
- Terrace (covered)
- Garden doors
- Jacuzzi / hot tub
- Dog bowl
- Kitchen
- Fridge/freezer
- Gas stove
- Sanitary facilities
- Bathroom (1x)
- Bath
- Toilet
Location
Reviews
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StijnJuly 31, 2026
Exactly as expected!
Volledig volgens verwachting!
A really pleasant stay, a well-equipped kitchen, a comfortable bed, and lots of little details that make all the difference. A really nice place to stay!
Een heel fijn verblijf, goed uitgeruste keuken, fijne bed, veel kleine details die het verschil maken. Heel fijne plek om te vertoeven!
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RonnyJuly 27, 2026
It's nostalgia and freedom at their best!
Het is nostalgie en vrijheid ten top!
There’s something irresistibly soothing about this little cottage. It’s a return to the basics. No faucet that takes care of everything on its own—just your own hands pumping the water. Slow, rhythmic, almost meditative. It’s as if every movement brings you closer to the essence: simplicity, silence, presence. Water that you draw up yourself feels different. It feels earned. It makes the day slower, warmer, more real. For a moment, there’s no comfort of things happening automatically, but rather the pure joy of bringing something to life yourself. There’s no TV, but this makes the evenings different. Calmer and more spacious. You find yourself naturally doing other things: opening a book, talking, writing something, looking outside, just being. The silence isn’t a void but a kind of luxury. Sometimes we’d let the vintage record player fill that quiet space with warmth, without stealing our attention. The “back to basics” vibe in this little cottage isn’t any less luxurious. It’s a different kind of luxury: that of time, attention, and simplicity.
Er zit iets onweerstaanbaar rustgevends in dit huisje. Het is terugkeren naar de basis. Geen kraan die vanzelf alles regelt, maar je eigen handen die het water oppompen. Traag, ritmisch, bijna meditatief. Het is alsof elke beweging je dichter bij de essentie brengt: eenvoud, stilte, aanwezigheid. Water dat je zelf naar boven haalt, ervaar je anders. Het voelt verdiend. Het maakt de dag trager, warmer, echter. Even geen comfort dat alles vanzelf doet, maar het pure plezier van iets dat je zelf tot leven wekt. Er is geen TV, maar hierdoor worden de avonden anders. Rustiger en ruimer. Je merkt dat je vanzelf andere dingen doet: een boek openslaan, praten, iets schrijven, naar buiten kijken, gewoon zijn. De stilte wordt geen leegte maar een soort luxe. Soms lieten we de vintage platenspeler die stille ruimte vullen met warmte, zonder onze aandacht te stelen. De back to basic in dit huisje is niet minder luxe. Het is een andere soort luxe: die van tijd, aandacht en eenvoud.
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RinkeJuly 13, 2026
We are extremely satisfied with the nature house.
Wij zijn super tevreden over het natuurhuisje.
It was truly a beautiful and spacious setting.
Het was werkelijk een prachtige en ruime omgeving.
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Good to know
- Check-in: 4:00 PM- 11:59 PM
- Check-out: 12:01 AM- 12:00 PM
- Contactless stay possible
Free cancellation within 7 days of your booking confirmation, provided the booking request was made more than 28 days before the start date. For bookings starting within 28 days, free cancellation applies within 24 hours. If you cancel within the specified period, you are entitled to a full refund of the booking amount.
After that, you will receive a partial refund of the trip cost and a 100% refund of the deposit:
• Up to 42 days before arrival: 70% refund
• 42–28 days before arrival: 40% refund
• 28 days through the day of arrival: 10% refund
• On the day of arrival or later: no refund
Bath towels, Bed linen, Kitchen linen
- Out of respect for nature: silence between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM.
- Minimum age of main booker: 18 years.
- Smoking is not allowed in this nature house.
- No fireworks are allowed at this Nature House.
- No parties or events are allowed.
- This nature house is not suitable for groups of young people, students and sports teams.
- Waste separation is mandatory in this nature house.
Additional house rules are listed in the terms and conditions, when you place your booking.
38302
Sustainability
- Off grid or supplied with 100% renewable Energy
- Natural Insulation materials
- Separating waste (Glass, paper, plastic, food waste/organic)