Dutch eco-cabins hide&b let you unwind in nature and contribute to the nature-inclusive transition

Do you want to completely relax and (re)find the connection with nature? That will soon be possible in one of hide&b’s sustainable cabins. You can rewind while supporting farmers and other landowners to use their land nature-inclusive. Good for you and for the planet too.

Stylish, sustainable recreational cabins

No average ‘bed and breakfast’ and certainly not a mega holiday park, hide&b does not stand for a raked recreation experience, on the contrary. The founders want to bring nature back to the land, help farmers and other landowners in doing so and connect guests with it.

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The idea arose when Jasper Muller and Henkjan Letteboer left their lives of always being ‘on the go’ behind them. Both Dutch men flew from this city to the other, but actually lost the connection with nature, until they rediscovered the power of nature. Together they started hide&b in 2021. Their common goal: to create a nice place where people can relax in the landscape of the future and to help ‘future farmers’ to create more nature and nature-inclusive agriculture in the Netherlands.

“Our vision is that there is a huge opportunity to create more nature in places where intensive agriculture is currently taking place and to bring people into contact with that new nature that they help to create themselves.” – Jasper and Henkjan, founders of hide&b

Nature-inclusive farming

The agricultural sector in the Netherlands is under pressure and the debate about the future is a hot topic. There are many farmers who want to do things differently, but do not know how and – just as importantly – do not know in what way that is financially feasible. Jasper and Henkjan want to support this. “With these cabins, we want to be an additional revenue model that fits what the farmers and landowners are doing; enabling them to make the transition feasible.” There is a future for farmers to be nature-inclusive with their land and hide&b supports that in its own way with the sustainable recreation cabins. In exchange for fostering biodiversity, the landowner receives a share of the revenue from renting out cabins. The only thing hide&b needs is a small piece of land. The rest is arranged by hide&b. From design and permit, to installation, rental and maintenance and all necessary investments. Contact with guests is also arranged by them. Guests can check in and out on their own. In this way hide&b unburdens both guests and landowners.

Connecting people and nature

With the financial support, farmers can focus more confidently on the agricultural transition and improving biodiversity on and around their land. That’s one side of the hide&b story. The other side is to restore the connection between people and nature.

The first cabin of hide&b is located on regenerative estate Roggebotstaete, near the Dutch city of Dronten. The estate is managed by Yūgen Forest, founded by Sjanett de Geus. Yūgen Forest organizes programs and events aimed at the development and connection of people and nature. Speaking to BrightVibes, Sjanett said:

“Where better to do that than – literally – with your hands in a food forest. Being busy with the plants and with the soil and sleeping in a cabin in a beautiful environment, where you can completely relax.”

&b’s first cabin

Hide&b also got in touch with many inspiring nature-inclusive farmers, such as organic arable farmer Emiel van de Vijver from Graauw. Together with his wife Sonja, he also manages a flourishing food forest, called Voedselbron Graauw. Emiel:

“Cooperation with hide&b gives us the extra space to focus even more on the sustainable cultivation of healthy food and at the same time we can connect many people in a special way with our passion and beautiful place. For us it’s really a 1+1=3 formula.”