Van der Valk Hotel Hilversum- De Witte Bergen

For almost a century, Van der Valk Hotel Hilversum-De Witte Bergen has been a popular destination in the heart of the Netherlands. This charming hotel is just a stone's throw away from beautiful and varied nature, as well as the 'media city' Hilversum, picturesque places, and more.

TEXT: EVA VAN MEIJL
PHOTOGRAPHY: NOPOINT STUDIO'S
STYLING: LINDSAY DOLMAN, VAN TILBURG & TRAVELBAGS

Between the Gooimeer and the Utrechtse Heuvelrug lies a landscape that cannot be captured in a single word. Heathlands, forests, sand drifts, and historical estates alternate in the Gooi Nature Reserve: a contiguous area where there is a lot of walking and cycling. Right next to this nature reserve is Hotel Hilversum-De Witte Bergen. This place has a long history. What began almost a century ago as a tearoom grew into a complete hotel. The combination of excellent accessibility and nature makes the hotel popular for a nice weekend outdoors, a business meeting, or a long stopover. "The location of the hotel is fantastic. From the A1 exit, you drive onto our parking lot and within a few minutes you are on the heath from the hotel. That is something our guests really appreciate," says Karlijn Zeeuw van der Laan, who manages the hotel with her brother Bart. "It's very special to run this beautiful hotel together with my brother. We have many regular guests who have, as it were, seen us grow up here."

CONNECTION WITH NATURE

In recent years, a lot of renovations have been done in the hotel. Among other things, the restaurant and the rooms have been addressed.

Karlijn: 'The restaurant has been significantly renovated, from the floor to the furniture. The terracotta with green, floral prints and the different corners give the spacious restaurant the atmosphere of a boutique hotel. With a cozy hotel bar and lounge, it's great for after-dinner conversations or having a drink after a meeting.' The last garden rooms were reopened earlier this year.

Bart: ‘Many rooms overlook the inner garden or have a terrace or balcony, making the green surroundings immediately palpable. The connection with nature thus begins from your hotel room.

'ONLY A FEW MINUTES WALK FROM THE HOTEL YOU ARE ON THE HEATH'

CHARMING VILLAGES

The charming hotel is a wonderful base for everything the Gooi region has to offer. And that is quite a lot. "The Gooi is really beautiful," says Karlijn. "Besides the variety of nature, you have the charming villages of Laren and Blaricum, with art galleries and cozy shopping streets. From the hotel, you can walk to the Singer Laren museum with rotating exhibitions and a sculpture garden. The fortified town of Naarden is part of the New Dutch Waterline and is even on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Media city Hilversum, with architecture by Dudok, the TV studios, and Media Museum Beeld & Geluid, is also nearby. Many guests also head to the forests of Lage Vuursche. If you go a little further, you reach the Loosdrechtse Plassen, where you can enjoy boating. You're not in one large city with everything to do, but you have various adjoining places together." The versatile environment offers opportunities to be both active and to relax, Bart emphasizes. "You're not dependent here on one type of activity. Everything is within reach. In the morning, you take a route over the heath, in the afternoon you visit a museum, and in the evening, you end a wonderful day with dinner or a drink. During a stay at our hotel, there is so much possible!"