As much as I love city trips, sometimes all I want is to spend some time in nature. Enjoying the fresh air and some peace and quiet. Ideally, with a bit of luxury, of course. And I can now tell you from personal experience that when it comes to luxury hotels surrounded by nature in The Netherlands, there’s no better place than Boutique Hotel Beekhuizen in National Park Veluwezoom. I just spent 3 nights here, and it has immediately made it into my top 3 favorite boutique hotels in the Netherlands.
In this article, I’ll share my review of Boutique Hotel Beekhuizen, along with some great tips on what you can do in the area during your stay. From visiting beautiful old castles to admiring the purple heather at the Posbank.
Unique stay in Veluwezoom National Park
Boutique Hotel Beekhuizen is located on the Beekhuizen estate in Velp, which is part of the Veluwezoom National Park. I was looking for some peace and quiet, plus beautiful nature, and you get that in abundance here. As soon as you step outside, you’re already in the park, and you can hear the water flowing of the stream next to the hotel. It’s perfect!
The hotel was newly built in 2020, but there was already a hotel here in 1847, designed in a similar Swiss chalet style. Queen Emma (of The Netherlands) and other royal guests and artists used to enjoy staying here.
During the summer months (July and August), when the purple heather is at its most beautiful, and also on weekends, the roads around the Posbank (the part of the park known for its heather fields) are closed to traffic. This includes the only road that passes by the hotel.
Because I was staying at the hotel, I was allowed to drive a little further with my car, but other vehicles were stopped. Thanks to this absence of traffic, all you hear around you are the sounds of nature.
During my stay, I left my car in the hotel parking lot and did everything else by (electric) bike or on foot.
Beautiful suite with direct access to the forest
If you’re looking for a luxury stay in the middle of nature, every room type at Boutique Hotel Beekhuizen will be perfect. There are 21 hotel rooms, and you can choose from 7 types of ‘lodges and suites’. Most rooms are for two people, but the Arcadië Lodge and Cascade Lodge can accommodate more guests.
I’m staying in one of the two Suites in the blue gatehouse. It’s almost too grand to call it a hotel room. It feels more like a beautiful apartment, that’s how spacious it is.
From the hallway with a separate toilet, you enter the spacious and beautifully decorated living room. Here, besides a cozy seating area, you have a small kitchenette with a microwave, fridge, Nespresso machine, kettle, and dishwasher. If you prefer to eat in your suite, there are plates and cutlery available. The entire suite has beautiful wooden floors.
Through the living room, you enter the bedroom with a wonderful box-spring bed. The luxurious bathroom has both a jacuzzi bathtub and a rain shower.
And then the main reason I chose the Suite: from the living room, you can step right out onto your private terrace with a view of the forest. It’s so peaceful, and in the afternoon, you can sit here and enjoy the sun. (There is a patio umbrella if you prefer to sit in the shade.)
Every room also has a pair of binoculars so you don’t miss anything in the surroundings. Unfortunately, I didn’t spot any wild boars, deer, or kingfishers during my stay, but they are definitely around.
Delicious breakfast at the Bakhuis
For me, breakfast can make or break a hotel stay. At Boutique Hotel Beekhuizen, they understand this, and thankfully, their breakfast is wonderful.
The Bakhuis is a separate building on the property, nicely furnished for a welcoming atmosphere. This is where you check in and out and can ask the hotel staff any questions. But its main focus is to relax and enjoy some food and drinks.
Breakfast isn’t included, but you can opt for it when making your reservation (highly recommended). In the morning, you walk from your room to the Bakhuis, where a generous breakfast buffet awaits you. Boiled eggs are ready, but if you prefer a fried (or any other) egg, they’ll be happy to prepare it for you just the way you like it.
Honesty bar
Apart from breakfast, Boutique Hotel Beekhuizen doesn’t offer lunch or dinner. Fortunately, there are plenty of restaurants nearby. If you want a (alcoholic) drink or a snack during your stay, you’ll find this at the Bakhuis.
You can help yourself to whatever you like and note down what you take on a piece of paper. You’ll settle the bill when you check out. Since I had such a lovely sunny terrace at my suite, I didn’t use the honesty bar, but I regularly saw people enjoying a drink on the terrace or sitting inside.
Things to do around Boutique Hotel Beekhuizen
Although I wouldn’t mind staying at the hotel the entire time, it would be a shame not to explore the beautiful area during your stay. Through the hotel, I rented an electric bike for two days to explore the area. Since this trip was all about spending time in nature, I skipped Arnhem this time. However, if you’re in the mood for shopping and good food, the city is not far away.
Cycle or walk through National Park Veluwezoom
The Veluwezoom is the oldest national park in the Netherlands. It covers over 5,000 hectares and, together with the Hoge Veluwe National Park, forms the area known as ‘the Veluwe.’
You wouldn’t expect it in the Netherlands, but the Veluwezoom is quite hilly, so from time to time you’ll have to climb a bit. Because of that, it’s not a bad idea to rent an electric bike. By the way, if you bring your own bike, you can store it in the hotel’s secure bike shed.
With 350 kilometers of trails, you can cycle and walk through nature extensively here. This is fun to do year-round, but especially in the summer months the Veluwezoom attracts even more visitors. That’s when the heather blooms, and all those hills turn into a stunning shade of purple.
Admire the purple heather of the Posbank at sunrise
The part of the Veluwezoom where you’ll find the hills with purple heather is called the Posbank. The Posbank is actually a viewpoint with a round, stone bench that was placed there to celebrate the anniversary of the (Dutch travelers’ association) ANWB’s second chairman, Mr. Pos. If you follow the (ANWB) cycling signs marked ‘Posbank,’ you’ll reach this viewpoint.
The best time to admire this area is at sunrise or sunset. So, one morning during my stay at Boutique Hotel Beekhuizen, I set my alarm clock so I can cycle into the park right at sunrise. Between sunset and sunrise, it’s not allowed to enter the Veluwezoom.
To see the sunrise at its best, I don’t go to the Posbank viewpoint but to the Zijpenberg viewpoint. Since I entered the park exactly at sunrise, I missed the very first rays of the sun, but within ten minutes, I am already at the viewpoint. I park my bike and continue on foot along the path surrounded by purple heather.
The view of the rising sun over the purple hills is breathtakingly beautiful! It’s definitely worth setting the alarm for.
Visit the medieval Rosendael Castle
About a 15-minute bike ride from Boutique Hotel Beekhuizen lies the beautiful Rosendael Castle. I start my visit with coffee and cake at the Oranjerie since the castle and the surrounding park aren’t open yet (they open at noon and 11am). With nice weather, you can sit on the terrace enjoying a view of the castle.
If you want to see the interior of the castle, you can buy a ticket for the guided tour, which lasts about an hour. The history of the castle dates back to around 1300, and it’s fascinating to see how the last residents lived here in the early 20th century. Before or after the tour, you can stroll through the beautifully landscaped park, which since the 17th century has been considered the most beautiful park in the country.
Enjoy modern art at the Kröller-Müller Museum
The Kröller-Müller Museum is located in the adjacent Hoge Veluwe National Park, 22 kilometers from Boutique Hotel Beekhuizen. You could cycle there, but I visited the museum on my way to the hotel. You can check in at the hotel from 3 PM, so this is an ideal activity to do beforehand. Afterward, it’s only a half-hour drive to the hotel.
In the museum, you’ll find the second-largest Vincent van Gogh collection in the world, along with works by famous artists such as Monet, Picasso, and Mondrian.
However, I found the sculpture garden with 200 modern artworks even more worthwhile, featuring works by artists like Jean Dubuffet, Rodin, and Henry Moore.
To visit the museum and sculpture garden, you also need an entrance ticket for Hoge Veluwe National Park.
There’s plenty to do during your stay at Boutique Hotel Beekhuizen. I honestly considered staying another night (or two). I enjoyed it so much. It’s a beautiful place with all the facilities you need to escape for a few days and truly unwind. And the staff is super welcoming. For me, this might just become an annual getaway!
