Hotel Van der Valk Spier awaits metamorphosis: multi-million dollar project that will take years

A lookout tower, a larger wellness center with a new swimming pool and more hotel rooms. The Van der Valk hotel along the A28 near Spier is awaiting a multi-million renovation. Director Justin van der Valk hopes to start the renovation in 2025.

An eye-catcher in the designs is the almost thirty-meter-high tower, which will also house luxury rooms. The tower is attached to the new main building, the current main building will be demolished. Just like much of the rest of the complex, such as the wellness area. Only the current part with dozens of recently renovated hotel rooms remains.

The demolition and reconstruction will cost millions. One of the permit applications mentions the amount of 16.5 million euros. “I wish it would still be possible before that, but that won’t work,” is all director Justin van der Valk wants to say about the financial side.

He prefers to talk about the destination of the money. “It promises to be a fantastically beautiful complex. A resort idea, so that there is plenty to do even in the winter. There will be a bowling alley, a gym, treatment rooms for massages and we are considering an indoor playground for the children. The wellness area will be three times as large as the current one. It is quite quiet in the province in the winter, so you have to take that into account.” There will be eight ‘multifunctional’ (meeting) rooms for the business market. “They can also be used for birthdays, parties and conferences.”

The current Hotel Spier-Dwingeloo has 110 rooms. “The new plan includes 150 rooms,” says Van der Valk. According to him, the adjustments are desperately needed. First of all, because there are still some additional places to stay in Drenthe. On the other hand, because the current hotel-restaurant is no longer sufficient. For example, the route to the swimming pool runs straight through the lobby and the restaurant and that should be more logical, says Van der Valk.

The new tower offers visitors the opportunity to look over the tops of the trees at the Dwingelderveld. Van der Valk: “It is important to mention that it does not cause horizon pollution.” He finds this important because the Drenthe Nature and Environment Federation had objected, partly because of the fear that the tower will detract from ‘the still intact horizon of the Dwingelderveld’. According to the hotel owner, this is not the case, the municipality of Westerveld agrees.

And people in the area don’t have to worry about people peeping into the garden with binoculars. Van der Valk: “That came up at a residents’ evening. We tested it all with a drone and it appears to be no problem.”

The hotel is a stone’s throw from the Dwingelderveld, Natura 2000 area. And so the inevitable nitrogen calculations were made. “Building a new hotel in this vulnerable area would not be possible,” says Van der Valk. But within the existing limits of the current hotel, expansion is possible. “We reduce nitrogen emissions by switching off gas almost entirely, renewing installations and becoming more energy efficient. We are also installing solar panels, so we hope to generate all the electricity ourselves.”

The ecological reports show that a number of protected animal species are losing their habitat, such as the common pipistrelle bat and house sparrow. The province must approve this. The hotelier has confidence in it. “Our starting point is to connect the hotel with nature. The garden will be redesigned with rest areas and nest boxes will be installed.”

Demolition and construction will take place in various phases, which is estimated to take about four years. Depending on how quickly the official mill turns and any objection procedures, it is expected that a start can be made in 2025. Van der Valk hopes for the beginning of the year. “I’m very happy when we can finally really get started.”