Van Der Valk Hotel Almere

The room was spacious and well furnished, the food was excellent, and service around the hotel was good. The wellness area itself is beautiful, just as it looks in the photos. Still, it was a real disappointment that access and behavior there didn’t seem to be monitored. That spoiled our romantic Valentine’s getaway with my wife, since we’d chosen the hotel mainly for the large pool and saunas and a relaxing evening. I enjoy spas and saunas, but not the naked kind, and had been looking forward to unwinding. A group of teenage boys disrupted the pool area. Some had jackets and sneakers on, and they went into the sauna fully clothed, leaving its door wide open. It didn’t feel hygienic or relaxing. We tried to ignore them at first, but more kept coming until there were around a dozen. They yelled and ran around, making it feel more like a high school gym than a hotel wellness area. One boy cut his toe, and there was blood on the floor. We gave up on relaxing and left for dinner. The next morning, I saw one of the boys working in the restaurant, so I assume they were staff or friends of staff. I told the front desk what had happened. They agreed it wasn’t appropriate, said they’d look into it and get back to me, but never did. That’s why I’m writing this review. If you’re picking the hotel for its wellness area, the atmosphere may not be what you expect.

I’d been a regular business client for years. The prices always seemed a little high for the location, but I could accept that. Recently, though, they’ve gone crazy while comfort and maintenance have declined. Last week I paid €372/night incl. tax excl. breakfast and couldn’t get an answer when I asked what justified that price. I won’t go back. Nearby, there are hotels of the same standard that cost 1/3 of that during the same period.

The rooms are spacious and comfortable, and the hotel is very nice and well located. Service didn’t quite meet American standards, and it seemed they relied on a lot of interns, especially at night and on weekends. The room safe had been left locked by the previous guest, and it took 5 days to get it opened.

Check-in was quick and easy, and the staff were very friendly. My partner and I had a lovely stay in the wellness suite, which was clean, luxurious, and had a lovely view. I used to live in Almere a few years ago, so the location and surroundings weren’t a surprise, but I still think it’s a nice spot. We had dinner and breakfast there, and both were very nice. The breakfast buffet has lots of options, and the dinner menu offers a good variety.