Kasteel Wolfrath

The castle itself is beautiful and well looked after. Its modern, tasteful interior suits the historic building, and I'd give the place 95. The breakfast was simple and homely, and I really enjoyed it. For service, though, I gave 5. The hotel manager also serves breakfast, and his manner left me disappointed. After I left two small pieces of meat on my plate, he called me out in front of everyone and lectured me about food waste and where food comes from. The next morning, before we'd even sat down, he raised his voice and insisted that we sit outside because the weather was nice. It drew everyone's attention and embarrassed me. Later, while my friend and I were relaxing in the garden, he joined us for a chat. When she joked about gaining weight after having kids, he told her three times, “the reason you get fat is because you eat too much.” Maybe he meant it as a joke, but it felt insulting and inappropriate. He may have intended to be friendly, but often came across as intrusive and disrespectful. I'm not sure whether this kind of behavior is considered culturally acceptable in the Netherlands. I've worked with many Dutch colleagues in an international environment, and I don't believe this is proper hospitality. Not recommended for international people, apparently we don't understand the Dutch humor…

Annet made us feel welcome right away, and Wolfrath Castle turned out to be a wonderfully peaceful place. We'd driven past a huge industrial estate to get there, so I wasn't sure what to expect until we spotted the blue and white chevrons on the gates and wall. Our rooms in the main building were huge, tastefully decorated, and very well equipped. I wish we'd booked another night and left time to rest, but I'd planned too many activities and visits. After settling in, we crossed the moat to the courtyard and spent the cool evening outside with drinks and good company. The next morning I missed the planned 6km nature trail with Mum after a restless night, so we walked around the grounds instead. We followed the moat, then wandered through the garden and beech tree tunnel, listening to the birds. It was drizzling, so we couldn't make use of the many seating areas and went in to get ready for breakfast. Breakfast was filling, varied, and fabulous, with local food where possible. The host was engaging, easy to talk to, and spoke flawless English. We left after packing up and checking out. A lovely stay in a beautiful building, with excellent food and charming hosts.

I booked after reading the good reviews, but the stay was not nice at all. The location is by a highway, surrounded by industrial buildings, and the nearest shops are a 15 minute drive away. We arrived at 19.30, but the owner wouldn't even sell us a drink. The fridge was right there, so really? We were also told to be at breakfast by 9 at the latest. On holiday, really? The room was small, with thin, noisy doors. Around 7 in the morning, people rushing to breakfast made it very loud. Never again.

The rooms were very comfortable and seemed to have been refurbished recently, since everything looked new. I was really delighted with my stay, and the friendly couple running the castle made it even better. I arrived late, and with no restaurants very close by, they kindly prepared sandwiches and fruit for me. Breakfast was included, and when I asked for fried eggs, they cooked them perfectly. Outstanding!