Hotel Gulpenerland

The one-bedroom apartment was really spacious, with a big comfortable bed and pillows, good heating, and a quiet setting close to nearby amenities. But the equipment was heavily used and dirty, and the maintenance felt careless. The kitchen staff also made a lot of noise cleaning after the restaurant closed. The place looks as though it once had a caring owner, but something changed and it has gone downhill. It no longer lives up to its former self or the four stars it used to deserve. When we arrived, two people had apparently been watching TV and left body-shaped marks on the couch pillows. Two days later, a cleaner or other man opened our apartment door and came in. I told him repeatedly that we weren't room 100 and that there was no room for him, but it took four or five times before he left. Half an hour later he came back with a woman who knocked while yelling at the same time. I went downstairs and opened the door. She asked if I was sure I didn't want any cleaning supplies. Why?

The reception staff were very helpful. When we checked in, a man who wasn't even staying at the hotel asked the receptionist for advice about other hotels nearby. He didn't have a TomTom or anything similar, so the receptionist gave him a map showing how to get to one. That's real help. We were there from Friday to Sunday for the Notorious IBE event in Heerlen, where we ate, so we didn't try the evening meal. Breakfast was enjoyable, with plenty of fruit, cereal, bacon and the usual options. Our bedroom was quite large, as was the bathroom, which had a shower but no bath.

The room was clean and the staff were nice. For the price, my one-night stay was really good, though I would have liked brighter lighting. They only provide a combined hair and body wash, not separate shampoo, in case that matters to you. I'd definitely stay again.

I can't recommend this hotel. The bedding was unpleasant, and the mattress made for an uncomfortable bed. The room also smelled bad. It was summer, but there was neither air conditioning nor proper ventilation, and the cleanliness of the room was below average.