Van Der Valk Hotel Houten - Utrecht

The staff were great and very service-minded, which made my stay really enjoyable. I also liked the gym on the 15th floor. If, like me, you work out regularly, you can do most exercises there and get a full body workout while travelling, which isn't always possible in hotels. I attached a video showing the whole gym. Great hotel.

The conflicting cancellation details in the confirmation email left us with a very negative impression. One part said cancellation was possible until noon on the reservation day, while another gave a deadline of 3:00 PM the day before. I had gifted a one-night stay at this hotel to a couple. The day before their booking, my sister-in-law had severe back pain and tried to reschedule. We called at 10:00 PM the night before, but the request was refused. We were later told the noon deadline was only for “loyal guests,” something the email never clearly explained. The information we were given didn't match the actual conditions. Whatever the internal policy is, it's unacceptable to give ambiguous rules and then penalize a customer, especially in a health-related situation. The staff were inflexible and unprofessional. I don't recommend this hotel.

The food was good, no complaints there, but the staff weren't friendly, even at reception. We rented the Africa spa room, and it was old and outdated. At that high rate, I expected more. There wasn't an iron in the room, and getting one was an issue for the staff too. Van der Valk has always been our go-to hotel, but this one really disappointed us with the service and staff.

The hotel was clean, and the new wellness area is nice. The staff were really friendly, and we got a late check-out for free.