Efteling Wonder Hotel

Dinner service was the low point of our stay. On the 24th of January we sat down at 19:00 to celebrate our child’s birthday, but the last dish and the celebration came about 2,5 hours later. By then, our child was half asleep. We complained a couple of times and were told it was simply busy, even though the dining area wasn’t full. The rest of the hotel was lovely: our room was extremely clean, with fresh towels every day, and the bed was very comfortable. The fairytale theme was well done, reception staff were kind and helpful, and breakfast was lovely. The hotel is worth staying at, but I’d consider skipping dinner there.

The restaurant’s handling of a disturbing incident ruined what should have been a happy anniversary dinner. There were four of us, two adults and two children, celebrating our 20th anniversary after a lovely day at the park. The food was good and fairly priced, though the wines need improvement. My one star is for management, with apologies to the chefs and waiters. A drunk man at a table opposite us, not even very close, started insulting me for no reason. I checked that he was speaking to me, and he repeated the insult. I wanted to go over and ask why, but my wife didn’t approve and the children were there, so I stayed seated. When I later saw him leave the room with his wife, I decided to politely ask him in person why he’d been so rude. The manager came over, apparently worried something might happen. He confirmed the man had insulted me without cause, but instead of asking him to leave, sat him at the bar and let him keep drinking. The manager never came to our table to explain. My wife and I told him the evening had been completely spoiled and that we didn’t want the incident ignored. Perhaps the manager thought silence would make the embarrassing situation go away. To me, the worse part was that he seemed not to care about a restaurant where someone behaving that way shouldn’t be allowed in, and where the magic of the place should guide things. It felt as if profit mattered more than respect and fairness toward customers who had been insulted. Maybe someone should brush up on Social Hygiene, assuming they already have the certificate. I’ve contacted Efteling's and Mystique Restaurant-Bar general management and provided all the evidence, but they won’t do anything to put this right. That’s an unimaginable response from a giant like them. They may stay fully booked, but customer service still seems unfamiliar to them. I’m writing in the hope that the drunk gentleman reads this. I really need to talk to you and hope I somehow get to meet you again. Fingers crossed.

We loved the breakfast, with a huge range of choices, and even had some Efteling stars visit our table. The family room wasn’t big, but it was comfortable and fine for a night or two. The kids also loved the quirky details around the hotel and room. Everything was incredibly clean and tidy, the staff were available, and we could open the room with the Efteling app. Parking right next to the hotel was easy, the site felt secure, and the rear Efteling gate was just a one minute stroll away.

Parking was easy, the trip to the park was convenient, and the stroopwaffle cake was nice. But I’m not sure I’d choose the “Pardoes Suite” with young kids. A child can roll right through the bar on the top bunk, and the faulty bathroom door can lock them inside. Both things happened to us. It couldn’t be opened from outside without emergency assistance, so the room needs a safety upgrade for guests.