Dormio Wijnhotel Valkenburg

We arrived after hours and were put in a room in the third of the property’s three separate buildings. It had no heating in winter. Even with the small room heater set to 31 C, we were so cold we had to sleep in our clothes and winter jackets. When I tried the next morning to cancel the second night because of the freezing room, the manager tried to charge us extra for that miserable night. I refused and said I’d pay only half of the two nights. He tried calling the police to intimidate me. They didn’t come, but the threat says a lot about the place’s ethics. Avoid at all costs.

I didn’t expect much for the low price, but room 37 was clean, tidy, and well kept. Even though the hotel is right across from the train station, it wasn’t as noisy as I’d feared. We stayed on a Monday night during the summer break, so don’t let the location put you off. The bed was comfortable, with one full-size mattress instead of two 90cm ones, so my arm didn’t end up between them. The shower was great, the toilet clean, and the whole room somehow felt like home. The air conditioning worked so well I had to turn it off after a while. The TVs have built-in Chromecast, so you can stream from your phone. I don’t think I’ve seen that in a hotel before.

The breakfast was good, with a nice range of fresh local food, and the staff were friendly. The hotel is right across from Valkenburg train station and about a 10-minute walk to the center, which is handy. Rooms are fairly spacious and have a wine theme, though the furniture is simple and the balcony door lock was broken. I’m not keen on the sink being in the room, a trend I’ve noticed at many 3-4 star hotels. Check-in can get crowded because the reception area is small and there was only one person working. We were told there’s no elevator, so you have to carry luggage upstairs. Those two service issues brought my rating down to 3 stars. I’d put the hotel closer to 3 stars overall, though it’s still a pretty good choice for a 1-2 night stay in Valkenburg.

The staff were welcoming and professional, and the service was excellent. Rooms are spacious and very nice, and breakfast had a great variety. The center is only a few minutes away on foot. I strongly recommend this hotel for families and friends.