Een echt familiebedrijf
150 years of hospitality! It is in our genes.
History of Van der Valk
History of Van der Valk
How it all started
With more than a hundred hotels, Van der Valk has grown into an international family business where hospitality, entrepreneurship, and quality have been passed down for generations. What began as a farmhouse with a café grew into a hotel chain where both guests and employees feel at home. That warm family atmosphere still lives on in special traditions, such as the famous saying: "There's a living room on the hatch!", a reminder of the time when employees dined with the family in the hotel's living room.
Where it all began
1862
The history of Van der Valk begins with Nicolaas who bought the Gouden Leeuw in 1862 in Voorschoten. He could not have imagined that this was the beginning of an impressive empire. It was Martinus van der Valk, an entrepreneur with a keen eye for opportunities, who took over farm De Gouden Leeuw with a café in Voorschoten in 1929. He discovered that guests liked to eat just as well out as at home. The café grew into a successful hospitality business and formed the foundation for what later would become the Van der Valk group. Together with his wife Riet and their twelve children, he laid the foundations of a family business where entrepreneurship, hard work, and hospitality were central.
From one business to a national hotel chain
The growth of a family business
Martinus van der Valk had the ambition to build his twelve children their own hospitality business. Therefore, he took over hospitality businesses throughout the Netherlands, often enterprises that were struggling but where he saw opportunities. His children did not receive these businesses as gifts, but worked themselves towards their success. Through this enterprising approach, the family business grew quickly. In the eighties and nineties, the expansion further accelerated by opening new locations, making Van der Valk one of the most well-known hospitality families in the Netherlands.
Working together, growing together
Hard work, much fun
Van der Valk has always been a true family business. From a young age, the children helped in the business, where hard work went hand in hand with fun and togetherness. That involvement still forms the basis of the company. Van der Valk has now grown into an international hotel chain with locations in multiple countries, with the fourth, fifth, and even sixth generations working towards the future. Thus, the entrepreneurial family spirit of founder Martinus van der Valk has been passed on for more than a century.
Second home
Always welcome
Van der Valk has been known for generations for its hospitality and accessible atmosphere. As a family business, family members are often closely involved in the day-to-day operations, contributing to the personal character of the hotels. Although the hotels have moved with the times, increasingly focusing on comfort and culinary experience, the foundation remains unchanged: a place where guests feel welcome, enjoy good food, and can relax overnight. Thus, a stay at Van der Valk feels like coming home for many.
Why a toucan as a logo?
The most frequently asked question
It is one of the most frequently asked questions to the Van der Valk family: why do you have a toucan on your roof instead of a falcon? The answer can be found in the purchase of the bird park Avifauna. The family was looking for a symbol for the whole family. Just after the war, many people still had unpleasant memories of the birds of prey symbol used by the Nazis.
As Gerrit van der Valk said: “When a falcon sleeps it's nothing, and when it goes hunting, it's like an eagle. A toucan is a beautiful, large, tropical bird, a cheerful animal, a sociable animal, which suits us much better.”
The iconic applesauce with cherry
One of the best-known traditions
When you think of Van der Valk, you often think of the famous applesauce with a cherry. What started as a simple addition to meals grew into a recognizable symbol of the family business. Generations of guests know this tradition, which perfectly fits with the accessible and familiar atmosphere for which Van der Valk is known. To this day, applesauce with a cherry remains a beloved part of the Van der Valk experience.