{"id":36245,"date":"2026-06-08T12:54:37","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T10:54:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kingstreet-magazine.com\/?p=36245"},"modified":"2026-08-06T10:07:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T08:07:26","slug":"van-der-valk-wassenaar-opts-for-sustainability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kingstreet-magazine.com\/en\/van-der-valk-wassenaar-kiest-voor-duurzaamheid\/","title":{"rendered":"Van der Valk Wassenaar embraces sustainability"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is perfectly possible to step away from the hotel world within the Van der Valk family. \u201cIn fact,\u201d says Luiten, now director of Van der Valk Den Haag-Wassenaar, \u201cmy parents actually encouraged me to do something else. My brother, for instance, is a chef in France.\u201d Luiten himself took a more winding route: he attended hotel school, went on to study finance in Barcelona, and worked as a business controller and treasurer. Even so, the family business kept calling him back.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter three years managing a hotel in Melle-Osnabr\u00fcck in Germany, together with my wife Roxanne, I\u2019ve returned to the place where I was born,\u201d he says, gesturing from the restaurant towards a house beside the hotel grounds. \u201cThat\u2019s where I grew up, and of course I spent much of my childhood here in the hotel as well. While other children were playing with Lego, I was in the kitchen, completely absorbed by the daily buzz. I even used to pop out the little butter portions from their trays as if they were ice cubes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Solar panels<\/h2>\n

A great deal has changed since those early years. Solar panels now cover the roof of his grandmother\u2019s former house, and over the past three years the hotel has undergone a complete transformation. \u201cRoxanne and I took over from my aunt and uncle, who ran the hotel for 46 years. We had an unusual start, though: the pandemic.\u201d He smiles. \u201cIt forces you to think creatively.\u201d Once that period passed, long planned renovations finally began, with a strong focus on sustainability at one of the Netherlands\u2019 earliest and most recognisable Van der Valk locations. The hotel now offers 225 contemporary rooms.<\/p>\n

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<\/td>\nAlso read:<\/b><\/i>
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\nHere are nine hotels you\u2019ll want to stay at.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThe entire building has been redeveloped,\u201d Luiten explains, \u201cfully in line with BREEAM standards, an internationally recognised sustainability certification. We have 380 solar panels on the roof, which generate around twenty per cent of our total energy use. The gas we still require is produced on site using a biodigester fuelled by food waste from our restaurant. Even the fireplace runs on it throughout the year. Around the grounds, we have our own kitchen garden, where we grow fresh produce that goes straight onto our guests\u2019 plates.\u201d<\/p>\n

For guests staying more than one night, the hotel also offers a more sustainable option. Through the Green Stays programme, they can choose to skip daily room cleaning. For every day they opt out, a tree is planted in North Macedonia. \u201cWhy there?\u201d Luiten says with a grin. \u201cIt might sound random, but it ties in with a carpentry company we\u2019ve worked with for years. They\u2019re based there and have strong connections with the local forestry authorities.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The nest<\/h2>\n

When asked about his favourite dish on the menu, Luiten does not hesitate. \u201cThe Iberico steak is excellent. At the same time, it\u2019s striking that no matter how much we refresh the menu, the schnitzel remains the firm favourite among our guests.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some things, it seems, do not change: the proximity of nature and the sea, the sense of hospitality, and the relaxed atmosphere the hotel offers. Everyone feels welcome here. Even on the roof. \u201cWe\u2019ve installed a falcon nest up there. It apparently takes about six months on average before they settle in. There\u2019s a webcam, so anyone can watch along. Sooner or later, a falcon will make its home here.\u201d<\/p>\n

www.hoteldenhaagwassenaar.nl<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is possible to break away from the hotel business within the Van der Valk family. \u201cIn fact,\u201d says Alex Luiten, manager of Van der Valk The Hague-Wassenaar, \u201cmy parents said: \u2018By all means, go and do something else.\u2019 My brother, for example, is a chef in France.\u201d Luiten himself took a winding path: he attended the Hotel School, then studied finance in Barcelona and went\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":36261,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[147],"tags":[3311,2741,3310,2697],"opmaak":[2548],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nVan der Valk Wassenaar kiest voor duurzaamheid<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Na een omweg staat Alex Luiten aan het roer van Van der Valk Den Haag-Wassenaar, met focus op duurzaamheid.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/kingstreet-magazine.com\/en\/van-der-valk-wassenaar-opts-for-sustainability\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Van der Valk Wassenaar kiest voor duurzaamheid\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Kingstreet is h\u00e9t high-end mediamerk van Den Haag. 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