Sometimes you come across places that leave a lasting impression. During our most recent trip ticking of some of the best places to visit in The Netherlands, we also visited the Veluwe and the Veluwe National Park. They had been on our to do list for a long time, because of their beautiful nature and some really good opportunities to spot wildlife. Yes, even in the Netherlands you can spot wildlife.
Hotel de Sterrenberg is such a place that left a lasting impression. Our stay with them was organized very last minute, but that really doesn’t detract from our experience with them.
About Hotel de Sterrenberg
Hotel de Sterrenberg is a 4 star wellness hotel in Otterlo, in the heart of the Veluwe. The hotel is surrounded by beautiful nature. It invites you to be active and go outdoors to explore this beautiful part of the Netherlands.
The hotel has 39 rooms, divided over 6 different room types. De Sterrenberg is decorated very naturally with natural, modern and warm designs. The interior seems very basic in terms of the materials they used, but it actually gives the hotel a very luxurious look that fits right in with its surroundings. They used a lot of wooden and concrete materials, which blend in perfectly with the outdoor world, and also very sustainable.
Back in 2017 the hotel was completely renovated, and from then ready to welcome everyone to their wellness hotel on the Veluwe.
At Hotel de Sterrenberg you can taste nature, experience the Veluwe and completely relax in their adult only wellness hotel. Their slogan is: Hotel de Sterrenberg, place to wander. That is really what it is, wander away and get lost in the endless nature, or wander away in the relaxing wellness area. Whatever your preference, I’m sure you’ll find it here.
And, not to forget the top location of this hotel, because it is located in the middle of nature. The vast nature of the Veluwe is all around you, in fact, it’s only 600 meters away from the gates to the Veluwe National Park, top class location! It makes it the perfect getaway to explore the Veluwe.
Restaurant Cepes
When staying at hotel de Sterrenberg, make sure you don’t miss out on the amazing food that Restaurant Cepes has to offer. A true culinary tour de force!
At Restaurant Cepes you’ll be spoiled with a daily 4 course meal at a high level! There is no a la carte menu. Their gastronomic menu includes a variety of fish, meat and vegetarian dishes. Luxury, culinary and excellent food!
Their chefs cook for you with seasonal and local products from biological addresses from their own region, including recognized Veluwe regional products. That way they spoil you as much as possible as their guest.
Wellness
The wellness is one of the best parts of Hotel de Sterrenberg. The actual wellness with sauna, Turkish steam room, wellness pool and tepidarium is only accessible for adults and is an undressed area. Complimentary water and tea service is available here, and they also serve salads and smoothies in the wellness.
Next to the wellness there is also an indoor swimming pool, with a sauna cabin, and a professional gym, these areas are all dressed areas. Visiting in the summer? Then there’s also a wellness garden outside, very relaxed area to just lie down on one of the beds, enjoy the Veluwe nature and relax! Usage of the swimming pool, wellness and fitness facilities is included in your stay.
Bike rental
Bike rental is pretty normal nowadays at hotels, however, De Sterrenberg goes the extra mile here. Like many other hotels, De Sterrenberg has bikes for rent, both regular and e-bikes. The Veluwe is the perfect place to explore by bike, it’s even better to explore by bike than by car.
The front desk has composed 5 bike routes for you, 5 different routes to explore the region. From just a few kilometers to a full day of biking.
Best places to visit in Hoge Veluwe National Park
This park is one of the largest and oldest national parks in the country and which is of course mentioned in our article about the best places to visit in The Netherlands. You’ll find 5500 ha of forests, moors, sand dunes and marshes. Furthermore, it is home to red deer, roe deer, mouflon and wild boar. There is an entrance fee if you want to enter the park, which depends on your way of transportation. Entrance fee for adults is 11 euros. At every entrance to the National Park there is a large bicycle shed with free bikes to use for visitors to the National Park.
Obviously it’s all about nature when visiting the Veluwe, and the National Park is our number one must visit when coming here. However, there are many more things to do in the Veluwe area, and we would like to list our favorites here, as they are easy to visit from De Sterrenberg.
Loenense Waterfall
Yes, the Netherlands is a very flat country, but even in a flat country, there is always a highest waterfall to visit. For the Netherlands, the Loenense waterfall is the highest waterfall in the country, and when visiting the Veluwe it’s a must do, absolutely worth a stop. It’s tucked away in the forests, so you can even make it a day of hiking and exploring.
Center of the Netherlands
This one is located just a few minutes away from De Sterrenberg and Otterlo. Actually the perfect trip when renting a bike from the hotel. The exact center of the Netherlands happens to be located in Lunteren, in the middle of the forest, so be in for a bit of a search. Once you find it there is a stone marking the exact center of the country, which we think is pretty cool.
Radio Kootwijk
Radio Kootwijk is a national monument which was used as a communication facility between the Netherlands and the colony of Dutch East Indies. Its location is fantastic, open heaths, the largest active sand drifts in Western Europe and of course the monumental radio station itself, definitely worth a visit!
We truly enjoyed our stay with Hotel de Sterrenberg in every possible way. We explored the National Park using their e-bikes, and had the ultimate relaxation in their wellness. Not to forget about the amazing food that they serve in Restaurant Cepes, that alone is worth a visit!
It is a modern and contemporary wellness hotel with the perfect location. A place where gastronomy, wellness and nature come together. Ultimate relaxation, pampering and luxury in the heart of the Veluwe.
This blog was written by travel writer and Traveltomtom team member Ashley. She stayed at the wonderful and amazing Hotel de Sterrenberg on behalf of Traveltomtom and wrote this blog about her experiences.