When we turn our car into the driveway of
Château St. Gerlach we hear a deep sigh from the back seat of the car: “Wow, are we going to sleep there?”. Our youngest daughter has brought her girlfriend Vera for this weekend and both are now almost sitting with their noses against the window. The excitement is completely justified.
The Château St. Gerlach is located in Valkenburg, a 10-minute drive from Maastricht. An estate full of memories with an overwhelming beauty and grandeur. The former monastery and farmstead have been transformed into hotel rooms and suites, homely hotel apartments, a restaurant and a special swimming pool with spa facilities.
Exploring!
We stay in one of the hotel apartments in one of the former grain buildings. With two bedrooms and an extra sofa bed, the luxury apartments are a popular alternative to a family room. Each apartment is decorated differently in a style that matches the monumental estate. Equipped with a kitchen they offer the pleasure of home comfort and the luxury of all the facilities and services of the Château St. Gerlach. The styling of our room isn't the pinnacle of contemporary design, but we feel more than at home there. And it’s hugh!
The estate invites to go on a discovery tour. The girls run happily around and with every corner there is something new. The grandeur of the castle, authentic outbuildings, many secret places, extensive parcs, baroque gardens, rose and vegetable gardens are overwhelming. And we even spot some beautiful (wild) konik horses around the area. At the same time, the atmosphere at St. Gerlach is accessible and hospitable. You certainly do not have to walk on tiptoe here and active children are also not looked up to in any way.
Just smell!
After we have settled in the apartment, it is time for dinner. The temperature is still lovely, so we settle down on the terrace of the restaurant Les Salons. The setting is beautiful: the facade of the Château subtly contrasts with the modern, semi-spherical temporary covering. Terrace heaters ensure that it is still a good place to stay later in the evening. Our four-course dinner is perfect, but no matter how delicious the food is, the kids don't last very long at the table. Which is no point; they run around in the extensive sculpture garden in front of the terrace and they join us when the next course is served. The sculpture garden is truly impressive, each day we find ourselves “new” sculptures to amaze. After our visit, the beautiful image Transmission XL (the third) by our brother-in-law Rob Zweerman was added to the collection. We are proud of it!
In bad weather, the former living quarters, kitchen and dining room of Baron de Selys de Fanson provide the perfect backdrop for a delicious meal in the indoor part of the restaurant. Whether indoors or out, Les Salons restaurant is a place that blends nostalgia with contemporary cuisine, conceived by the Chef de Cuisine and his talented kitchen team, using ingredients sourced locally and harvested from the estate's gardens.
The Mayor Quicx, Coffee & More; the cosy living room in the castle farm next to the entrance of Château St. Gerlach is a more casual affair. Sink into the comfortable chairs with a cup of homemade soup or opt for a latte macchiato, cappuccino or lungo to go. And just drift away in time.
Indeed when traveling, it is also a matter of resting. So the next morning we take it easy. We start with a delicious breakfast with piping hot coffee, crispy croissants, fresh strawberry smoothie, salmon and delicious brownies. Both girls are thrilled by the offer they see. Then it's time for a dip in the pool. What a gem! Spa & Wellness St. Gerlach is located in the vaulted cellars of the former convent building. And it’s truly a wonderful atmosphere. Especially when the girls put on their mermaid outfit for a magical swim. When visiting the pool, please note that there are special hours when it is only accessible to adults.
@ Ettiene van Sloun
There is also a lot of other entertainment available. The Château offers bikes for adults (bring or rent children bikes if you feel for it), or opt for mountain bikes to explore the Limburg marl caves. From the estate you can walk straight into the hill country. We go on a treasure hunt together with a GPS-tour; hiking the beautiful woods in the surroundings. Furthermore, the Château St. Gerlach is perfectly situated for a visit to a museum in for example Aachen or Maastricht or to go shopping in Hasselt or Maastricht. Surrounded by nature and with international, major cities are just a stone's throw away, so there is more than enough to do. And if you can spend some time without the kids, don’t forget the winetasting at the Château.
We ourselves pay a visit to Agogo Valkenburg. An activity center with exciting attractions and fun group activities for young and old, both indoor and outdoor! Started as ‘Kabelbaan Valkenburg’ in 1954, Agogo Valkenburg has grown into one of the most demonstrable attraction companies in Valkenburg. The visit starts with a cable car ride to the foot of the 68 higher Wilhelminatoren; one of the eye-catchers of Valkenburg. The tower was built in 1906 and offers a majestic panorama over the Limburg landscape that you will not find anywhere else! In clear weather you can even see beyond the borders of Belgium and Germany. Just admiring the view is not exciting enough for the girls, so it is decided to descent in style. Equipped with a seat belt, they climb the 35 meter high tower. Once at the top, a professional instructor helps them over a wall on a narrow edge. Safely hooked into the 100 meter long rope, they then take a step into the deep end. Once free from the tower, they rush down with breathtaking speed, hanging from the zip line. What bravery!
The two toboggan runs on the grounds in front of the tower provide even more adrenaline. With a beautiful view you whiz down the 375 and 325 meter long tracks. You determine the speed yourself! When you have finished a run, you will be brought back up by our drag lift. The tubing track where you slide down with a big tire is also a big hit with the girls. Only the single-handed dragging of the colossus again is disappointing. Certainly because a lot of energy has already been spent on all other activities. If there is still energy left, the Adventure Golf Course with 18 adventurous holes awaits. Can you complete the course with as few strokes as possible?
To end this great day of fun, we visit a nearby sushi restaurant where all dishes pass on a conveyor belt. A big wish from our daughter and well worth it.
We close the last day in a culinary way. We enjoy a lovely picnic on the estate. The girls go out to pick up some things at the reception. It seemed to us that they would be able to lift that just fine. However, after some time they appear with a friendly staff member who carries two huge picnic baskets while the girls also carry a bag themselves. When we install ourselves on the lawn in front of the Château we are overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of what we find in the baskets and bags. We can live on this for almost a week. We therefore take the time to enjoy all the goodies.
A perfect picknick where ever you want to settle
And that is also what a stay at Chateau St Gerlach stands for: pure enjoyment! Just as we experienced while staying at Kruisheren Hotel in Maastricht. Both hotels are part of the Oostwegelcollection, with excellent restaurants, as well at Chateau Neercanne and Winselerhof. And we do enjoy it all; with full gear. We hope to come back soon.
WOW
# The estate is breath-taking. In a summer atmosphere, dining and breakfast outside is delicious. The 114 hotel rooms, suites and homely hotel apartments offer every comfort for a perfect stay.
# Excellent, spontaneous, hospitable dealings on all fronts, both in restaurant and hotel, and very beautiful surroundings. Families will also feel more than welcome here.
# The pool is one of the highlights for families. Beautifully styled and with a very authentic feel. Time flies when you’re having fun!
Images of the interior are (mostly) made by Etienne van Sloun.