GRAND HOTEL OPDUIN, De Koog, Texel (Dutch Wadden Islands)

On an island full with camping grounds, bungalow parks and 1 or 2-star bed & breakfasts and guesthouses, Grand Hotel Opduin clearly stands out by being one of the two four star hotel on the first of the Dutch “Wadden” islands in the northern parts of the country.
After reading this report, you'll agree this hotel should be rated as "four-point-something" rather than a "four" star hotel.

We arrived at the deadly-early hour of 8am, simply because we wanted to to avoid the rush hour traffic around Amsterdam so we could get the most out of our stay. After being welcomed by the receptionist, we were offered coffee - and not too long after that we were asked “it’s so early, did you already have breakfast?” After our “no” we were guided to the breakfast buffet in the restaurant. "Please have breakfast!!"
From all the hotels we reviewed so far, I can't imagine any we would have heard the same from!
During breakfast we were welcomed and greeted by Mr. den Ouden, the hotel’s owner, who invited us to his office whenever we thought we’d be ready.

History / about the hotel
Eversince 1934, this place has been a boardinghouse / bed & breakfast place. In the late 1980’s the hotel’s management wanted to let go of the pension feeling. After that, Opduin (literally: “On the dune”) more and more turned into a hotel. Eventually, in April 2005, 100 rooms were delivered completely renovated after only 3 months time.
The rooms in the 3-storey hotel are decorated after several color schemes representing sea (blue rooms, 1st floor), beach (beige rooms, 2nd floor) and dune (green/reddish brown, 3rd floor). The self-designed carpets show sand, starfish and shells.

At the Grand Hotel Opduin, Mr and Mrs den Ouden find the time to welcome all guests and cater their every need. Over the years they have gained the reputation of charming hosts and they stand out in their personal attention.

Grand Hotel Opduin is a hotel where guests are far (and we mean far!) more than a room number.
Mr den Ouden stated that in his opinion a sincere bond between the hosts and their guest results in an amiable atmosphere througout the hotel and among the guests themselves.
We can only add that he is right...
 

The day's latest newspapers

Brightness all over

Reading table in the lounge / lobby area, with the latest magazines

Homely feeling in the lounge / lobby area

Environmental friendly
Many of the hotel’s philosphies lead back to awareness of the environment.
Besides the regular “put your towels on the floor if you need new towels, otherwise we assume you will use them again” signs, there are some very simple solutions to save energy. One of them is the lack of energy-consuming airco systems. But don’t be afraid you’ll be in a room too hot to breathe in - because Opduin uses ceiling fans.
Another feature is the stainless steel swimming pool – easy to clean, and it will last years and years longer than your average swimming pool.

INSIDE
The room types:
- Standard rooms and double rooms
- Suites

All rooms have the basics a traveller wants - and even a bit more.
As you will see on these pictures there's a queensize bed, enough room to store your entire wardrobe, cable TV and DVD player (why doesn't every hotel have one...) and a very spaceous and well-designed bathroom.
The doubles consist of a generally larger room, with an extra desk and a couch.
The suites are extra spaceous and they truly gave us the feeling of being in someone's home instead of a hotel - and actually this is exactly what
Mr and Mrs den Ouden are trying to achieve: eventhough Opduin officially is called a hotel, they'd rather have people call it their second home.
(And it would be ours, for sure).
The - mini, and electric - open fire definitely contributes to this.*

* only in business class rooms

Standard double room, 1st floor

Standard double room, 2nd floor

The restaurants
- De Heeren XVII
- Brasserie De Franse Slag
- Grand Restaurant Opduin

The hotel houses three types of restaurants, all to suit everyone's taste.

**   If you are looking for an inbetween, something easy, a snack, a quick lunch, but definitely stylish, you should go to Brasserie De Franse Slag. Drowned in daylight, good for either a large group or for your 2-4 people company!
**   For breakfast and a little less informal meeting, we'd suggest you get a table in Grand Restaurant Opduin. In the evening hours, this is one of the better places on the island to go to for your dinner - including a wide choice of salads and seafood from the buffet. Don't forget you're on an island - more than 65% of the meals offered consist of seafood. Lamb meat ("Texels (or tessels) lam") is a very good alternative if you're not into seafood too much).
**   De Heeren XVII is probably the most exclusive restaurant on the island. This is an à la carte restaurant, very suitable for the most exclusive wining & dining.
**   The Bar is a small and cozy environment with an open fire and personal attentive service. Barkeeper Evert is great company and he really knows how to keep his guests ;)

Needless to say we were also struck by the beautiful and absolute stylish interior! (Hence the large number of photos).

Relaxation
- Swimming pool
- Sauna
- Turkish bath
- Bicycles

The swimming pool features a jacuzzi (1st row, left) and a massage shower (2nd picture). You can also use the solarium, Turkish bath or a bicyle (2nd row, right) - all perfectly fit to work on your personal health.

The unique stainless steel swimming pool

Find rest in the solarium, or just take a ride on these typical bicycles!

Healthcare
- Hairdresser
- Beauty Salon
- Solarium
- Fitness room

Everything is here for your personal wellbeing. Whether you need a haircut, a treatment in a beauty salon, a relax in the solarium or to exhaust yourself in the fitness room, it's all possible here!

For kids
For your children, Opduin provides a special where every nook and cranny is filled with books, games, a pooltable, toys and board games, a ballenbak and two sjoelbakken, two great Dutch words that still don't have a proper English translation...

Business
- Conference rooms
All meeting and conference rooms are standardly equipped with a large flatscreen projection wall, which can be connected to your own laptop computer for the brightest and sharpest presentations.

Surrounded by the North Sea on one side and the Wadden Sea on the other, this is the perfect place for a complete relax, whether you choose to be there anonymously or requiring full attention, a simple meal or an exquisite a la carte dinner with exclusive wines and whiskeys.
Grand Hotel Opduin has it all.

Upon checking out, guests receive a small token of appreciation and we, for one, will certainly return to this grand location in the beautiful and clean Wadden surroundings!

Grand Hotel Opduin ****
Ruyslaan 22
1796 AD De Koog
Texel-Holland
Tel.: +31 222 317445
Fax : +31 222 317777
www.opduin.nl

text: Marco 't Hart / photos Reinier Pahladsingh, Marco 't Hart