Although I was here on business, I see this hotel as being a fairly nice and affordable place to go for a weekend. It has a pool and there's enough in the area to sustain a weekend visit, especially if you enjoy walking or want to visit Arnhem as well.

The hotel is located in the middle of what the Dutch call a "villawijk", a charming park-like neigborhood of upscale houses, trees and lush gardens. A short walk brings you to farm fields. One important point: you can hear the nearby motorway (A50) from the hotel. I can't say I heard it from inside the room, however.

There are walking and cycling trails nearby. These trails go through the Gelderland countryside. Nothing spectacular, but I enjoyed them and saw wildlife and birds. The hotel is within easy walking distance of the entrance of a golf club called Heelsumse Veld. Oosterbeek, the Market Garden drop zones, and Doorwerth Castle are all within easy striking distance.

The room was modern, spacious and clean. Standard bathroom. Shared balcony, but apart from that, private enough. On the tele the usual BBC selection, CNN, Discovery Channel, Comedy Channel, etc.. Plenty of room to hang things, but not many drawers or counter space. There was no coffee maker in my room. Plastic glasses. I couldn't hear people in the neighbouring room at all, but I could hear people in the hallway. I was asked to turn down my TV at one point.

The hotel has a bar. A very expensive restaurant. There's a nice pool (for a hotel), about 15 m x 10 m in size. Just enough to do laps. There's a small but proper sauna set up. The gym consists of a six modern cardio machines: 2 bikes, 2 treadmills and a cross trainer. No free weights or weight machines at all. (I'm sorry but you shouldn't say you have a fitness centre unless you have weights or weight machines. Cardio alone doesn't cut it.) There's internet (about 40 cents a minute). No English newspapers.

The breakfast was good and had the usual selection. Nice selection of breads. Eggs scrambled or boiled. Sausages & bacon. Salmon. Cold cuts. OJ. Yogurt and a few toppings. Fresh melon and pineapple.

I'm not sure why this hotel is called "Little Switzerland". The external architecture seemed sort of Swiss-like I suppose. But inside it was thoroughly Dutch. It's an older building, but nicely done up. The other guests were mostly Dutch, Belgians and Germans.

Heelsum (adjoined to Renkum) is about 10 km west of Arnhem and it's not that far from De Hoge Veluwe. The town of Heelsum itself is mostly residential. There is not much commercial life and the place is mostly dead in the evenings. On arriving late (after 9 pm), I was annoyed that no shop near or around the hotel was open. There is a convenience shop about 200 m away on the Bennekomseweg, but it closes at 9. You'll need a car to go anywhere.

Final word: worth a weekend visit if you can get a good price.

We spend 2 nights on a so called: Hoge Veluwe Arrangement.
Reception: neutral, nothing special. As usual. We got the information we needed. about the hotel, the facilities, and about our stay.
Elevator: small. 3 persons are allowed.
Room: we had a comfort room. It was a bright, well kept room.
But Bilderberg, why always disposable and plastic glasses, and so litlle bathroomameneties. We took a few things with us, due to the experience!
Lobby: ok with newspapers. Service in the bar, was ok. Not very special.
But never bring a glass of wine fully in your hand, please use a tray.
Restaurant: little 70th's. Breakfest, good. Lots of choises. But here also: Why does a so young staff, nevers asks how the meal is, or do you enjoy???
Diner on our second evening: we've enjoyed the diner, the atmosphere. It was good.
About the so called: Hote Veluwe Arrangement;
Excellent!!! We had 2 free entrycards fot the National Park, 2 lunchboxes, with sandwiches, bottle of water and fruit. We had this the morning we left. And the use of bicycles. And an entrycard for the castle and museum Kroller-Muller.
We really enjoyed it.
Checking out was ok.
This hotel is in a nice area in the village of Heelsum. Nice village to walk in. Few shops. But ok.
We had a nice stay. We can recommand it for a nice weekend.

During the past 5 years I have stayed there at least ten times and whenever I have a weekend free in the Netherlands I love visiting the place, just to soak up the tranquility and peace this hotel radiates. The small things like the water temperature in the swimming pool, the epicurian breakfast in the stylish restaurant, the extremely pleasant and courteous staff at the reception desk and the restaurant and most certainly the romantic location of this chalet tucked away in the woods all add up to an experience that asks for an encore. Hence the first few words of this review.

This hotel is in the middle of a green environment with all kinds of villas around. It looks very good from outside and there is a nice entrance where you can unpack your car; there are enough parking spaces at the back. While we were there, in August 2006, there was a renovation going on, but we had no problems with that because we stayed from Sunday till Monday with their special Sunday arrangement.

The lady at the front desk was very friendly and gave us an upgrade to a luxury room. She also gave us information about activities and sightseeing around there location, this included a good map and routing details. They have a large and very comfortable lounge area with good seats in restaurant De Kriekel where besides breakfast, lunch and diner, you can order a drink and a snack the whole day.

The room was spacious with nice furniture. The bathroom is very clean with a whirlpool bad and the toilet is behind a separate door. There is a fridge and coffee/tea making facilities. The view is not spectacular, there is a balcony however, but you are looking at cooling and heating pipes.

We had diner in the restaurant next to the hotel, de Kromme Dissel, and this was really fantastic. This restaurant has one Michelin Star and the food is great!!! We had a 8 course diner and every dish was superb. We also highly appreciated their small portion wine-arrangement where you can enjoy all the different special selected wines with every dish, but than in half glass portions.

Unfortunately the hotel doesn’t have it Sunday arrangements anymore and restaurant De Kromme Dissel is even close on Sunday (and Monday).