One of us has stayed at De Raay for many times over the last five years. It's a very nice location and I would recommend staying here when you need to be in Venlo. They have the best beds I have ever slept in apart from at home. The food is good and both the restaurant in the winter and eating outside in the summer are great. De Raay have a cosy cellar bar where you can sit comfortably in one of the lounge chairs. All in all always a pleasure to stay here.

Chateau de Raay is a former monastery. This can still be noticed by the Herb glass house and a small graveyard for the nuns (last one in 2000, it took 5 years to change into hotel). This (modern) Chateau hotel can be reached by bus 77 from Venlo, 5 Euro in bus. Get out in Baarlo at stop "N273", opposite Aldi supermarket and opposite hotel. It's 150 meter from this busy road so if you want total quietness, best is a room NOT at front of hotel. The Deluxe rooms are in the wing annex, ground floor, the cheapest rooms are up the stairs (no elevator, only in the main building). Reception and restaurant are in the glass structure attached to the castle. I had booked a Castle suite and got the largest one, Bridal Suite 22, which is the only room in the chapel building attached to the restaurant, so totally private. Has windows on 2 sides, is 6 x 7 meters, grey carpet, purple furniture, small TV (not flatscreen) with DVD/CD player but DVD gave no picture. Bose loudspeakers so perfect sound. Bathroom with deep single bath under a window so some natural light when taking a bath. Bathrobes, good towels, some toiletries. Room has lots of wooden beams which give a nice atmosphere. 2 very modern (for me ugly) paintings. Very large bed with ultra-soft top-mattrass. Best bed for me in my life but if one prefers hard, just remove the top-mattress from under the sheet. Good, soft pillows, medium size.
Small mini-bar (Mars 2,50 Euro, beer and soft drinks about 3, wine about 6) with some space for own things. On the day I left this room was used as showroom for couples interested in having their wedding here. It is indeed a great place for a wedding. In the annex is Bridal suite 44 which was chosen as "Most beautiful hotel room in the country" in 2011. This has a garden view balcony and double bath. Dutch/American breakfast is nice but nothing special except organic yoghurt from nearby farm, but I liked it that even for breakfast (8-10.30 on weekends, 7-9.30 weekdays) the candles on tables were lit. Restaurant is all glass, black stone floor and with modern art. Only painting I liked in hotel and art centre is a copy of Renoir's Ball at Moulin de la Galette, painted by Geert Jansen, 11.000 Euro (all art in hotel can be bought), in a corner of the restaurant.
No swimming pool or spa centre but massages can be had in the room for prices between 70 and 95 Euro.
There's an Aldi supermarket opposite hotel and one can have a quite nice, slightly hilly walk in the forest next to the hotel park. There is a red walking route of 2,5 km but one can do more than that.
I thoroughly enjoyed this stay, especially by being given such a large room by the courteous staff.
The day after I came back home there was a TV programme showing this hotel and it showed that the chef is quite good and disciplined and the Sandton group was voted best hotel group in the country in 2010.
Very recommended but don't be mislead by the name "Chateau" as it does not have many characteristics of a castle, just in one (private) dining room, one meeting room and wine bar in a cellar and ball room in the art centre building across the hotel park.

Stayed here for one night this month as a getaway weekend from Amsterdam. Beautiful hotel with a very realistic rate for one night that included breakfast. Great location for exploring the countryside on bikes.
Personally I think the menu is slightly overpriced as all main courses are over 20 euros. Fine dining is nice to have as an option, but not as the only choice.
Service is excellent.
Beds were too soft.

This hotel was definitely the high spot of our short stay in the Netherlands. Sadly, we were only able to stay for one short evening on July 9th. Our flight from Heathrow was delayed and we lost some quality time walking about the lovely grounds. We were upgraded to a lovely suite and the bed was once of the finest we have ever enjoyed at many hotels around the globe.
The three course dinner was well presented and the courses beautifully put together. By American taste, the courses were a tad slow in coming but perfect by European standards. We had plenty of time to enjoy conversation. Breakfast was very well done with a lovely assortment of both hot and cold breakfast items.
IF you are looking for a beautiful place to visit in the country side, I would higly recommend this hotel. It looked like a fabulous place to go biking or walking. For us, it was perfect being a short distance from friends we were visiting.