Van Der Valk Hotel Almere in Almere

Went for a romantic Valentine’s getaway with my wife. The main reason we chose this hotel was the wellness area — the large pool and saunas looked perfect for a relaxing evening.

I’m a big fan of spas and saunas (not the naked kind), so I was really looking forward to unwinding. Unfortunately, the experience was completely disrupted by a group of teenage boys hanging around the pool. Some were wearing jackets and sneakers, and they were even entering the sauna fully clothed and leaving the door wide open. Not exactly hygienic — and definitely not relaxing.

At first, we tried to ignore them. But more kept arriving until there were around a dozen. They started yelling and running around, and the whole atmosphere felt more like a high school gym than a hotel wellness area. At one point, one of them cut his toe and there was blood on the floor. That was the moment we decided our “relaxation” was over and left for dinner.

The strange part? The next morning we saw one of the boys working in the restaurant, so I assume they were staff or friends of staff.

Everything else about the hotel was genuinely great. The room was spacious and well furnished, the food was excellent, and the general service was good. The wellness area itself is beautiful — just like in the photos. But it’s disappointing that access and behavior don’t seem to be monitored. That was the fly in the ointment for us.

I mentioned the situation at the front desk. They agreed it wasn’t appropriate and said they would look into it and get back to me. They never did — which is why I’m writing this review.

If you’re choosing this hotel specifically for the wellness area, be aware that the atmosphere may not match what you expect.

Reception service poor. The rest were 2 small duvets on a king-size bed, so what do you book a king-size bed for?