It's hard to be in a bad mood at the luxurious Eindhoven-Best hotel of the Dutch Van der Valk chain. The harmonious, positive color scheme of the interiors introduces guests to an atmosphere of relaxation from the threshold
and comfort. Designers from PAM Teunissen Architects opted for bright tones, luxury, 1970s styling and acoustics conducive to relaxation and business meetings.
Hotel design can impress, but it is rare for an entire property with all areas to be designed so consistently. At Eindhoven-Best, a luxury hotel belonging to the Dutch Van der Valk chain, consistent design and high comfort accompany guests in every zone - from the lobby, restaurant and spa to the conference center and rooms.
Located in the south of the Netherlands, in Eindhoven, one of the country's largest cities, this 12-story hotel offers exactly what the entire chain has in its DNA - top quality. PAM Teunissen Architects opted for a bright color scheme and references to the climate of the 1970s.
Powder pink can be found in every area - from the reception counter in the hotel's lobby, which was built with stone cladding in the style of pink marble, through the food and beverage areas, to the areas for smaller meetings. In the hotel's lobby you can sit on soft sofas and pouffes or go straight to the restaurant, which is not clearly separated from the entrance area, but with its open, gentle design invites you to the gastro area.
The undulating shapes of the Eleganza acoustic ceilings by Knauf Ceiling Solutions harmonize with the shapes of the reception area, while plush, soft sofas in gold and pink enhance the effect of friendly acoustics and relaxation
Photo by Dion de Bakker
The undulating shapes of the Eleganza acoustic ceilings by Knauf Ceiling Solutions harmonize with the shapes of the reception area, while plush, soft sofas in gold and pink colors enhance the effect of friendly acoustics and relaxation
Photo by Dion de Bakker
Exclusive relaxation also from noise
The attention to detail in Van der Valk hotels is no accident. The brand continues a family tradition of hotel and catering. The company is now more than 150 years old. It is the largest Dutch chain, with more than 65 locations in the country and 15 in other countries. Strong growth began in 1929, when Martinus van der Valk took over his father's company.
Within the entire chain, some of the premium hotels operate under Van Der Valk's Exclusive brand. It is to this brand that the Eindhoven-Best hotel belongs. The high standard of the hotel is evident not only in the service and aesthetics of the interiors, but also in the quality of the acoustic solutions.
Investors and architects in the hotel market are often so focused on decor, food quality and staff training that they forget one invisible but important thing - acoustics. Excessive noise and reverberation, which always accompany places where many people meet and talk at the same time, can spoil even the best-planned facility. At Van der Valk Eindhoven-Best, fortunately, this has been taken care of by opting for smooth acoustic ceilings from the Eleganza line," emphasizes architect Anna Baczkowska of Knauf Ceiling Solutions.
It's not hard to imagine the kind of noise that could be created in this property during peak moments. The hotel has as many as 200 luxury rooms and suites, a'la carte and Live Cooking restaurants, a bar, a rooftop bar, a gym and spa, and a large conference area.
The solution from Knauf Ceiling Solutions gave the architects an additional opportunity to play with form. Although the ceiling has a smooth surface, it can ripple with the edge, making the gentle lines allude to the oval shapes of furniture, pots or wood-paneled pillars.
Eleganza ceilings are favored by designers wherever the need for a smooth, monolithic white surface must be combined with the highest standard of sound absorption - Class A
Photo: Dion de Bakker
White on the interior ceiling harmonizes with light sofas, and is also intended to cool the slightly honey-gold decor of the rooms
Photo by Dion de Bakker
With Knauf Ceiling Solutions, hotel guests can count on not only friendly acoustics, but also adequate air quality, as the solutions installed in this hotel are Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort® GOLD certified.
The 1970s with a hint of the orient
The architects were inspired to design the interiors by the 1970s, which can be clearly seen in the shape of the selected furniture, decorative elements on the walls or doors.
Geometric shapes as bars in the doors, the shapes of the bar shelves or the pattern of the wallpaper in the restaurant, together with the stylized chairs and armchairs, transport hotel guests to the design world of the 1970s era
Photo by Dion de Bakker
Motifs of gentle curves and waves also appear in spaces dedicated to business events. Conference rooms have uniform ceilings and walls, while the decoration is carpeting with a strong geometric pattern.
Photo by Dion de Bakker
An element creeps into the interiors throughout the hotel, though they are cohesively decorated, that somewhat disrupts this design monotony - a whiff of exoticism, the Orient, colonial style. Palm trees or huge ficus trees decorate each of the interiors. As do oriental stained glass windows on the walls or furniture.
This direction is probably not accidental. The trademark of the Van der Valk chain is the colorful toucan. In addition to hotels and restaurants, the company operates the Avifauna Bird Park in Alphen aan den Rijn. But that's not where the company's trademark came from. As family representatives explain, they searched for a suitable symbol in the 1950s, but after the war birds of prey such as the falcon, which is exactly "valk" in Dutch, like the family's name, did not connote well due to the fact that this symbolism was used by the Nazis. Instead of the obvious associations, the family opted for a more original symbol - the toucan, a beautiful and colorful bird that evokes only positive emotions.
Oriental touches in the Van der Valk Eindhoven-Best hotel harmonize with the chain's trademark - the colorful toucan
Photo by Dion de Bakker
Complementing the positive experience for hotel guests is the recreation area: a luxurious wellness area with saunas and a 25-meter swimming pool, as well as the Toucan Sportsclub. Here, too, acoustics have been taken care of, and the white Eleganza ceiling helps to brighten the rooms at the same time - it features a high level of light reflection of up to 84%.
The Eindhoven-Best Hotel may be located in the city, but the design makes it feel like a vacation in the tropics
Photo by Dion de Bakker
The Van der Valk chain's approach to ecology and acoustics is an affirmation of the quality the company has focused on for years. We saw this throughout the planning and construction process of the hotel in Eindhoven. Guests of hotels realized by such conscious investors can be sure of a guaranteed rest. Here no element is accidental, and this translates into comfort," admits Anna Baczkowska of Knauf Ceiling Solutions.
There must indeed be something in it - since 2000 the company has been operating on a franchise basis, but not every investor can join. Only a descendant of the business founder, Martien van der Valk, can become a franchisee.
