Doenrade Castle reopens following a complete transformation

A new interior design concept that builds on the historic look and feel

Doenrade Castle, set in the rolling hills of South Limburg, has reopened its doors. The historic venue, part of the ECLECT hospitality brand, has been given a completely new interior in which the castle’s character has been deliberately preserved and combined with contemporary comfort and a distinct hotel atmosphere.

Doenrade Castle has recently become part of the ECLECT collection. The developer and operator of boutique hotels acquired the castle, along with Hotel Gulpenerland in Gulpen and Hotel Maastricht City Centre in Maastricht, following the bankruptcy of the Saillant Collection. ECLECT intends to further develop the three hotels whilst preserving their individual identities, local character and existing staff.

History as the basis for the interior design

Ahead of its reopening, Doenrade Castle underwent a complete transformation. In collaboration with Sutherland Design, a new interior concept was developed that builds on the castle’s historic character. Classic elements, rooms full of character and the existing architecture provide the backdrop for a more contemporary interior design.

The design deliberately seeks to create a contrast between old and new. The atmosphere of a historic country estate remains palpable, whilst the choice of materials, furnishings, lighting and comfort are tailored to the expectations of today’s hotel and business guests. This gives the castle a boutique feel without losing its original identity.

This design vision is reflected not only in the hotel rooms, but also in the various meeting spaces. Doenrade Castle has four distinctive function rooms suitable for gatherings of up to one hundred people. The spaces can be used for meetings, strategy sessions, presentations, receptions, dinners and private events, amongst other things. It is precisely the combination of historic architecture, a refurbished interior and the peaceful setting in the Limburg countryside that makes the venue ideal for multi-day meetings and retreats. Twenty-one hotel rooms are available for this purpose, including a bridal suite.

Bistro Doonder

The culinary offering also ties in with the revamped concept. Bistro Doonder provides the catering services within the castle. Guests and organisers can combine a stay or event with lunches, dinners, receptions and informal drinks, for example on the terrace.

With its reopening, Doenrade Castle is re-establishing itself as a hotel and events venue, with the focus not only on the building’s history, but also on its refurbished interiors and the interplay between heritage and contemporary design.

From design to implementation at a rapid pace

For the transformation of Doenrade Castle, the developers were looking for a full-service interior design firm that could not only bring this project to fruition, but also act as a permanent partner for future hotel developments. They found that partner in Sutherland Design. “Right from the initial design stage, there was a good rapport between our designers and the ECLECT team.

”We were also a good commercial fit. They focus entirely on hotels and that’s exactly what we do, so we hit it off straight away,” says Pascal Sutherland, owner of Sutherland Design.

The design is largely the work of Ruben Buter, one of the four designers employed by Sutherland Design. The firm handles the entire process in-house, from design, drawings and renderings to interior design and execution. This proved to be no luxury, as the schedule was anything but generous. According to Sutherland, this immediately highlights the biggest challenges that had to be tackled in this project. “We started the design in early March and the whole hotel had to be ready by the end of May. Demolition had already begun whilst all the rooms and spaces still needed to be drawn up and finalised. That’s not the normal process, of course,” says Sutherland, with a slight smile. Design and construction largely ran in parallel, which at times did cause some tension between the contractor and the designers. “How did we sort that out? Mainly by working day and night, communicating effectively and trusting one another. We succeeded, and the result looks fantastic.” Sutherland names his favourite spots as the rooms, which exude a sense of tranquillity, and the restaurant, which radiates warmth and love. “Especially when combined with the food, I think it’s a real success.” What makes it even more special is that Sutherland has a daily view of the Castle; from his garden in Doenrade, he can see the lovely accommodation. And, of course, he’s stayed there before – at the invitation of friends, he and eight other couples spent an evening and a night being thoroughly pampered in his back garden. “That was, of course, great fun.”