hotelvak.be
EN
Platform on hotel management, interior design and design in Flanders
As you drive up to Landgoed Steenenburg, it’s immediately clear that more has happened here than just the opening of a new hotel. On the former site of the Land of Once upon a Time, the castle is once again the centrepiece, no longer a prop from a bygone theme park but a reception area for hotel guests, seminar groups, and restaurant visitors. Next to it, nestled in the greenery, lies the new four-star plush hotel. Modern, sleek, and comfortable, but clearly designed as part of the estate.
During a tour of Kasteel Steenenburg, the scale of the intervention becomes clear. The former Pink Castle has regained its historic appearance, the interior spaces have been rebuilt, and contemporary installations, underfloor heating, and air conditioning have been concealed behind the monumental facades. The new orangery, Orangerie Steenenburg, is housed in the new glasshouse, while the adjacent hotel offers space for 56 rooms and suites.
Behind the atmosphere of history, peace and hospitality lies a construction project where renovation, new construction, technology and finishing are closely intertwined. Bouwgroep Goesten from Kerkdriel, Libéma's long-standing house contractor, realised the hotel and also took care of the renovation and expansion of the castle.
Since 1979, Bouwgroep Goesten has been involved in new construction, conversions, extensions, renovations and restyling. Following various logistical and (detached) housing projects, the Kerkdriel-based construction company realised a new hotel on Landgoed Steenenburg near Nieuwkuijk, as part of the redevelopment of the former ‘Land van Ooit’ site. Moreover, the outdated Kasteel Steenenburg was carefully renovated and extended with a glass conservatory.
The former Pink Castle, which is part of Libéma, has been transformed into a restaurant, hotel and conference venue. “On behalf of Libéma, we have realised a new four-star plush hotel of 2,400 m2 GFA, with space for 56 DeLuxe rooms and suites and a luxury gym,” says Dennis van Engelen, project leader at Bouwgroep Goesten.
“Below is a 350 m2 basement with the technical rooms and general areas for (linen) storage. We commenced construction in May 2024.”
The building is enclosed by an impressive curtain wall of 135 linear metres, with a height of 9 metres, says Van Engelen. “A fine piece of engineering, which also applies to the spiral staircase. This eye-catcher is clearly visible from both the garden and the renovated castle and is beautifully lit up in the evenings.’
Last autumn, Bouwgroep Goesten completed and finished the hotel to a high standard, including carpeting, wall finishes and sanitary facilities. “During the construction and under our coordination, even the loose interior items were already brought in,” illustrates Van Engelen. “This meant that the first trial sleepovers could already take place the weekend after completion.” The hotel is a genuine ‘sleeping house’, he emphasises. “For the restaurant, bar and lounge, guests can go to the castle, which we extensively renovated and redeveloped. The years of vacancy had, in particular, left their mark.”
When the amusement park Land van Ooit went bankrupt in 2007, Landgoed Steenenburg came into the possession of the municipality of Heusden. Since then, they had only carried out basic repairs, leaving the interior in ruins. The building was unsuitable for a hotel due to its wooden floors and the noise pollution that would cause. However, it was ideally suited for meetings, courses, and team-building events. Under the supervision of the municipality of Heusden, a facade restoration was carried out, replacing the characteristic pink colour with a more historical appearance. Subsequently, between October 2024 and July 2025, Bouwgroep Goesten renovated the interior of the building in style into six meeting rooms and a bar & lounge.
“We have largely demolished and rebuilt the interior, respecting the past and present-day comfort,” says Van Engelen. “For example, the entire ground floor has been replaced with an insulated ground floor with underfloor heating. Furthermore, each room has received modern air conditioning. In combination with extensive insulation and heat pumps, the castle operates all-electrically, with the exception of two gas fireplaces that remain as decorative elements in the bar & lounge.”
During the renovation, various historical elements were preserved, such as the monumental beam structures, two wooden ceilings, and a ceiling with rough plaster mouldings. “And the staircase and balustrade have also been fully renovated by us. The same applies to the distinctive cupola with mouldings above the main staircase and the roof structure in two rooms on the floor.” At the rear of the castle, a new 300 m2 conservatory with a sedum roof has been added, housing Orangerie Steenenburg with 120 seats. “By creating a large skylight where the extension connects to the existing building, daylight still shines beautifully on the existing facade,” according to Van Engelen. “This honours the monumental castle on every level.”
