About Van der Valk Hotels Merelbeke

The Vand der Valk brand is solely owned by the Van der Valk family ever since their first launch in 1939. It is the largest Dutch hospitality chain with operations extending even outside of Europe. Martien and Rie van der Valk opened their first hotel as an upgrade of a former local restaurant. After the World War II, the family increased the number of their hotels and restaurants that has continued to be operated by the descendants of the family until today. The family’s fame went beyond the hospitality industry, making them public figures in the Dutch society. In 1982, Toos van der Valk, wife of Gerrit van der Valk (former CEO), was kidnapped by Italian criminals. She was held captive for 21 days and was only released after the payment of almost $7 million.

Before the company entered the new millennium, they faced several scandals mostly because of public envy. The family was still the leading Dutch hospitality business at that point (even now), and they were an unprecedented brand. In 2009, Gerrit van der Valk died, and his passing has never and would never open the management for anyone outside the family. Since 2000, the franchise enterprise still had a rule that the descendants of Martien van der Valk are the only eligible holders for any branch.