'So much more than just overnight stays'

Albert Kreeft, owner of Excite Hotels and managing director of IFHG, is once again making his mark on the hotel industry with the newest member of his hotel chain, Landgoed de Rosep in Oisterwijk. In an interview, he shares his vision of hospitality and reveals strategies to increase revenue at this hotel.

It is actually coming home to Kreeft, as the seventh Excite Hotel was once his first employer. "So it has come full circle. Once I started here, so I knew the hotel well. This great opportunity came my way when the family approached me last year, as they wanted to retire after 40 years. My partner was happy to take up this challenge with me, which is why we now largely live next to the estate. I myself spend about half the week in the Randstad, because that's where the other Excite Hotels are located."

Landgoed de Rosep consists of 70 hotel rooms, restaurant, brasserie, Wellness Centre and is also an extensive meeting location. The hotel is tucked away in the woods of Oisterwijk and thus differs from the existing Excite hotels. "That is no impediment, as each hotel stands on its own and has its own identity. Until now, they were mostly located in a city centre, with a focus on bed and breakfast. Given the locations of these Excite Hotels, this is a logical choice. The guests of these hotels mainly go into the city. In this new hotel, the target audience is very different and we can really express our creativity. Guests go out after breakfast, for instance to walk or cycle. At the end of the day, they return and join us for a beer and a bitterball, or make use of spa facilities in the Wellness Centre. Afterwards, 70% of guests dine at the restaurant. Thus, guests at the Rosep can enjoy their stay from early morning to late at night. The basis of bed & breakfast remains important, but is complemented by experience."

In all Excite hotels, the use of state-of-the-art software plays an important role. "This allows you to create an optimal guest journey. The property management system at Landgoed de Rosep went from server-based to Cloud-based. A Cloud-Based PMS has the advantage that it can be accessed wherever and whenever you want, as long as you have internet. Thus, the first steps towards the future for Landgoed de Rosep have been taken. The hotel also got new hotel software, restaurant software, and screens in the kitchen." According to Kreeft, these tools help optimise the hotel's turnover. "The kitchen screens enable better communication with the kitchen. Staff can indicate that they have just poured the wine, so that the appetiser should be ready within ten minutes. This frees up time to engage effectively with the customer. The speed, and friendliness, of a staff member makes the difference between selling one or three drinks."

In taking over, Kreeft kept the atmosphere of the family business intact as much as possible. "It is a unique company, with loyal staff, some of whom have worked for the hotel for 35 years. We have taken over all these staff. Together with them, we want to put Landgoed de Rosep back on the map and give it a bright future." For this, he also seeks cooperation with the ANWB. In addition, according to him, small things make the difference. "I think a good coffee machine should be in every room, so those have already been ordered. We also want to do even more with our surroundings. For example, by growing shiitake on the estate."

For bigger future changes, the hotel owner is looking at the tennis court, located near the Wellness Centre. "This is used very little, so I want to use these square metres more effectively. For example, by installing outdoor saunas here." The Wellness Centre is an important part of the hotel. "We are one of the few hotels in the area to offer that so extensively, with a pool, jacuzzi and three saunas. People pay for a late check out to go to the sauna anyway and it gives guests more to do, even if a rainstorm prevents outdoor activities." 

It is clear that Kreeft is very excited about the future of Landgoed de Rosep. With an inspiring combination of respect for the past, innovation in the present and ambition for the future, he portrays the hotel as a unique destination that wants to be more than a place to stay and offers a total experience.