Quality Lodgings celebrates anniversary with 21 dinner

Quality Lodgings, offers the overview of quality hotels in Europe. It is the institute that tells you where to go for authentic hospitality in the most special places at home and abroad. Quality Lodgings celebrated its 21st anniversary on Monday 17 June at The Duke Suites in Nistelrode. The 21 Dinner was dedicated to the esteemed QL hoteliers, honouring their passion, dedication and authentic hospitality. During the evening, the prestigious 'QL Hotel of the Year 2024' award was presented to Châteauhotel & Restaurant de Havixhorst, located in the south of Drenthe. During the event, the future of Quality Lodgings was previewed and the first copy of the QL Anniversary Magazine was presented.

The gathering of 120 attendees included esteemed QL hoteliers and a number of partners from home and abroad. They enjoyed a festive evening including a four-course dinner at the prestigious ballroom The Royal Duke, part of The Duke Suites. This hotel is also included in the Quality Lodgings collection. The evening, entirely in the 'opal' theme, symbolised loyalty and fidelity and was graced by beautiful decorations which seamlessly matched QL's philosophy.

"Turning 21 is a huge milestone and marks the transition from carefree youth to responsible adult. It is a period full of learning and growth, which is exactly how we have experienced it at Quality Lodgings. In our 21st year of life, we proudly look back and ambitiously forward. On the one hand, we are going to add many more unique, independent hotels in Europe to our fantastically beautiful collection, and on the other, we are going to introduce consumers to Quality Lodgings even more. In the coming years, we are going to gain an even greater foothold in the rest of Europe and become the epitome of fantastic hospitality. In this way, we will create a community where travellers are guaranteed a unique experience and where hoteliers can learn from each other and benefit from the buying collective of our affiliated partners." - Pauline Verhoef, Managing Director of Quality Lodgings

At the bottom of each champagne flute was an art diamond, but QL hotelier Gerhard Pohl, CEO of Purs Luxury Boutique Hotel, found the real GASSAN 121 diamond, adding extra sparkle to the anniversary speech. The superb cuisine of The Duke Suites' Restaurant The Charles led by Alain Alders, awarded 14 points Gault&Millau, underlined the culinary highlights typical of Quality Lodgings. There was also a special video thanking the hoteliers for their hospitality, which is precisely what they value so highly.

The winner of the 'QL Hotel of the Year award 2024' is located in rural southern Drenthe and housed in a farmhouse dating from 1753. A beautiful castle castle garden surrounds the property. It is a 'one of a kind' hotel, which also boasts a very good restaurant (13 points Gault&Millau). The Havixhorst fits perfectly into the carefully curated collection of Quality Lodgings in which authentic hospitality, excellent sleeping comfort, a special touch of luxury and high-quality culinary offerings are central. Their 21-year loyalty to the QL brand and consistently high quality have earned them this prestigious award.

"We are extremely surprised and delighted to receive this beautiful award and title. Every day, together with an enthusiastic team, we put our heart and soul into offering guests an unforgettable stay. We do that in our own way, including Drenthe hospitality. Our location offers endless opportunities to celebrate, enjoy and unwind." 

- Chris & Fleur Wijland , owners of Châteauhotel & Restaurant de Havixhorst

During the anniversary event, the first copy of the QL 21 Anniversary Magazine was symbolically presented to Oliver Zahn, General Manager of The Duke Suites. The magazine is full of background stories and inspiring content for living extraordinary travel experiences. Guests of Quality Lodgings member hotels will find a copy in their room or suite.

"We are extremely proud to be part of the collection of individual quality hotels in Europe and honoured to host our fellow Quality Lodgings hoteliers and let them experience our location where precious moments are created." 

–       Oliver Zahn, general manager of The Duke Suites

For more than 20 years, Quality Lodgings has been Europe's collection of quality independent hotels, where authentic hospitality and culinary enjoyment go hand in hand. Each of these handpicked hideaways is a delight for all the senses. Both on a culinary level and in terms of interiors, surroundings and wonderful sleeping comfort. When it comes to these criteria, the Quality Lodgings team is strict - after all, hotel guests must be able to fully trust the brand. Thus, members must be independent (and therefore not part of a chain) and distinctive in terms of hospitality and architecture. Think of a historic location such as a castle, or a state-of-the-art building. They often involve hotels that are run by families and are small or at least feel small-scale, and are therefore often experienced as intimate.

Quality Lodgings originated 21 years ago as a collection of the finest hotels at home and abroad. Founder Hein van Beek, at the time a culinary reviewer for Het Financieel Dagblad, compiled the hotels he visited in most cases after a top-level dinner into his own magazine. Since its acquisition in 2018 by Q-Hospitality Group, QL, at the time with over 100 hotels in its collection, has been working hard to grow and create its own community within the industry.