In Baarle-Nassau, a new holiday park is being developed in the absolute top segment: Hof van Nassau. Various luxury holiday homes feature a private swimming pond right outside the door; part of a distinctive wellness offering at this park. Furthermore, no compromises are made regarding the top quality the park strives for in the choice of materials.
Co-owner Joost Meijers shows us around the project, where the first 30 homes have now been sold and completed. Rentals have also started for the phase where the major construction work is behind us.
Total concept centered on wellness
Meijers is no stranger to this market. He worked for Libéma (Beekse Bergen) and Roompot, among others, and knows the market from the inside out. As a result, he knows exactly what you should do, but also, and especially, what you should not do: “The Netherlands has a fairly saturated market for holiday homes. The biggest risk for new projects is the 'uniformity' that has emerged in the mid-segment. You really need to stay away from that. With a distinctive offering, there are certainly still market opportunities in the Netherlands.”
For Hof van Nassau, its distinguishing feature is a highly luxurious natural formula with a distinctive wellness offering. And the word 'distinctive' is taken very seriously in this regard. Meijers: “We offer a number of holiday homes with their own natural swimming pond right outside the door. For park guests without their own swimming pond, a central swimming pond is being created. Meijers: “Yes, those facilities are 'extremely expensive'. But this is part of the total concept. The theme 'country chic' (extremely luxurious, but with attention to Brabant's convivial atmosphere) and the link to the royal 'Van Nassau' family are also part of the whole. It is precisely with this carefully coordinated mix that we create a park with a very unique, authentic character.”
The swimming ponds are the most visible distinguishing feature. But the overall concept also includes, among other things, locations for yoga in the forest; a barefoot path and art objects along the central green corridor.
The standard hot tub is seen just a little too often at holiday parks these days. Therefore, a choice was made for, among other things, a hot tub with bubbles, a barrel sauna, hardwood jetties, and an outdoor shower. Naturally, the hot tub water is completely refreshed on every changeover day using an in-house developed system that is fully automated and performed remotely.
Uncompromising commitment to quality in all aspects
The highest standards are applied in the realization of this luxury estate. Meijers: “And in that regard, we are truly uncompromising. Of course, there is always the temptation to opt for a somewhat cheaper variant. However, to live up to our claim of 'ultimate luxury and comfort,' we always choose the highest quality, which in practice means, among other things:
- Not an asphalt road, but an avenue of old baked bricks.
- The wood used in the holiday homes is oak. Because that is simply just a bit more beautiful and suitable.
- The plots are exceptionally spacious, up to 1.200 m², with a very large, diverse garden accompanying the accommodation; not efficient – but very beautiful, and each plot is designed by a landscape architect.
- We have already explained the natural swimming ponds; truly necessary for our distinctiveness.
- Finishing the interior with top-quality brands, including Grohe, Bosch, and Gira.
- The homes are equipped with modern home automation; with this, we offer a glimpse into the future of modern holiday homes.
Aren't you looking at the operations then? The investment has to be recouped, after all?
Meijers: “Only if you are truly distinctive can you charge a premium price. There is a market segment that is willing to pay for a genuine premium experience. But then everything has to be right. That is what we are working towards.”
A major advantage here is that the project is privately financed by a family office of one of the two co-owners. This ensures stability and a long-term focus on quality. Consequently, there is no irresponsible urgency to generate a return too quickly. Meijers: “Only now that the first phase (1a) of the park has been fully completed, are we starting with the rentals.”
Joost Meijers also does not want to be dependent on a large rental or management firm. He prefers to rely on his years of experience: “We are a premium provider, which means we must possess the full experience, not just the real estate. We therefore deliberately keep management and marketing in our own hands. We work with, among others, Wouter van der Meer of Meer Leisure , and Booking Experts/Booking Boosters, who have extensive experience with market positioning of individual holiday parks.”
"What makes this park so strong is that Hof van Nassau deliberately chooses its own identity for rentals. Together with MeerLeisure, Booking Experts, and Booking Boosters, we fully committed to establishing a unique brand identity. This strategic approach is rapidly gaining ground in new park developments; successful examples include Resort Valley, Lodges aan de Vecht, and Veluwepark De Bosgraaf.
Lars de Boer, Director Booking Boosters
About Hof van Nassau
Some key facts about Hof van Nassau:
Project in brief
- In the first phase (1a and 1b), 75 homes will be built. A total of 350 homes are planned.
- There are relatively many holiday homes for 2 people (14); a segment with an undersupply according to Meijers' estimate.
- Selling prices range from €189.000 for the 2-person forest studio to €499.000 for the 12-person accommodation for larger groups. Purchase is possible based on leasehold or land purchase.
- There are various options for (partial) rental and personal use. Permanent residency is not permitted.
- The part of the park being developed in phase 1 has an area of 6.2 hectares, plus an additional 5.3 hectares for the entrance, swimming pond, and forest. The total former De Paddock park has an area of 28 hectares.
- In a later phase, a dedicated hospitality facility is planned: the Beachhouse.
More information: