Step Inside the Efteling Grand Hotel's Magical Interiors
Heinzel De Vries Brings Storybook Design To Life In The
Netherlands’ Most Enchanting Hotel
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The Efteling Grand Hotel in Kaatsheuvel, North Brabant is far more than a place to stay — it’s a visual extension of the Efteling theme park’s magical universe. Designed by Amsterdam-based interior architects Heinzel De Vries, the hotel channels seven decades of fairytale storytelling into a warm, theatrical, and highly functional guest experience.
With 140 rooms and suites, two restaurants, a coffee bar, wellness facilities, and retail spaces, the hotel’s design is both immersive and thoughtful, packed with details that spark wonder in guests of all ages.
A Storybook Vision, Designed to Last
The creative team at Heinzel De Vries — in collaboration with Efteling’s in-house design team led by Sander de Bruijn — took inspiration from the park’s beloved attractions and the cinematic world of Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. The result is a layered interior language that blends bold colours, organic forms, and authentic materials like terrazzo, brass, velvet, and wood.
Furniture icons like Verner Panton’s Cloverleaf and Arne Jacobsen’s Mayor sofas appear alongside bespoke pieces designed especially for the space. From child-height sinks in Brasserie 7 to clever use of durable fabrics, every element balances form, function, and fun.
Four Palettes, Infinite Personality
Each guest room is part of a colour story, echoing Efteling’s surroundings. Forest greens are drawn from the Fairytale Forest, while deep reds channel the energy of Pardoes Promenade. Curved shapes soften corners and connect spaces, while checkered marble flooring and bespoke headboards bring a visual rythm that ties the entire property together.
Where Dining Becomes Theatre
The hotel’s restaurants are no exception to the design narrative.
Brasserie 7 uses rich burgundy, soft pinks, and warm wood to create an inviting yet grand dining hall feel.
Restaurant-Bar Mystique, perched on the first floor with views over the Aquanura fountain show, leans into mystery and drama with midnight blues, smoked wood, and antique brass finishes.
Together, they elevate the culinary experience into something atmospheric and memorable.
A Prominent Chapter in Dutch Hospitality Design
The Efteling Grand Hotel stands as a landmark in the Dutch hospitality landscape — where imagination, design, and comfort come together in perfect harmony. Every detail, from room to restaurant, has been carefully crafted to extend the park’s storytelling magic into a rich, real-world experience.
It’s a hotel that enchants guests, inviting every visitor to live inside the fairytale, if only for a night.
All photography by Chantal Arnts.
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