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Tell us about your journey into hospitality and what inspired you to become the owner of Weeshuis Gouda. 

I never chose hospitality in a rational way, I felt it. 

Together with my husband, I built our company step by step, always driven by one thing: creating places where people feel something. 

I travel the world a lot and I treat myself to the most beautiful hotels I can find. I go all in for that feeling, that kick of exceptional hospitality and service. 

Every time I experience something extraordinary, I take it with me. I collect it, I combine it, and I translate it into our own world at the Weeshuis. 

Ideas come from everywhere; a hotel, a restaurant, a scent, a detail, a person. I will always keep looking up, always stay inspired, always push for better. 

When the Weeshuis came our way, it was not a business decision, it was instinct. 

A building with more than 500 years of history, first a monastery, then an orphanage. You don’t develop something like that, you step into it and add your own chapter, with respect and courage. 

Weeshuis Gouda has a unique story and heritage. How have you approached transforming this historic property into a modern hospitality experience? 

We started by listening, instead of designing. 

This building already had everything; history, soul, imperfection. We made a very conscious decision not to polish it away. 

Instead, we embraced the layers. 

What we added is a strong identity on top of that; in design, in concept, in experience. 

Today, it is a place where history and modern luxury meet, but without losing tension. It is not perfect luxury, it is emotional luxury. 

If you overdesign a historic building, you lose it. You have to dare to leave things untouched. 

How would you describe Weeshuis Gouda in three words? 

Layered, bold, warm. 

What have been the biggest opportunities and challenges in operating an independent hotel in a historic building? 

The opportunity is that you can never recreate 500 years of history; guests feel that immediately. 

The challenge is that nothing is standard. Everything is different, everything is more complex. 

You constantly balance emotion and reality. 

You cannot treat a historic building like a modern hotel. You have to move with it, not against it. That is where the magic happens. 

How do you ensure the hotel remains connected to Gouda and the local community? 

We are not a hotel that happens to be in Gouda, we are part of it. 

At the same time, we are very clear in our positioning. A hotel with international allure and a Michelin star brings a certain pride to the city, and we feel that. But we are not specifically focused on the people of Gouda alone. 

We look beyond. Our focus is on the region, on the national market, and increasingly on the international guest. 

That being said, it is important to us that locals feel welcome and connected. Our spaces are open, our doors are open. But we do not build our concept around one city, we build it around a certain level of experience. 

And when you get that right, the right audience finds you naturally. 

As an owner, what are the key priorities you focus on to ensure the hotel’s long-term success? 

Concept, people and courage. 

Your concept needs to be crystal clear, otherwise nothing works. 

Your people create the energy; guests feel that immediately. 

And you need courage to make choices, not everything is for everyone. 

Do you attend the Independent Hotel Show, and what value do you see in events like this for independent hoteliers? 

Yes, and I think they are very important. 

Being an independent hotelier can be quite lonely. You make decisions all the time, often without a safety net. 

At these events, you meet people who understand that. The real value is in the honest conversations, not the polished stories. 

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs or hoteliers considering opening an independent hotel? 

Be honest with yourself before you start. 

This industry is beautiful, but intense. You need energy, resilience and a long-term vision. 

Be very clear on your concept. If you cannot explain it in one sentence, it is not strong enough. 

Understand that what guests see in front is built on discipline behind. 

Surround yourself with the right people. 

And never copy. The power of an independent hotel is authenticity.