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Forty years after creating a Michelin-starred “party palace” in a former baron’s castle, the Oostwegel family have finally realised their dreams of creating a boutique hotel experience at Château Neercanne.

Situated in the southeast of the Netherlands near the Belgian border, the Oostwegel family, famed as ‘collectors of stories and historic houses’, purchased Château Neercanne in 1984. The château dates back to 1698 and was built by the baron and military governor of Maastricht, Daniël Wolf van Dopff.

“To be a baron, you had to have a castle,” says Oostwegal Jr. “This was a place to celebrate life.”

Over the centuries, the estate and caves have served as a gathering place for parties and royalty, from Peter the Great and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands to race-car driver Max Verstappen. Somewhere along the line, the château earned the nickname “party palace.”

The family set about restoring the home and soon opened Restaurant Château Neercanne, which earned a Michelin star just one year later. The family soon began exploring another dream, and in March this year launched seven newly created suites in the former gatekeepers’ quarters.

 

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When the time came to repair the roofs of Château Neercanne, it presented an opportunity to expand the restaurant into a resort. “It’s long been a dream of our guests to be able to stay at the château overnight,” said Oostwegel Jr., who became the owner and managing director of the Oostwegel Collection after his father, Camille Ooswegal Sr., retired in 2020.

The family portfolio includes four historic luxury hotels in the region, including the 60-room, 15th-century monastery Kruisherenhotel Maastricht and Château St. Gerlach, a 113-key estate that’s hosted to everyone from Bruce Springsteen to the Rolling Stones over the years.