About Us

History

Here, history is alive. The stresses and strains of the 21st century seem a million miles away. Despite its venerable past, De Havixhorst is no museum; everything here is as fresh and contemporary as it can be. The old De Havixhorst manor (built in 1753) didn’t start out life as a decorative castle; it was once a fortified farmhouse, a substantial building surrounded by plenty of land.

More about the history of De Havixhorst

Nature

De Havixhorst is a nature lover’s dream base. Here, nature equates to both ‘green’ and ‘peace’. Just beyond the castle walls, outside our leafy estate and a stone’s throw away from our manicured castle gardens is the idyllic Reestdal. Here, a winding river patiently meanders through a 1000-year-old landscape that is rich with culture. A little further afield you will find the water-filled paradise that is the Weerribben-Wieden National Park. Strictly speaking, we are in South Drenthe; but Overijssel and the stunning regions of Salland and Twente are within cycling distance.

Art and culture

The main building on the estate is the eighteenth-century manor house. Lovingly restored, it is surrounded on three sides by picturesque Baroque gardens and home to an internationally recognised sculpture park. These sculptures are to be found among the carefully manicured flowerbeds and classical espaliers: monumental statues, playful statues, statues with a story, venerable statues of famous people, humorous sculptures, sometimes just even just a beautifully sculpted form.

Gastronomy

Can you recall the last time you were in a better situated restaurant? Our chef is fully aware of the responsibility that this experience entails. More than that: it’s what drives him and his team. A dinner or lunch in the restaurant at De Havixhorst is a moment to be treasured, a gift with which to reward yourself and one that you will remember with pleasure for a long time to come. His style of cooking is adventurous, with classical influences from the bountiful life on the land: vegetables from his own garden, fresh fruit, game from the forests and fields of the Reestdal, the best agricultural products from the North-East of the Netherlands.