Last weekend, we attended the vibrant May Market in Tilburg. With the event running until after 1:30 a.m., driving home was out of the question. Instead, we opted for a night's stay at NH Hotel Waalwijk. As frequent travelers who've stayed at NH properties before—including one in The Hague—here's our candid experience.
NH Hotels operates over 360 properties across 30 countries, offering diverse options like themed, eco-friendly, and family-friendly stays. Their rewards program lets frequent guests earn points per night, redeemable for perks such as discounted breakfast. Higher tiers, up to Platinum, unlock greater benefits based on your stays.
The May Market—a massive flea market from 10 p.m. to 5 p.m. the next day during Pentecost weekend—drew our family to Tilburg. Eager kids made it a must, but a midnight drive home didn't appeal. We booked the conveniently located NH Hotel Waalwijk, just minutes from Efteling and a quick 15-minute drive from Tilburg.
The entrance and lobby impressed with tasteful decor, a cozy seating area, snack machine, and welcoming cucumber-mint water station.
Our ground-floor family room featured a double bed, bunk bed, spacious bathroom with bathtub, and a lawn view—perfectly fine given the highway proximity. Beds were comfortable, allowing much-needed rest after our long day.
However, closer inspection revealed biscuit crumbs on the bed (not ours), peeling wallpaper upon entry, and a worn bathroom door—sloppy for an NH property. Under the bed during checkout, we found two large pieces of cake, raising serious hygiene doubts. The shower was excellent, though the lower family-room toilet caught us off guard. Noise from other kids started around 7 a.m., but exhaustion helped us sleep through.
At checkout, we reported the issues. Staff noted we should've flagged them immediately for a room change—fair, but discovering crumbs pre-checkout limited options. We escalated to NH corporate; they offered 25% off a future stay. While appreciated, it hasn't fully restored confidence, despite past positive NH experiences.
Going forward, we'll inspect rooms thoroughly. Crumbs signal poor cleaning, sparking concerns like unchanged linens.
Prior NH stays set higher expectations. Comfort and prime location (near Efteling, highway access) shone, but hygiene, maintenance, and noise disappointed. We rate it 5.5/10.
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