Image: Guy Houben
We had the pleasure of meeting Camille Oostwegel, Owner and Managing Director of Oostwegel Collection, when we were invited to experience the magical Château Neercanne and Château St. Gerlach. Both are in the South-Limburg area in the Netherlands, and part of Oostwegel Collection which also holds Kruisherenhotel Maastricht and Winselerhof. Camille is a warm and welcoming personality with an energetic vibe and a clear passion for the work that he does. Read on to learn more about his journey and the business mission he has set out to accomplish.
You’ve had an exciting career so far, working in Europe, America and Canada, in various roles before returning to take the helm from your father. Did you feel that this was more of an obligation than a personal desire?
No, it was not an obligation at all. It was always my intention to take over the family business – I was born and raised in the hotel business! Ever since I was young I’ve been involved in the family business and my first job was in Technical Services of Château St. Gerlach. However, I wanted to gain experience in other places, so from 2005 until 2009 I studied at the Hotel Management School Maastricht and did an internship at The Ritz-Carlton Washington DC and Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin in Noordwijk. I then went on to complete a Masters in Hospitality Management – a collaboration between the Hotel Management School of the Hague and RSM Erasmus University in Rotterdam before taking a place with Vita Futura, Starwood’s Graduate Management Program, in The Westin Palace Madrid, where I specialised in sales. My next career move was to New York where I worked within the Global Brand Management team for Westin & Le Méridien at the global head office of Starwood Hotels & Resorts (now Marriott) which was a fantastic experience that I enjoyed for 2.5 years before I returned to the Netherlands to join the family business. I believe this broader experience helped to bring fresh ideas back to the family business and enabled me to lead a successful team.
Would you like your own children to carry on this legacy?
Only if they are capable and dedicated in the way that my father and I are. Taking inspiration from the Maastricht Treaty that was signed at Château Neercanne, one of our properties, we have created an Oostwegel family ‘treaty’ that outlines how the business will run and will be looked after in the future. It would be wonderful if my children are capable and dedicated candidates, however, if it is not their calling then the role will be passed on to someone who is.
Oostwegel Collection prides itself on preserving and bringing to life historic buildings, combined with delivering exceptional hospitality and this is a legacy not just for our family but for visitors now and for future generation visitors to experience and enjoy.
Each of the properties within Oostwegel Collection has the same core principals as their foundation; people, place, gastronomy and collection – how do you intertwine them and ensure consistency across each property?
All properties share the Oostwegel Collection vision: Oostwegel Collection has built a legacy that goes far beyond expectation and is committed to maintaining the heritage of our properties, supporting the natural world, culture and the arts. By adding meaningful luxury to every interaction, we create inspiring experiences enriched with a considered approach to hospitality and are dedicated to working towards a better future. All properties are unique and contribute to this in their own way.
The Oostwegel Collection currently comprises Château Neercanne, Winselerhof Château St.Gerlach and Kruisherenhotel Maastricht, do you have a favourite?
Haha, no – for me I think of each property in the way a parent regards its children…..there isn’t a favourite, I value each one for their own special attributes and of course their challenges too, but I love them all equally and dearly.
Sustainability is an important aspect that you consider for all the properties within the collection, please tell us more about the practices you have in place.
We take a very eco-conscious approach to our business operations. One of our targets is to reduce our energy and water consumption by 20% by 2026. As part of the restoration of Château Neercanne we ensured that the restaurant L’Auberge runs entirely gas-free, which is quite an achievement.
We also have a kitchen garden at Château Neercanne and at Château St. Gerlach, called het WIJland, and also with extensive vineyards, fruit orchards, beehives – we try to grow as much produce ourselves as we can and support our local suppliers too.
Beyond the environmental aspects, we also invest in our ‘Heritage Pledge’ by maintaining historical properties and their landscapes and we also support local culture and arts – at Château St. Gerlach we have exhibitions around the grounds of artwork and at Kruisherenhotel Maastricht we regularly display art from local artists.
And our contribution to the (hospitality) community is another aspect of our overall sustainability strategy. We have established the OC Academy and partner with the Hotel Management School Maastricht to develop knowledge, skills and personal growth for members of our team.
For our efforts we were awarded the Green Key Gold Certificate in 2021.
The hospitality sector is a dynamic one – what are the key trends you’ve observed over the last few years and what are your predictions for the future?
The new generation seeks an experience with meaning. Luxury that goes beyond the surface. Not just another champagne bar, but a wine made from grapes that really say something about their terroir. Not the far-flung show of produce from around the world, but cuisine that embraces its own region and seasons.
At Oostwegel Collection, we have consciously embraced this transition. Not because it is trendy, but because we believe that true hospitality serves not only the guest, but also the environment and the people who work there. That means making choices. Ingredients from our own vegetable garden instead of flown-in exotics. A personnel policy in which employees grow rather than burn out. Heritage that is not only kept beautiful, but also future-proofed.
The future of luxury in the hotel industry lies in creating experiences that extend beyond the stay itself. Experiences that are valuable not only to the guest but to everyone involved. Now that is true luxury.
What does the future hold for the Oostwegel Collection?
There are lots of exciting plans ahead. We’re investing in developing our existing four properties and enhancing the guest experiences. Some examples I can share include:
- Expansion Kruisherenhotel with 52 hotel rooms, a high-quality restaurant and a multi-purpose space for exhibitions and meetings.
- For Château Neercanne we’re looking forward to welcoming more guests in our recently opened luxury suites.
- For Château St. Gerlach we’re further refining our five-star superior hotel
- And for Winselerhof we have a lot of regular guests whom we would like to continue to welcome for a wonderful Italian-inspired stay.
Luxury is highly subjective; what does it mean to you personally?
For me luxury must be meaningful, and this ethos is evident at every touchpoint within our collection; through inspiration, craftsmanship and hospitality we tell our story. And for over 45 years, we have been convinced that our ethos is perfectly compatible with sustainability and social commitment. ‘Meaningful luxury’ is what we call it.
What is your life motto if you have one?
In Dutch we have a saying (specifically for the hospitality industry) ‘nooit met lege handen lopen’ which means ‘never walk empty-handed’ – always take something with you.
Learn more about the Oostwegel Collection: www.oostwegelcollection.nl/en
