Corporate social responsibility

Our unique location, our guests, our staff and the quality of our products are always our top priority.
Committed to promoting a strong culture of corporate responsibility, we seek to ensure that we make a positive contribution to the well-being of people and the environment we live in.

National Monument Management

Housed in a national monument, Grand Hotel Karel V is a unique venue with an impressive history. The hotel is the result of an extensive restoration of the former Country Commandery of the German Knightly Order. This building complex, formerly better known as the German House, dates back to the 14th century and was used as a monastery and military hospital. Lovingly restored to its former glory, interesting historic details and archaeological findings are evident throughout the building.
The exotic trees in the Officer’s Garden were donated by grateful hospital students from Japan when they left the hotel. Other unique trees, such as an old Japanese nut tree and an oriental, more than three century old Sycamore tree, can also be admired in the garden. By working with specialists in the field of tree care, we can ensure that these monumental trees are well cared for and preserved.
Our respect for the historic tradition of the building complex and the desire to preserve its monumental heritage by making it financially viable as a hotel is a visual expression of our vision on corporate social responsibility.

Top-quality Product

Whether it is our luxurious five-star hotel rooms, our Brasserie Goeie Louisa, Grand Restaurant Karel V, which was awarded a Michelin star in 2004, or our banquet halls, we strive to offer our guests a top-quality product.
In our search for the best ingredients to achieve this, one thing is certain: only the best is good enough. And quite often, the best comes from very nearby.
Local and regional suppliers with a sustainable business philosophy provide us with honest produce – farmer’s market home-grown fruits and vegetables and fresh fish, selected in accordance with the seasons and the Viswijzer, a sustainable fish guide which gives an overview of the sustainability of various types of fish.
We believe that the catering industry should set an example in promoting healthy and sustainable eating and enjoyment.

Moestuin Maarschalkerweerd

Grand Hotel Karel V works closely with Moestuin Maarschalkerweerd in Utrecht. While caring for nature and the environment, this organic vegetable garden is dedicated to preserving traditional varieties of vegetables as well as the Kromme Rijn, a unique cultural landscape in east Utrecht. It also runs a unique project that offers people with a weak position for entry into the Dutch labour market a useful daytime activity and employment integration support. Youths with a work disability are helped back into society by means of learning and working programmes. Every week our Chef de Cuisine, Jeroen Robberegt, buys fresh vegetables from Moestuin Maarschalkerweerd to prepare the finest dishes for Brasserie Goeie Louisa and Grand Restaurant Karel V.
Social Involvement
Grand Hotel Karel V aims at being a reliable and loyal local business. Quality of life, cleanliness, security and managing the immediate surroundings are central to our approach. For this reason, we are involved in various partnerships on a local, regional and national (administrative) level.
As cultural city in the Netherlands, our hotel is made available for a range of cultural events, including exhibitions, neighbourhood festivals and Het Huis van de Poëzie.
Furthermore, our Executive Chef Martijn van Vlodorp is made available each year to support the Alpe d’HuZes event, organised by the Dutch Cancer Society.

Sustainability

The fact that we are housed in a national monument puts limitations on our efforts to be as energy efficient as possible. Nevertheless, we try to make sensible choices in terms of equipment and energy management.
For example, we clean our dinner service and glassware with 100% ‘green’ dishwater detergent and our housekeeping department only uses products that are friendly to the environment and to people.
We also separate waste for maximum recycling and have temporary storage sites to prevent nuisance to the surroundings.