Where the landscape sets the pace of your stay

Set at the edge of the Sallandse Heuvelrug, Landgoed de Uitkijk is a place where everything slows down, almost without you noticing. Here, the rhythm of the day is not shaped by plans, but by light, season, and surroundings. It is not a destination that demands attention, but one that gradually reveals itself in the way you arrive, take your seat at the table, and find yourself lingering just a little longer than expected. 

Arriving and naturally slowing down 

Some places immediately shift your pace. Landgoed de Uitkijk is one of them. There is no grand entrance, just a thatched property that blends seamlessly into the landscape. What began as a simple resting point along a sandy road has grown into an intimate hotel with thirteen rooms and a Bib Gourmand restaurant. Yet what defines it is not what it has become, but what it has remained: a place where slowing down happens naturally. Owners Lars and Helen Kijftenbelt move effortlessly through the property, greeting guests, sharing recommendations, remembering who you are. “We want it to feel like you are visiting someone’s home,” Helen explains. And you feel that in the smallest moments. You linger at the table for hours, letting dinner turn naturally into long, unhurried conversation, a walk you take without planning it, a morning where you stay seated just a little longer as the light slowly moves across the heathland. Nothing feels rushed, and that is exactly why everything feels right. 

“We want it to feel like you are visiting someone’s home.” Helen & Lars Kijftenbelt

Cooking with what the land provides 

That same sense of ease continues in the kitchen, where chef Sebastiaan Pals cooks in tune with the landscape. After years at De Librije, he deliberately chose this setting, where the rhythm is guided not by trends, but by what is happening just outside. “You do not have to think about what to cook here, you just have to look,” he says. On the plate, this translates into dishes that feel precise and grounded. Asparagus from nearby Raalte in spring, game and mushrooms as the forest shifts, fish prepared with clarity and purpose. Nothing excessive, just flavors that make sense. The Bib Gourmand the restaurant has held for years is not about show, but about balance, about the quiet confidence that everything is exactly as it should be. 

Moments that unfold naturally 

What makes a stay here truly memorable is not only what happens at the table or in your room, but everything in between. Landgoed de Uitkijk moves with the seasons, and you experience that firsthand. In spring, a culinary route leads you past local producers, where each stop brings a dish and a wine that reflect the region. In summer, life shifts outdoors, with long tables set among the greenery and evenings that stretch effortlessly into night. And then there is autumn, when the wild evenings begin, perhaps the most defining experience of all. Not a traditional dinner, but something that starts outside, walking into the forest by torchlight, where the first course is served among the trees. Back at the estate, the evening continues as game, wine, and atmosphere blend into one seamless experience. “Those are the moments guests return for,” Sebastiaan says. And perhaps that is exactly what makes this place so compelling. It is not about individual experiences, but about a rhythm where everything connects, something that stays with you long after you leave.