About us

Martinus van der Valk, great-grandfather of Ab de Bruijn, was the youngest child in a family of 24 children. When his parents passed away, he inherited the De Gouden Leeuw farm in Voorschoten, along with a café and a butcher shop. As a car dealer, Martinus traveled a lot and noticed that you couldn't find food as delicious as home-cooked meals anywhere else. This is where the idea of creating a place where guests could enjoy good food away from home originated. Great-grandmother Rie managed the café/restaurant. They had 12 children and Martinus wanted to establish a separate business for each child. However, the children did not receive these businesses as gifts; they had to work hard for them. But always with joy.

Two sons of Martinus and Rie van der Valk gradually took the lead: Arie and Gerrit. Arie was the financial man and Gerrit was the entrepreneur and the public face of the business. Motel Sassenheim, later known as Van der Valk Hotel Sassenheim-Leiden, was their first new construction project. El and Ber de Bruijn, the 3rd generation of Van der Valk and parents of Ab de Bruijn, managed the motel and worked there with great pleasure for 36 years.