The best linen for the ultimate wellness feeling

Since 2018, Klomp has been at the helm of Thermae 2000, a household name in wellness and in the region for decades. As a health resort with a 4-star hotel and a lifestyle department, the oldest wellness centre in the Netherlands offers an exceptional combination of facilities. For Klomp, that is the great strength of the company. “You go to the sauna, you visit a mindfulness session or have a drink. And more and more people are realising how relaxing it is to stay overnight after their spa visit.”

Customised services

Relaxation should be experienced 'in full', Klomp believes. Quality linen is indispensable. “Linen is a basic item, but it is extremely important. Just how important is something you notice when something is not right. You can create a wow factor with linen, but if you don't do it right, it's a big turn off.” A big plus in that respect is that every hospitality company at Nedlin has its own linen.

“That can sometimes be stressful for us in terms of logistics”, says Gert Kap. “You can't just open a register. But precisely because we do customised work, with our own packages for each customer, we can respond well to what Thermae wants.” For example, it is not only possible to personalise bed and bath linen, but Nedlin also lays down its services contractually. That guarantees the best quality linen.

The customised service is also pleasant in other areas. The lines are short, both literally and figuratively, allowing Nedlin to quickly respond to the dynamics of the spa, where occupancy can fluctuate faster than in the hotel. Klomp: “Our previous laundry was on the other side of the country. When additional linen had to be delivered, the van would be on the road for five hours. That was terribly inconvenient for us. Moreover, the linen would not carry our logo. I thought that was important, especially given the quality steps we are making with the company. On all fronts”.

Relaxing in the marl quarry

And there’s quite a few of them. Recently, the hotel rooms and restaurants have been overhauled. During the lockdowns, the staff single-handedly renovated the saunas (“the resulting team feeling is fantastic”), with back walls made of marl blocks from the caves below the complex. Changing rooms and whirlpools have been modernised, and the hotel is expanding with new, sustainable rooms with private sauna. And in the wine baths, a collaboration with wine estate St. Martinus from Vijlen, guests feel like God in France.

But the most spectacular plan is the realisation of a sauna complex in the old aquarium cave, 35 metres below the current wellness centre. The marl quarry is meant to offer a unique experience. “For us, in this region, marl is very normal”, says Klomp. “But it's actually very special. It is really fantastic that you can set up a wellness company in such an environment. And Thermae deserves it so much. For about ten years, too little was being invested in it. We are now investing heavily, so that we will soon be where we need to be.”

Nature, Limburg, luxury

The cave sauna fits perfectly within Thermae's ambitions. “Nature, Limburg and luxury are our three core pillars. Everything we do must comply with those pillars. We really want to work at a high level and strengthen nature. It is a beautiful area because it consists of so many facets. So you have to handle it with care. That is why we invest in local greenery. To develop the caves, we have to remove three trees, but we are adding another 60 in their place.”

This attention to the natural environment is one of the reasons why Thermae chose Nedlin. “Not only are they close by, I also know they're doing a really good job.” Kap can only confirm that. “The new Healthcare laundry is built to the highest standards and Breeam certified. By investing in our own water treatment plant, there is no longer any discharge into the sewer. By purifying water and thus retaining it and reusing it, a lot of energy is saved that is stored in hot water. Energy consumption and thus CO2 emissions are reduced by 45%.

A sustainable step forward

Thermae also invests heavily in sustainable energy. “We have a lot of water to keep warm”, says Klomp. “People come to enjoy the warm water, we can't choose a lower temperature. But we are going to take a big step. We are working on two solar projects, here in our own parking lot and in the parking lot that we share with Holland Casino. We will soon be able to heat some of our water with this.”

“Becoming more green is also about: what do you do with residual water, which chemicals do you use?”, Kap adds. For example, Nedlin washes with biodegradable detergents and Thermae uses UV lamps, which means less chlorine is needed. Klomp: “These are all things that you don't necessarily need to do, but certainly can. That makes a huge difference. If everyone does the maximum possible for the environment, we will take steps forward together”.

This sustainable attitude also has consequences for linen management. Anyone staying overnight at the hotel can use the wellness area both the day before and after. Guests will not find a bathrobe in their room, but will be given one upon arrival to use throughout their stay. This way, Thermae saves on laundry, and therefore on the environment, without compromising on experience.

A partner that takes care of everything

“The core for us as hoteliers”, says Klomp, “is thinking about how it looks beautiful and how it is functionally finished. Our bathrobes, for example, have a coloured trim that indicates the size. This is very convenient for employees and makes it easy for Nedlin to sort by size. And to keep guests from taking their phones in, they don't have pockets, because you don't want phones around naked guests. Moreover, it contributes to overall relaxation. Being unreachable for a few hours”.

Nedlin is happy to help us with such matters, and that is appreciated. “The most important thing for me in working with a linen supplier is that I am unburdened”, says Klomp. “You want to be sure things are taken care of. That the people who organise the linen can work quickly.” For Nedlin, such a partnership is self-evident, although the collaboration with Thermae is special, too. “Of course, we are also in Brussels and Düsseldorf”, says Kap. “But we don't forget those unique companies in our own backyard. Thermae is one of the proud ones from our area.”