We translated and posted below a few articles from the local press, in which you can read more about the objections that the Maastricht city council's aesthetic committee has against the "excessive" Christmas lights at Hotel Derlon. A story about how regulations in the Netherlands can kill off great initiatives. Come on, city council!! It was beyond beautiful!! Ruud, Ineke, and Heather (our guest from New Zealand) were there during daytime in December 2025 and we already thought it was beautiful then. But the photos that Maastricht resident Jan Reijntjes posted on Facebook during his evening walk through the city center, were simply magical. Thank you Jan Reijntjes!

January 24, 2026 article from Chapeau Magazine Blog by Jo Cortenraedt Translation: Diana/Ineke Official Maastricht never quite gets used to family Rieu The celebration 50 years of Maastricht University in St. Servaas Basilica was grand and compelling. André Rieu was invited to listen to the meeting musically, and then you know that the entire church is transformed into a beautifully lit concert hall, in which all musical registers are opened. The small choir of the basilica was almost too small to get the entire Johann Strauss Orchestra and the Mestreechter Star on it. The musicians and singers have never been so close to each other before, but for the album that turned out very well. André Rieu was very keen to be able to eavesdrop on this special celebration, because it is also a bit of his church, with which he sang the necessary Sundays as a young choir singer. He once told me that that's where the inspiration started to make music in a theatrical form for a large audience. And behold, decades later he stood there again, with his dream that he has been fulfilling for a long time. He beamed visibly, as well as as University Maastricht Board Chairman Rianne Letschert, Rector Magnificus Pamela Habibovic, Mayor Wim Hillenaar, Governor Emile Roemer, and not to mention King Willem-Alexander. That is unique that a Dies Natalis celebration is so magnificently unpacked. You won't be seeing at another university in the country. And good thing the city is grateful for the umpteenth time using the love that Rieu feels for his birthplace. And yes, that includes a number of often practical wishes of him, also at his Vrijthof concerts. That requires some flexibility from a city council and I remember that the civil service did not get cheerful when Mayor Gerd Leers announced at the time (2004) that he wanted to make ‘open air-concerts’ of Rieu at the Vrijthof possible. The well-known ‘yes, but’ sounded from many rooms at the city office, because their first concern was whether that combined with the infinite set of rules that apply and are often conceived by local and national politicians. There was still a lot of water going through the Meuse before Leers managed to get every official involved out of his hard-learning position. André Rieu may, however, put Maastricht on the map worldwide and thus give a marketing value that is the multiple of the entire budget of the Maastricht Marketing institution, it does not mean that he can do everything as an uncrowned king of the city. He understands that himself, knowing that there are still the necessary public servants who look with the thick suit of regulations under the arm for opportunities to give him a yellow or even red card every now and then. So of “he must not mean anything.” And behold, they smell an opportunity now that son Pierre Rieu dared to provide his newly acquired hotel Derlon with a spectacular Christmas decoration in the form of a red bow with thousands of lights. For many a wow feeling, but not for a number of civil servants and their friends. While, for example, the most chic fashion houses in Paris in the festive month also with that kind of exuberant decorations on their facades, some Sjengen thought it a bit excessive. Because: ‘Mestreech must please Mestreech’. International but also village, a difficult combination. Pierre Rieu was held accountable at the town hall where nine servants, including the infamous welfare commission, waited for him and washed the ears. Because this really couldn't be. Tastes differ but it remains difficult for some officials and advisors to think big. And apparently, they find their own taste the benchmark. Apparently, Pierre Rieu was surprised that no fewer than nine people had time to wait for him. But this is just an example of a problem that has been going on at many government levels for years. The enormous apparatus of civil servants and advisers that, with an infinite stack of often barely understandable rules and regulations, makes many initiatives in advance chance. Huge costs to staff that are made to especially NOT deliver. That costs a country – and therefore the tax-paying citizen – a lot of money that does not go towards strengthening the economy and solving real problems.

Editor-in-Chief, Publisher, and All-Around Journalist Jo Cortenraedt is an all-around journalist with decades of experience in the Netherlands and abroad. He has worked for ANP, NOS News, and De Telegraaf, among others. He joined Chapeau Magazine in 1997 as editor-in-chief and publisher, and that same year was involved in the launch of regional television in Limburg.

A festive concert for the king, but no royal hotel tie…..

December 1, 2025, De Nieuwe Ster, From the editors. Translation: Ineke/Diana Rieu gives Maastricht Magical Derlon The new owner, Pierre Rieu, of the Derlon hotel on Onze Lieve Vrouweplein is honoring Magical Maastricht with a fantastically illuminated hotel. The lights were turned on for the first time on Sunday evening, after having been briefly visible on Friday evening during testing. With the lights, Rieu also seems to be paying tribute to Benny Neyman, who sang about the most beautiful gift. (Maastricht dialect) Diech bis mie sjoenste kedooke Wat e surprieske bis diech Neet bijj de zegelkes gratis Wel mét e strikske veur miech (translated) You are my most beautiful gift. What a surprise you are. Didn't get it for free with the stamps. But it came with a pretty bow, for me. Pierre turned on the lights when his father, André Rieu, returned to town. It brought happy faces to the square, to the audience watching the countdown, and to the maestro himself. Pierre Rieu will renovate the hotel in 2026. The rooms will be renovated, and the restaurant and lobby will also be redecorated.

January 21, 2026 De Nieuwe Ster, by Peter Eberson Photos: screenshots “Wat is loos” (What is going on?) Translation: Ineke/Diana Pierre Rieu Draws His Own Plan Pierre Rieu, owner of the Derlon Hotel on Onze Lieve Vrouwe Plein, can't understand it. The city's aesthetic committee deemed his Christmas decorations illegal. "Do you know how many complaints the municipality received? Zero!" It was perhaps the most photographed spot in Maastricht during the Christmas season. Hundreds of visitors to the city took a photo in front of the hotel or a selfie with it illuminated in the background. Pierre Rieu went all out with his new hotel, but this didn't sit well with the Maastricht aesthetic committee and Maastricht City Center Management. Flashing They didn't like the Christmas lights and, moreover, didn't comply with the policy. This policy stipulates, among other things, that lights may not cover the entire facade, may not flash, and the color red is absolutely forbidden. The very thing visitors to the city found so appealing about the wrapped-up Hotel Derlon was unacceptable. Not that Rieu was even remotely correct. "I should have applied for a permit. Okay, I didn't know that. I'm a new hotel owner. I was also told that the Christmas lights have to be uniform. Well, then next Christmas I'll ask all the businesses on the square if they want to install the same lights as at my hotel. Then it'll be uniform." It's remarkable that Rieu commissioned the company "Avontuur" to decorate his hotel. This is also the company responsible for the Christmas decorations in the city center on behalf of Centrummanagement. Rieu: "They installed the lights for me in line with the other Christmas decorations and also looked at the Vrijthof square and Magical Maastricht, where the color red is also featured. Strange that it's not allowed for me." The business owner, however, says he's making his own plans. "I also decorated and lit the hotel for Carnival. We'll see what they think."

January 22, 2026: Jeffrey R. de Vries interviewed Pierre in front of Hotel Derlon. Diana D. Le summarized the video in the following. Aesthetics Committee Intervenes in Christmas Decorations at Hotel Derlon: Pierre Rieu Doesn't Understand It The festive Christmas decorations at Hotel Derlon in Maastricht have led to intervention by the aesthetics committee. The hotel's owner, Pierre Rieu, confirms that he has received an official notice and has been invited to a meeting with no fewer than nine members of the committee. In December 2025, Rieu decorated his hotel with elaborate Christmas lights, which attracted a lot of attention on social media. Hundreds of photos, taken by both residents and tourists, appeared online. However, the aesthetic committee believes that the decorations do not comply with current policy. Pierre Rieu believes that it is important to have an aesthetic committee to have unity in the design for the community but he does not agree with them. Not a single complaint came in from the people in Maastricht but also none outside of Maastricht, even at the municipality of Eijsden-Margraten, about the Christmas decorations. Pierre Rieu admitted that as a new hotel owner, he did not know that he needed to apply for a permit, and to inform himself about what is allowed and what is not allowed. He hired “Avontuur - Blachère Illumination” because they are experienced, know what is allowed, and had designed the Magisch Maastricht Vrijthof. From a number of design variations, Pierre chose the one with the red ribbon and bow. The result was beautiful and exactly as designed. However, according to the aesthetic committee, the mood lighting is excessive, covers too much of the facade, and the shimmering lights in the ribbon and the use of the color red are not allowed. Only white, warm white, and warm blue are permitted according to the guidelines. The excessiveness of the design is a subjective concept. To Pierre, it is fine that the aesthetic committee has something to say about it, but what really bothers Pierre Rieu is that, in the Netherlands, they have the time to spend nine months of public money on meetings about Christmas lights, and not just once, but several times, regardless of everything that's going on in the world. The aesthetic committee asked Pierre to submit a number of alternatives that they could support, but he is not going to do that yet. He is going to do his best to come to an agreement. He does not want to fight and prefers to talk to them, but he still has some plans.

Sharing a December 24, 2025 article from HotelVak, the trade magazine on hotel management, furnishing and design. By Jean van Pol. Translation: Diana D. Le For André Rieu fans who are anticipating the newly renovated Hotel Derlon in July 2026, the article gives us some details on what Pierre Rieu is planning for part of the renovation. How Pierre Rieu shapes his passion for hospitality at Hotel Derlon Pierre Rieu – the son of – is managing director of André Rieu Productions, one of the world's largest entertainment companies. With concerts attracting millions of visitors and an organization that operates worldwide, you would expect his schedule to be more than full. Nevertheless, Rieu recently [since July 1, 2025] expanded his activities with the acquisition of Hotel Derlon in Maastricht. For someone whose passion has always been hospitality, this feels like a logical next step. As he himself says: "My job is to please people.“ The choice of a hotel was not an impulsive decision. “According to my parents, I used to play hotel as a child,” says Rieu. “Hospitality and caring for people seems to have been ingrained in me from a very young age.” He later continued this tradition with André Rieu Travel, the travel agency that has been providing concertgoers worldwide with hotel packages for more than ten years. “The acquisition of Hotel Derlon is a logical extension of that.” The most beautiful square in Maastricht The location of Hotel Derlon played a decisive role. The hotel is situated on Onze Lieve Vrouweplein, in the heart of Maastricht's historic city centre. “For me, this is the most beautiful and romantic square in the city, almost picturesque,” says Rieu. “I sometimes argue with my father about this. He swears by the Vrijthof, but I prefer Onze Lieve Vrouweplein. Except, of course, during the Vrijthof concerts,” he adds with a laugh. The takeover gained momentum when the well-known Maastricht hotelier Benoit Wesley suggested during lunch that he sell Derlon. This came as a big surprise to Rieu, who immediately showed serious interest. Since last July, he can call himself the new owner of the hotel, which dates back to 1870. Renovation The four-star hotel has forty-eight rooms and two apartments, but according to Rieu, it is in need of thorough modernization. “The quality is still good, but you can see that many elements are dated. The sanitary facilities in particular are in need of replacement. What bothers me most is that guests have to shower in the bath, with a shower curtain. That's something from our grandparents' generation, no longer appropriate today." That is why a complete renovation is in the pipeline. All bathrooms will be refurbished and, at the same time, Rieu wants to bring the rooms completely up to date. “To give an example: nowadays, everyone travels with at least one or two devices that need to be charged. You shouldn't have to move cabinets or unplug lamps to charge your phone. Two sockets next to each bed is the minimum requirement these days.” Ideal hotel room For Rieu, expanding into the hotel industry feels like a natural progression from what he already does. “The entertainment world is also all about guest experience. But the big difference is that concerts don't happen every day, whereas hotels welcome guests 24/7.” An important focus for Rieu is the staff. “I want to make Derlon a place where people enjoy working. They will soon be making a real difference in the hotel. Every guest should feel seen during their stay. That leaves a lasting impression.” His years of experience, with hundreds of hotel stays each year, are proving invaluable in the design of Hotel Derlon. “I have seen thousands of rooms from the inside, all over the world. As a result, I now know exactly what an ideal hotel room needs. I am bringing those insights to Derlon.” Roman excavation According to the brand-new hotelier, what makes Hotel Derlon truly special are the remains of an ancient Roman settlement in the basement. “That is our absolute unique selling point,” emphasizes Rieu. “Because let's face it: what other hotel has a Roman excavation in its basement?” However, he believes that this asset is still far too underexposed. Rieu envisions Roman history being subtly incorporated throughout the hotel. Not in a theme park-like way, but in a stylish and high-quality manner. “You shouldn't feel like you're walking into the Colosseum, but you should think: attention has been paid to the Roman past of this place and of Maastricht. This city is one of the oldest in the Netherlands – we should show that.”

The atmospheric restaurant, Louis Brasserie.

The rooms at Hotel Derlon are undergoing extensive modernization.