Quality labels. Focused on sustainability and ecology.

Travellers' Choice Award

Hooray, in 2021 we received Tripadvisor's Travellers' Choice award! This 'Certificate of Excellence' recognises businesses that consistently deliver great service.
We are now part of an exclusive group and among the top 10% of listings on Tripadvisor!

Operating licence for small-scale tourist accommodation

Licence to operate an accommodation business, issued by Toerisme Vlaanderen (Visit Flanders) with 3 stars.

The Green Key

Since we started, we have run our business in an environmentally conscious, sustainable and efficient way. We were very proud to carry the Green Key logo from 2009. Because of the cost for a small-scale business, we decided not to renew our membership. But sustainability is in our DNA, and that is how we will keep running things! GoodPlanet does wonderful work with Green Key to raise environmental awareness in the tourism sector. We continue to follow our environmental action plan and achieve new sustainability goals every year through infrastructure improvements, training and coaching.

We are also proud holders of the Tripadvisor Eco-Leader label!

Cyclist-friendly accommodation

We welcome cycling tourists with open arms and meet all their needs. Since May 2009 we have proudly carried the cyclist-friendly accommodation logo, recognised by Toerisme Vlaanderen. We can give you detailed advice on the many cycle routes. Since 2011 we have encouraged our not-so-young holidaymakers to consider electric bikes, which can now be hired nearby.

Planning permission

Permit issued by the municipality of Zwalm for the change of use to small-scale tourist accommodation

Fire safety certificate

Fire safety certificate issued by the Zottegem fire service for compliance with all safety regulations and annual inspection of the gas heating, electrical, smoke detection and alarm installations, and of the fire extinguishers.

Food safety

We comply with the standards and are registered with the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FAVV/AFSCA)

Sustainable use of natural and energy resources

With our business we strive for sustainable use:

From 2002, 34% of our electricity was supplied by solar panels on the roof of the B&B section .

By 2009 we had cut our heating-oil consumption by 6% thanks to extra insulation and more efficient heating of the new rooms!

At the beginning of 2010 we switched from heating oil to gas , which cut our annual heating costs by 25%!

Our water consumption rose by 40% once we started running the B&B. We ask our guests to be mindful of water use, but we do not want to limit their comfort and freedom during their stay. In 2011 we drastically reduced our total water consumption by connecting a well pump, but the well supplied oxidised water and was dismantled in 2012. Filling the ecological swimming pond took a great deal of mains water. In 2016 the washing machine and toilets were switched from mains water to rainwater. The new showers in the sauna area now also use soft rainwater, after filtering and disinfection! This brought our mains water consumption down to around 140 m³, which is considered "nominal consumption for a family with 2 children". We now achieve that nominal consumption including our family, the guests and the sauna/swimming pond facilities!

Our electricity consumption has risen by only 15% since we started running the B&B in 2006. Thanks to the solar panels on the roof of the B&B, energy-efficient lighting and more automation, we keep reducing this consumption. Since 2015 there have been 32 extra solar panels on the roof of our converted section, which among other things power our sauna and hammam. Since 2015 we have thus produced 86% of our total energy consumption ourselves.
In 2021 we installed a home battery that stores surplus solar energy for use in the evening, bringing our self-consumption to 90%. .

Sustainable heating

Since 2011 all domestic hot water in the guest house has been produced by a 300-litre solar water heater. After studying the environmental and cost efficiency of switching to an air-to-water heat pump, we decided to switch to gas heating on the recently installed gas network in our street, so that the radiators did not need to be replaced with fan convectors. The rented rooms are heated with more efficient fan convectors, which bring the room to a pleasant temperature very quickly. To reduce heat loss even further, our façade was renovated and repointed. In 2014 we installed a second, 500-litre solar water heater for the hot (rain!)water of our sauna area in the converted section. Thanks to these smart measures, (until Covid and the war in Ukraine) the total cost of heating did not increase, despite the additional facilities.

Garden, swimming pool and play equipment

Our play equipment is of high quality and safety-tested with the German TÜV certificate. Some of it reaches a height of 11 m between the trees. Depending on the children's age, we ask parents to inspect the installations and make a responsible decision about the level to which their children may use them. We accept no liability for accidents involving play equipment in the garden. We supervise people on the high ropes course, using safety equipment, as part of our adventure package.

Safety in the house

Emergency lighting and pictograms indicate the escape routes. The materials used are robust and help avoid injuries. The glass panels in the bathrooms are made of toughened safety glass.

Coronavirus measures

We have implemented Covid-19 measures for our guests. We do our very best to protect you:

you can find our message to guests at the B&B here..

how we keep things safe for you can be found here..

alongside, a short film (1'20") by Unicef Spain. Very clear.

Privacy measures

What is the GDPR?
The GDPR, or General Data Protection Regulation, is a new privacy law that better protects the personal data of European citizens.

What does this mean for you?
You get more control over how we may use your personal data. You can request, change and/or have deleted the personal data we have recorded about you at any time.

Because of this new legislation, we need your consent to our personal data policy, which can be found on our website. You can address any questions about this directly to info@de-notelaar.be (Bart Boydens is the data controller). A complaint can also be lodged with the Privacy Commission.

Our personal data policy ('privacy policy')

How is your personal data used?
We only use your personal data to contact you about your stay, to welcome you better informed next time, or to adapt our services to your needs.
We use your address details for mailings related to De Notelaar. You can always unsubscribe from these mailings.
If a paper registration form was completed during your visit, we may also transfer your personal data to a file which, as mentioned above, is used only for De Notelaar's own services and/or communication. The file is stored with double protection. The paper form is filed in a locked cabinet so that it can be shown to the inspection authorities if required.
Some accommodation data may be collected in aggregated form over the longer term to evaluate and adjust our own operations. The number of people and number of nights booked per person is passed on to the Federal Public Service Economy to meet our obligations regarding the Statistics of Accommodation Establishments. Individual identification of persons is not involved

What personal data do we keep ourselves?
For overnight stays and for the use of our catering or wellness services, we keep your name, any names of partner and/or children, your email and address details and phone number, the services you used, and any remarks we would like to take into account in the future.
For body treatments, information is kept about your complaints, the treatment itself and information related to the diagnosis.
Our website does not store any personal data; we do not use cookies. You can decide for yourself whether to follow/like our Facebook page.

Which personal data sometimes "live on"?
We never pass on accommodation-related personal data to third parties without your consent, except in one of the following cases:
- At your express and personal request, we can pass on contact details (only name, email, phone number), e.g. in connection with a package with a partner
- At the request of the police, data from the hotel registration form may be requested
- Sensitive personal data (such as for body treatments) is treated confidentially. Only during internship periods is anonymous information shared with our training institute, solely for the purpose of the accreditation of our diploma as energetic body therapists

Striving for sustainable, nature-friendly operations

We want to inform our guests as much as possible about how they can enjoy nature even more, with little or no impact and without sacrificing comfort

that is why we invite you to cycle, walk, use public transport and be aware of our ecological footprint .

we are happy to explain our sustainable lifestyle and the economically and ecologically responsible techniques used here.

we keep raising awareness of the importance of treating our world sustainably, and have built all our packages around it.

More information about our commitment to sustainability can be found in our 'environmental action plan' in the directory in the rooms, and in our "Report" on the info page on Facebook.

Our guest books

Vox populi, vox Dei;
what our guests think...

Tripadvisor guest book 4.8/5
Charmio guest book 9.7/10
Booking guest book 9/10
Zoover guest book 9.5/10
Google guest book 4.8/5
Facebook guest book 4.9/5
Yoga guest book 4/5