very nice. But unfortunately quite expensive. Best place to stay for miles.

Online, the hotel is called Castle Erenstein, but the castle is in reality across the street. Ok, no biggie...but it wasn't all we anticipated it to be. We booked on expedia, and called ahead one day, and they didn't have our reservation. So that took a while to sort out. When we checked in, we were given a gross, dirty room that smelled like smoke and wh*rish perfume and there was a big reddish brown smear on the curtain (blood, lipstick, feces?) I was ready to go home, but my husband went and got us another room that turned out to be better.
The restaurant accross the way where the castle actually is situated is fantastic, but staying at the hotel is not necessary. It is really nothing special, and there was nothing remarkable about the rooms.
We both really enjoyed breakfast though- it was a huge spread and a lot of really good dutch food.
In summary, skip the hotel, go to the restaurant and stay somewhere else.

I booked online the Culinair @ Erenstain package plus few extras like the VIP treatment, flowers and the beauty treatment, for which I paid nearly 500 eur.

What was my expectation?
In the normal experience the flowers should have been expecting us in the room. After this we were supposed to take a relaxing bath with the oils before the dinner in the Kasteel Erenstein.

What really happened:
There were no flowers, no VIP package, no bath oils., but there were two huge dead mosquitoes in the room. Insects are OK; however, dead insects on the floor mean that the room was not cleaned properly.

After I made a claim I was told that the flowers will be late and that someone will come to the room to bring the oils and the flowers when they arrive. After one hour waiting I called the reception again only to discover that they run out of oils and that they will bring them tomorrow.
What is the point of having the oils the next day? Take a relaxing bath home?

The dinner at Erenstein was very good and the room was decent. However, if I wanted only a room and a nice dinner I could have gone anywhere. It seems that apart from the facilities, the hotel staff is not able to provide the level of service that is promised.

Further more the hotel staff did not coordinate with the restaurant as well as with the beauty saloon. The restaurant staff had no idea that we had a package dinner and the beauty saloon expected two people. Only before the checkout we discovered that there is no one taking my wife to the beauty saloon, but that she has to go there alone.

The most interesting thing of all is that the hotel does not have any Book of Complaints. I wrote an e-mail to the hotel manager and the owner but there was no response.

If you are looking for more than just an overnight stay with dinner try at another place.

I’m quite surprised of the very negative remark of NY Traveller. Of course it is dated 2005 that is already 3 years from now and things can change.
The hotel is situated in a green area (park) and belongs to Castel Erenstein, situated a few 100 meters further. There is a main road of course, but is certainly not a hectic place or at a busy intersection. In fact it is situated at a few hundred meters from it and higher located as the area is slightly hilly (this area is exceptional in Holland).
The hotel is located in a former farm build in 1713, completely restored and transformed in a hotel.
Staff at reception and in the breakfast restaurant was absolutely friendly and polite.
In the middle there is a square inner yard where the breakfast restaurant is build in contemporary style. Even in wintertime it has charm but in summer when flowers and plants are there, it should be really nice.
The room I stayed in was on the ground floor, was rather large in size, very nice. It was a non-smoking room (I always ask this). Further it is clean, has television, fridge and normal facilities. The bathroom was small but with nice white tiles on the wall, comfortable bath with shower and was provided with all amenities.
I’m used to give the positive and negative conclusions in my comments, but this time I can’t give any negative one!
Conclusion: if you stay in the Maastricht area (and you are with a car) it is certainly a place to be. Of course it is not a “resort” to stay during a week, but this place is not such a purpose.
The town of Kerkrade is perhaps not the most typical one. Not really a “historical” centre as some other have.
But if I have to be again in the area, I will certainly stay again in the Brughotel.