Stay 
Loevestein Castle
approx. 900 m
A castle and fort begun around 1361 where the Waal meets the Afgedamde Maas. A state prison for centuries, it is where Hugo Grotius escaped in a book chest. Now a museum.
Photo: Davidh820, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fort Vuren: a night in a 19th-century fort on the Waal
Fort Vuren was built in 1844 on the Waaldijk to protect the fortress town of Gorinchem, as part of the New Dutch Waterline. Its bomb-proof tower, moat and barracks still stand, and today the fort is a walking and cycling destination with a restaurant and terrace. According to Wikipedia, an inn lets guests sleep in the barracks or in a bunker.
At a glance
- Location
- 29 Waaldijk, Vuren, municipality of West Betuwe (Gelderland), on the river Waal; the fortress town of Gorinchem is about 4 km away
- Accommodation
- Fort of 1844 in the New Dutch Waterline; individually furnished rooms with exposed brick, with shared bathrooms; the photos also show a tent-style cabin
- Highlights
- Restaurant, terrace and garden, free Wi-Fi, free parking, espresso machine and kettle in the rooms, luggage storage
- Guest rating
- 9.4/10 from 22 reviews on Expedia (as of 14 Oct 2026)
- Check-in & check-out
- Check-in 3 pm to 9 pm (not possible outside these hours) · check-out by 10 am
- Good to know
- No pets · breakfast at extra cost · no lift · smoking only in designated areas
Staying at Fort Vuren: a night inside a Waterline fort
Staying at Fort Vuren means sleeping inside a piece of Dutch military history. According to Dutch Wikipedia, an inn makes overnight stays possible in the barracks or in a bunker, while the fort’s hospitality also includes a restaurant and a terrace. The photos in the Expedia listing show cosy rooms with exposed brick walls, a brick-vaulted ceiling, wooden floors and a brick fireplace, as well as a tent-style cabin among grass and trees.
Rooms are individually furnished and, according to the listing, have free Wi-Fi, bed linen and towels, an espresso machine, a kettle and a rain shower. The listing mentions two separate shared bathrooms, so the stay is more characterful than luxurious. There is also a garden, a terrace with outdoor furniture, a concierge service, daily housekeeping and luggage storage; the front desk is staffed only at set times.
A continental breakfast is available every day from 8.30 am to 10.30 am at an extra charge. Check-in is possible only between 3 pm and 9 pm, and the listing says check-in outside these hours is not available, so plan your arrival accordingly. The fort has no lift.
Photos of Fort Vuren
The history of Fort Vuren
- 1844 – The fort is built on the Waaldijk to protect Gorinchem and to stop an enemy from advancing west.
- 1847–1849 – A bomb-proof tower is built on top of the fort and surrounded by a moat; it can only be reached by a drawbridge.
- 1873–1879 – The tower is partly demolished as too vulnerable: the top floor is removed and a counterscarp gallery is added.
- Mobilisations – The fort is used during the various mobilisations; the tower fort, gallery and barracks house up to 420 men and 30 guns.
- 1940 – The fort suffers a German air attack and stays in German hands until the last days before liberation.
- After the war – The fort is used to intern people from the region accused of collaboration.
- Today – Staatsbosbeheer has leased the fort to the Stichting Wandel- en Fietsforten; it offers catering with a terrace and an inn with overnight stays.
Fort Vuren belongs to the New Dutch Waterline, a defensive line used from 1870 to 1945. It ran for 85 km from the island of Pampus in the former Zuiderzee to the Biesbosch, with 46 forts and five fortress towns, among them Gorinchem and Woudrichem. The line protected a large part of Holland and the city of Utrecht by flooding the land in front of it, and it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2021.
The Second World War also touched Vuren itself, with fighting, flooded polders and aircraft shot down over the village. Today the fort has a very different role: it is a place for walkers and cyclists, with a terrace, a restaurant and the chance to sleep in the same barracks that once housed soldiers.
Facilities and services at Fort Vuren
The details below come from the Expedia listing (as of 14 Oct 2026); room details may vary from room to room.
Rooms
- Individually furnished rooms
- Free Wi-Fi, faster than 50 Mbit/s
- Bed linen and towels provided
- Espresso machine and kettle
- Shower and rain shower
- Two separate shared bathrooms
- Smooth flooring in the room
Food & drink
- Restaurant
- Continental breakfast daily (extra charge)
Fort & grounds
- Garden and terrace
- Outdoor furniture
- Designated smoking areas
- No lift
Service
- Free parking without service (limited spaces)
- Luggage storage
- Concierge service
- Daily housekeeping
- Front desk staffed at set times
Where Fort Vuren is: on the Waal between Gorinchem and Loevestein
The fort stands on the Waaldijk in Vuren, a village in the municipality of West Betuwe in Gelderland, on the river Waal. Gorinchem lies just across the water, about 4 km away. Loevestein Castle is less than a kilometre away, and the fortified town of Woudrichem about 2 km. The listing puts the Waal and the fort itself within a 10-minute walk.
By car, Hardinxveld Blauwe Zoom station is about 16 minutes away and Rotterdam The Hague Airport about 56 minutes, according to Expedia. The listing also names the Efteling and Safaripark Beekse Bergen among nearby attractions, and the Gorcums Museum, the National Glass Museum and AquaZoo Leerdam among cultural and family options, with fishing and walking and cycling routes along the water.
Further afield, the windmills of Kinderdijk are about 28 km away, and cities such as Dordrecht, ’s-Hertogenbosch and Utrecht lie 24 to 31 km from the fort.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Distances (as the crow flies from Fort Vuren)
| Loevestein Castle | approx. 900 m |
| Vuren (village) | approx. 1 km |
| Woudrichem | approx. 1.5 km |
| Gorinchem | approx. 4 km |
| Efteling | approx. 19 km |
| De Biesbosch National Park | approx. 20 km |
| ’s-Hertogenbosch | approx. 24 km |
| Dordrecht | approx. 24 km |
| Kinderdijk windmills | approx. 28 km |
| Utrecht | approx. 31 km |
Distances calculated as the crow flies; driving times to the station and airport are taken from the Expedia listing.
Things to see around Fort Vuren
Woudrichem
approx. 1.5 km
An old fortified town where the Afgedamde Maas flows into the Waal, at the meeting point of three provinces. It is one of five fortress towns of the New Dutch Waterline.
Photo: Alfred Grupstra, CC BY-SA 4.0
Gorinchem
approx. 4 km
A well-preserved fortress town with its ramparts, voted “most beautiful fortress town in the Netherlands” by the ANWB in 2021. Gorinchem was itself one of the Waterline’s fortress towns.
Photo: Michiel1972, CC BY-SA 3.0
Efteling
approx. 19 km
The largest amusement park in the Benelux, in Kaatsheuvel. It grew from a nature park with a fairy-tale forest and has been open all year round since 2010.
Photo: Rémih, CC BY-SA 4.0
De Biesbosch National Park
approx. 20 km
A very watery nature area of freshwater tidal creeks and willow floodplain woods, a national park since 1994 and laid out for many kinds of recreation.
Photo: Jensbn, CC BY-SA 2.5
The windmills of Kinderdijk
approx. 28 km
Nineteen windmills, most of them from 1738 and 1740, on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997. The two rows of mills are best seen on foot or by bike.
Photo: Lucas Hirschegger, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tours & activities near Fort Vuren
Experiences in the region that you can book online with Viator:
Utrecht 2-Hour Walking Tour | Discover The City With A Local
Join us as we show you the best highlights that Utrecht has to offer. Our guides/storytellers will take you on a 2-hour walking tour through the city …
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Utrecht Walking Food Tour with 7 Gourmet Dishes & Local Guide
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Utrecht Doloris Anoma Maze Ticket
Discover the unknown in Doloris Anoma Maze; an artistic experience that invites all your senses to reveal the unexpected. Following its predecessor …
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seeBreda Fietstour
Did you know the infamous manager of Elvis was born in Breda? That this city actually has something to do with the existence of New York? And have …
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Discover Utrecht with a self-guided Outside Escape city game tour
Experience a new way to discover a city with this 'gamified' tour! Explore Utrecht during this self-guided walking tour that lets you see the city in …
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Utrecht Monster Mystery: Exploration Game and Tour
Your museum sent you to Utrecht to investigate monster sightings. You're skeptical, until your first witness describes a cockatrice, a medieval …
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10 Tastes of Utrecht: Food Tour with Full Lunch and 2 Drinks
Twenty-five minutes from Amsterdam sits the city the tour buses skip. Come hungry. Utrecht is older than Amsterdam and the locals like it quieter …
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Utrecht Bike & Bite: The Ultimate Local Food Tour with Guide
Fuel your curiosity on a bike & bite adventure through Utrecht; the world’s leading cycling city. On this unique food tour, you’ll visit 7 delicious …
View details ›Who is Fort Vuren for?
Military history fans
A fort of 1844 with a moat and bomb-proof tower, part of a UNESCO-listed defensive line, plus Loevestein Castle and the fortress towns of Woudrichem and Gorinchem nearby.
Walkers and cyclists
The fort is run as a walking and cycling fort, and the dikes and waterways of the Waal and the Biesbosch are close.
Families visiting the Efteling
The Efteling is about 19 km away, and the listing also names Safaripark Beekse Bergen and AquaZoo Leerdam among attractions in the area.
Travellers who like simple, characterful stays
Brick-walled rooms in a former barracks, shared bathrooms and a restaurant with a terrace: a stay with plenty of atmosphere rather than hotel comforts.
Good to know before booking Fort Vuren
- Check-in is possible only from 3 pm to 9 pm, and check-in outside these hours is not available. Check-out is by 10 am.
- Pets are not allowed.
- A continental breakfast is available daily from 8.30 am to 10.30 am at an extra charge.
- Parking is free on site without service, with limited spaces.
- The listing mentions two separate shared bathrooms; there is no lift, and smoking is allowed only in designated areas.
Find available dates at Fort Vuren
Frequently asked questions
Can you stay overnight at Fort Vuren?
Yes. According to Dutch Wikipedia, an inn at Fort Vuren makes overnight stays possible in the barracks or in a bunker, and the stay can be booked via Expedia.
Are pets allowed?
No. According to Expedia, pets are not allowed at Fort Vuren.
What are the check-in and check-out times?
Check-in is possible from 3 pm to 9 pm; check-in outside these hours is not possible. Check-out is at 10 am.
Is breakfast or a restaurant available?
A continental breakfast is available daily from 8.30 am to 10.30 am at an extra charge, and the fort has a restaurant with a terrace.
Is there parking at Fort Vuren?
Yes. Free parking without service is available on site, with a limited number of spaces.
What is there to see near Fort Vuren?
Loevestein Castle is less than 1 km away, Woudrichem about 2 km and Gorinchem about 4 km. The Efteling is about 19 km away and the Kinderdijk windmills about 28 km.
Room photos, guest reviews and available dates are all in the Fort Vuren listing on Expedia.
Fancy a night in a 19th-century Waterline fort? Check availability and current prices for Fort Vuren on Expedia.
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