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Merkenveld is unique in its kind: plenty of space inside and outside, completely immersed in the greenery.
In the main building, that is fully wheelchair accesible, one could stay with a small group as well as with a larger group. As from 15 persons up to 186 persons! There are rooms for 2, 4, 6 of 8 persons, and a cosy sleeping loft for 10 persons.
Depending on the size of your group, you can settle down in one or more units. In the domitory Merelnest, you can sleep with 22 persons, dormitories Welpennest and Lijsternest each accommodate up to 31 persons. Furthermore, on the groundfloor 13 beds an on the first floor (accessible by an elevator) 39 beds are suitable for wheelchair users. There are toilets and showers next to each sleeping entity, and there are on the ground floor 2 accessible bathrooms with shower and toilet and on the first floor another accessible toilet.
To each unit belongs at least one day room, so you have indoor space to eat, play or meet. There are rooms for groups from 25 up to 100 persons.
You can stay in full board, or you could cook yourselves.
In detail
| Capacity | 186 |
|---|---|
| Split possibilities | possible to divide into 4 individual units, the smallest one as from 15 persons |
| Combination possibilities | with dining hall or with the camp fields |
| Accessibility label | Label A |
Practical info
Unit Beek
room Beek with kitchen on the ground floor
bedrooms on 1st floor:
- 1 dormitory with 31 beds
- 2 rooms with 6 beds each
Unit Spinder
room Spinder with kitchen on the ground floor
bedrooms on the ground floor:
- 3 rooms with 8 beds each, 1 room with 2 beds
bedrooms on the 1st floor:
- 1 dormitory with 22 beds
- 1 room with 6 beds
Unit Groot Heem
room Groot Heem with kitchen on the ground floor
bedrooms on the 1st floor:
- 1 dormitory with 31 beds
- 2 rooms with 4 beds each
Unit Toren
room Toren with kitchen on the 1st floor
room Akela on 2nd floor
bedrooms on the 1st floor:
- 1 sleeping loft with 10 beds
- 2 rooms with 6 beds each, 2 rooms with 4 beds each
The different units can perfectly combined with one another, all depending on the needs and size of your group.
Free use of the large dining hall Fourage with professional kitchen for all groups of miniumum 140 persons.
Smaller groups can use the Fourage at extra charge.
Stay in full board or half board is possible, but you could also prepare your own meals.
If you cook yourselves : a fully equipped kichten with cooking equipment and dinnerware is provided (and the baker delivers daily fresh bread, if ordered before 5pm the previous day).
Full board : we serve daily 4 fresh, delicious, childproof meals : breakfast, warm meal, tea time snack, bread meal.
The Fourage is a multifunctional dining hall for 160 persons, guaranteeing a smooth service during the meals. The menu is issued in advance, we pay special attention to vegetarians, alimentary allergies, and specific diets.
Rates per person per day for a stay in self-catering formula: rates 2024
- groups of Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen: 8,35 euro
- youth work (youth movements, recognised youth clubs): 11,15 euro
- youth (schools, youth sport clubs, students, friends): 11,80 euro
- others (adults, organisations, companies): 14,75 euro
Rates per person per day for a stay in full board: rates 2024
- groups of Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen: 29,35 euro
- youth work (youth movements, recognised youth clubs): 36,75 euro
- youth (schools, youth sport clubs, students, friends):Â 37,40 euro
- others (adults, organisations, companies): 48,55 euro
Rates per person per day for a stay in self-catering formula: rates 2025
- groups of Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen: 9,55 euro
- youth work (youth movements, recognised youth clubs): 12,75 euro
- youth (schools, youth sport clubs, students, friends): 13,40 euro
- others (adults, organisations, companies): 16,75 euro
Rates per person per day for a stay in full board: rates 2025
- groups of Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen: 33,40 euro
- youth work (youth movements, recognised youth clubs): 41,85 euro
- youth (schools, youth sport clubs, students, friends):Â 42,50 euro
- others (adults, organisations, companies): 55,15 euro
Rates per person per day for a stay in self-catering formula: rates 2026
- groups of Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen: 9,90 euro
- youth work (youth movements, recognised youth clubs): 13,25 euro
- youth (schools, youth sport clubs, students, friends): 13,90 euro
- others (adults, organisations, companies): 17,35 euro
Rates per person per day for a stay in full board: rates 2026
- groups of Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen: 34.60 euro
- youth work (youth movements, recognised youth clubs): 43.40,75 euro
- youth (schools, youth sport clubs, students, friends):Â 44,05 euro
- others (adults, organisations, companies): 57,15 euro
In the reservation form, you can easily see an indicativ price calculation. When submitting the form, we send you a complete and customized offer.
Hopper commits to sustainability
Merkenveld received the Green Key-label. An international certificate, awarded by Toerisme Vlaanderen and Good Planet, as recognistion for our attention paid to a durable and sustainable policy in many aspects. In the beginning, we were mainly concerned with the economical and rational use of energy, but nowadays, we commit on more profound actions, such as the use of certain materials, local purchases, sensitization, etc.
Hopper commits to Accessibility:
Merkenveld has been committed to accessibility for many years, so the entire building has been wheelchair accessible since 2023. In 2017, we constructed a wheelchair-accessible path that connects the parking lot with the building and with all outdoor accommodation such as the fire circle, the pond, the petanque fields, the chapel, the playgrounds, some camping areas, outdoor sanitary facilities.
With the 'Roeiforlife' campaign of 2019, we have installed a wheelchair-accessible lift in the building, which has also made the beds on the first floor accessible since 2023. This allowed us to expand from 13 to 52 accessible beds, and the sanitary facilities were also adapted.
< However, we cannot accommodate all groups with these actions, as we are an open building, where the different groups can walk and romp together outside. For most groups this is our asset, for other groups this is our threshold. In 2020 we were able to acquire an old farm at the back of the forest, which we want to convert into a small unit. What we especially want to achieve with this unit is to be able to offer special care, such as security, fenced, accessible and cozy. To achieve this, we took part in the MoveForLife 2023 campaign.
