Gran Dorado was a holiday villages company based in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. Until the merger in 2002, it was the biggest holiday villages company of Europe. Today's owner is the French company Pierre et Vacances, and is merged with the

Center Parcs Center Parcs may refer to: * Center Parcs UK and Ireland Center Parcs UK and Ireland (formerly Center Parcs UK) is a short-break holiday company that operates six holiday villages in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, with each cover ...

company.

History

Gran Dorado Resorts was originally found by the owner of the Dutch chain store company ''Vendex'', famous for the

Vroom & Dreesmann Vroom & Dreesmann (V&D) was a Dutch chain of department stores founded in 1887. It was declared bankrupt on 2015, although its branches were still in operation until 2016. On 2016, it was announced that takeover negotiations had not led to an a ...

company. Therefore, the first name of the company was Vendorado. Vendorado Leisure N.V. was founded in 1980, in 1989, the name was changed to Gran Dorado Lesure N.V. At the beginning of 1996, the company had 6 big holiday villages. In the same year, Gran Dorado took over another Dutch holiday villages company, called ''Creatief Vakantieparken''. The company immediately grew to a company with 40 holiday villages and around 7500 bungalows, and was by then the biggest holiday villages company of Europe. The two companies were operating 2 years under the name ''Gran Dorado/Creatief'', in 1998 the company acquired the new name ''Gran Dorado N.V.''

Merger with Center Parcs

At the beginning of 2002, Pierre & Vacances became the overall owner of the Gran Dorado company. Shortly after, P&V took over the

-chain from Scottisch & Newcastle. By that time, the two largest holiday villages companies were in the same hands. Halfway through the year, Center Parcs and Gran Dorado merged. The

Netherlands Competition Authority The Netherlands Competition Authority (Dutch: Nederlandse Mededingingsautoriteit, NMa) was the competition regulator for the Netherlands. After a merger with the Consumentenautoriteit and Onafhankelijke Post en Telecommunicatie Autoriteit on 1 A ...

did not allow a merger with all 40 holiday villages, so the following was decided: * 5 of the original Gran Dorado-villages will transfer to Center Parcs * 1 original Gran Dorado-village will transfer to RP Holidays * the remaining 34 villages, of which a large part belonged to ''Creatief Vakantieparken'', will transfer to Landal Greenparks. Note: when nothing is written in either the column "Today's owner" or "Today's name", then the name of owner and park is still the same as in the columns "Name after merger" and "Owner after merger". A * indicates that the holiday village was first owned by Creatief Vakantieparken. {, class="wikitable sortable" align=center border=1 cellspacing=0 , + Overview of all holiday villages of ''Gran Dorado'' , - bgcolor="#efefef" ! Country ! Name ! City ! Region ! Opening ! Added to portfolio ! Owner after merger ! Name after merger ! Present owner ! Present name , - , , Gran Dorado Domaine de Chodes* ,

Malmedy Malmedy (; german: Malmünd, ; wa, Måmdiy) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium. On January 1, 2018, Malmedy had a total population of 12,654. The total area is 99.96 km2 which gives a populati ...

, Luik , ? , 1996 ,

Landal Greenparks Landal GreenParks is a European network of holiday villages, with locations in the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Background The company owns 106 holiday village ...

, Landal Domaine de Chodes , Novasol Vakantieparken , Domaine de Chodes , - , , Gran Dorado Domaine Long Pré* ,

Stavelot Stavelot (; german: Stablo ; wa, Ståvleu) is a town and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium. The municipality consists of the following districts: Francorchamps and Stavelot. It is best known as the home of Sp ...

Ardennes The Ardennes (french: Ardenne ; nl, Ardennen ; german: Ardennen; wa, Årdene ; lb, Ardennen ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Be ...

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Domaine Long Pré , , , - , , Gran Dorado Village les Gottales* ,

Trois-Ponts Trois-Ponts (; wa, Treûs-Ponts; both literally ''Three Bridges'') is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium. On January 1, 2006, Trois-Ponts had a total population of 2,445. The total area is 68.90 km² whic ...

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Village les Gottales , , , - , , Gran Dorado Heilbachsee , Gunderath ,

Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; german: link=no, Rheinland-Pfalz ; lb, Rheinland-Pfalz ; pfl, Rhoilond-Palz) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the ...

, 1982 , 1984 ,

, Center Parcs Park Heilbachsee , Sunparks , Sunparks Eifel , - , , Gran Dorado Hochsauerland , Medebach ,

North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a States of Germany, state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more tha ...

, 1994 , 1994 , Center Parcs , Center Parcs Park Hochsauerland , , , - , , Gran Dorado Parc Sandur , Emmen ,

Drenthe Drenthe () is a province of the Netherlands located in the northeastern part of the country. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and the German state of Lower Saxony to the east. As of Nov ...

, 1999 , 1999 ,

Landal Landal is one of twelve civil parishes (''freguesias'') in the municipality of Caldas da Rainha, Portugal. The civil parish has an area of and had a population of 1,051 at the 2011 census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, ...

, Landal park Sandur ,

Center parcs Center Parcs may refer to: * Center Parcs UK and Ireland Center Parcs UK and Ireland (formerly Center Parcs UK) is a short-break holiday company that operates six holiday villages in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, with each cover ...

, Center parc Sandur , - , , Gran Dorado Het Hart van Drenthe* ,

Zwiggelte Zwiggelte is a village in the Dutch province of Drenthe. It is a part of the municipality of Midden-Drenthe, and lies about 15 km south of Assen. The village was first mentioned around 1400 as Wolbert to Swicler, and could mean "meadow with ...

, ? , 1996 ,

, Landal Het Hart van Drenthe , Hogenboom Vakantieparken , Hogenboom Het Hart van Drenthe , - , , Gran Dorado Het Land van Bartje* , Ees ,

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Het Land van Bartje , , , - , , Gran Dorado Hunerwold State ,

Wateren Wateren is a hamlet in the Dutch province of Drenthe. It is a part of the municipality of Westerveld, and lies about 22 km west of the provincial capital Assen Assen () is a municipality and a city in the northeastern Netherlands, and i ...

, ? , 1997 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Hunerwold State , , , - , , Gran Dorado Ameland State* ,

Nes The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in American ...

Friesland Friesland (, ; official fry, Fryslân ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia, is a province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen, northwest of Drenthe and Overijssel, north of ...

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Ameland State , , , - , , Gran Dorado Vitamaris* , Schiermonnikoog ,

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Vitamaris , , , - , , Gran Dorado De Berkenhorst* ,

Kootwijk Kootwijk (West Low German: ''Kodek'') (population estimate: 280) is a small village in the municipality Barneveld, located in the middle of the Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland. History It was first mentioned between 1333 and 1334 as ...

Gelderland Gelderland (), also known as Guelders () in English, is a province of the Netherlands, occupying the centre-east of the country. With a total area of of which is water, it is the largest province of the Netherlands by land area, and second by ...

, 1975 , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal De Berkenhorst , , , - , , Gran Dorado De Groene Heuvels* ,

Ewijk Ewijk is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of Beuningen, and lies about 9 km west of Nijmegen. The river Waal runs in the north. Ewijk was a separate municipality until 1980, when it was merged wi ...

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal De Groene Heuvels , Hogenboom Vakantieparken , Hogenboom De Groene Heuvels , - , , Gran Dorado De Veluwse Hoevegaerde ,

Putten Putten () is a municipality and town in the province of Gelderland, Netherlands. It had a population of in . It is located in the coastal area of the old Zuiderzee (Southern Sea). To the east of Putten lies the Veluwe, the biggest national par ...

, ? , 1997 , Landal Greenparks , Landal De Veluwse Hoevegaerde , , , - , , Gran Dorado Klein Ruwinkel* , Scherpenzeel ,

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Klein Ruwinkel , , , - , , Gran Dorado Landgoed ’t Loo ,

Oldebroek Oldebroek () is a municipality and a town in the province of Gelderland Gelderland (), also known as Guelders () in English, is a province of the Netherlands, occupying the centre-east of the country. With a total area of of which is water, i ...

, 1997 , 1997 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Landgoed ‘t Loo , , , - , , Gran Dorado Natuurdorp Suyderoogh* ,

Lauwersoog Lauwersoog is a seaside village and harbour in the province of Groningen, located in the northern part of the Netherlands. It is part of the municipality of Het Hogeland. It was established on 23 May 1969. The ferry to Schiermonnikoog departs f ...

Groningen Groningen (; gos, Grunn or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen province in the Netherlands. The ''capital of the north'', Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of the northern part of t ...

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Natuurdorp Suyderoogh , , , - , , Gran Dorado Aerwinkel* ,

Posterholt Posterholt is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Roerdalen. History The village was first mentioned in 1147 as Posterholt. The etymology is unclear. Posterholt is a linear forest cultivation village ...

Limburg Limburg or Limbourg may refer to: Regions * Limburg (Belgium), a province since 1839 in the Flanders region of Belgium * Limburg (Netherlands), a province since 1839 in the south of the Netherlands * Diocese of Limburg, Roman Catholic Diocese in ...

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Landgoed Aerwinkel , , , - , , Gran Dorado De Lommerbergen ,

Reuver Reuver (Limburgish: ''Oppe Ruiver'') is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Beesel, about 10 km (6 miles) south of the city of Venlo.''ANWB Topografische Atlas Nederland'', Topografische Dienst ...

, 1968 , 1997 , Landal Greenparks , Landal De Lommerbergen , , , - , , Gran Dorado De Schatberg ,

Sevenum Sevenum (; li, Zaerem) is a town in the province of Limburg in the southeastern Netherlands. Until 2010, it was also the name of the municipality comprising the towns of Sevenum, Kronenberg and Evertsoord. Amusement park Toverland is located ...

, ? , 1997 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Domein de Schatberg , , , - , , Gran Dorado Het Roekenbosch* ,

Blitterswijck Blitterswijck (; li, Blitterswik ) is a village in the Netherlands, Dutch province of Limburg (Netherlands), Limburg. It is a part of the municipality of Venray, and lies about 20 km north of Venlo. The village was first mentioned in 1242 a ...

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Het Roekenbosch , , , - , , Gran Dorado Loohorst ,

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, 1981 , 1981 , CenterParcs , Center Parcs Park Loohorst , Sunparks , Sunparks Limburgse Peel , - , , Gran Dorado Reevallis* ,

Vijlen Vijlen ( li, Viele) is a village in the South-East part of the Dutch province of Limburg. The village is constituted of a number of hamlets, among which Mamelis, Camerig, Harles and Cottessen. Including these hamlets, Vijlen has around 1,500 ...

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Reevallis , , , - , , Gran Dorado ‘t Vosseven* , Stramproy ,

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal ‘t Vosseven , ''eigen beheer'' , Bospark ‘t Vosseven , - , , Gran Dorado Weeterbergen ,

Weert Weert (; li, Wieërt ) is a municipality and city in the southeastern Netherlands located in the western part of the province of Limburg. It lies on the Eindhoven–Maastricht railway line, and is also astride the Zuid-Willemsvaart canal. Pop ...

, 1985 , 1985 , RP Holidays , Roompot Weeterbergen , , , - , , Gran Dorado De Vers* , Overloon ,

North Brabant North Brabant ( nl, Noord-Brabant ; Brabantian: ; ), also unofficially called Brabant, is a province in the south of the Netherlands. It borders the provinces of South Holland and Gelderland to the north, Limburg to the east, Zeeland to the we ...

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal De Vers , , , - , , Gran Dorado Duc de Brabant* ,

Diessen Diessen is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Hilvarenbeek. History The village was first mentioned in 380 as Deusone, and relates to the Dieze River. The etymology is unclear. Diessen develop ...

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Duc de Brabant , , , - , , Gran Dorado Het Vennenbos* , Hapert ,

, 1970 , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Het Vennenbos , , , - , , Gran Dorado Beach Park Texel* ,

De Koog De Koog is a village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Texel, and lies about 17 km north of Den Helder. It is the chief centre of tourism on the island, surrounded with many hotels and campgrounds. Th ...

North Holland North Holland ( nl, Noord-Holland, ) is a province of the Netherlands in the northwestern part of the country. It is located on the North Sea, north of South Holland and Utrecht, and west of Friesland and Flevoland. In November 2019, it had a ...

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Beach Park Texel , , , - , , Gran Dorado Golf & Beach Resort Ooghduyne ,

Den Helder Den Helder () is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Den Helder occupies the northernmost point of the North Holland peninsula. It is home to the country's main naval base. From here the Royal TESO fe ...

, ? , 1999 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Ooghduyne , , , - , , Gran Dorado Bosch en Zee* ,

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Bosch en Zee , Hogenboom Vakantieparken , Hogenboom Bosch & Zee , - , , Gran Dorado Zandvoort ,

Zandvoort Zandvoort () is a municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is one of the major beach resorts of the Netherlands; it has a long sandy beach. It is bordered by coastal dunes of Zuid-Kennemerland National Park and the Amsterdam ...

, 1989 , 1989 , Center Parcs , Center Parcs Park Zandvoort , Sunparks , Sunparks Zandvoort aan Zee , - , , Gran Dorado Beulaeke Haven* ,

Wanneperveen Wanneperveen is a village in the Netherlands, Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, about 4 km west of Meppel. Wanneperveen was a separate municipality until 1973, when it became a part of Breder ...

Overijssel Overijssel (, ; nds, Oaveriessel ; german: Oberyssel) is a Provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands located in the eastern part of the country. The province's name translates to "across the IJssel", from the perspective of the ...

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Beulaeke Haven , / , Waterpark Beulaeke Haven , - , , Gran Dorado De Elsgraven* , Enter ,

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Landgoed de Elsgraven , , , - , , Gran Dorado De Vlegge* , Sibculo ,

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal De Vlegge , , , - , , Gran Dorado De Witte Bergen ,

IJhorst IJhorst is a village in the eastern Netherlands, within the municipality of Staphorst, Overijssel. Its population is about 1,500. The village is a recreational center of Staphorst, popular for walking and biking through fields and forests. Ther ...

, ? , 1997 , Landal Greenparks , Landal De Witte Bergen , , , - , , Gran Dorado Resort Haamstede* , Burgh-Haamstede ,

Zeeland , nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge") , anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandic Anthem") , image_map = Zeeland in the Netherlands.svg , map_alt = , m ...

, ? \ , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Resort Haamstede , , , - , , Gran Dorado Villapark Livingstone* , Burgh-Haamstede ,

Zeeland , nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge") , anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandic Anthem") , image_map = Zeeland in the Netherlands.svg , map_alt = , m ...

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal Villapark Livingstone , , , - , , Gran Dorado De Koornmolen* , Zevenhuizen ,

South Holland South Holland ( nl, Zuid-Holland ) is a province of the Netherlands with a population of over 3.7 million as of October 2021 and a population density of about , making it the country's most populous province and one of the world's most densely ...

, ? , 1996 , Landal Greenparks , Landal de Koornmolen , , , - , , Gran Dorado Port Zélande ,

Ouddorp Ouddorp is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is part of the municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee. It is often referred to as ''Ouddorp aan Zee'' (Outdorp on the Sea) to promote itself as a seaside resort, because the village has ...

, 1990 , 1990 , Center Parcs , Center Parcs Port Zélande , ,

References

Dutch Wikipedia The Dutch Wikipedia ( nl, Nederlandstalige Wikipedia) is the Dutch-language edition of the free online encyclopedia, Wikipedia. It was founded on 19 June 2001. As of , the Dutch Wikipedia is the -largest Wikipedia edition, with articles. It w ...

External links

Website of Landal Greenparks (with many Gran Dorado parks

Website of Center Parcs (with 5 Gran Dorado parks
Hospitality companies of the Netherlands Defunct hotel chains Defunct companies of the Netherlands

History

Merger with Center Parcs

See also

References

External links