History
Since its founding in 1950, Hotel Management School Maastricht has continuously evolved. What began as a small scale programme in the heart of Maastricht has grown into an internationally recognised hotel school with a strong focus on practice, community and innovation.
On this page, we take you through our history.
Timeline 1950 - 2025
1950–1960 | The foundation: learning by doing
Hotel Management School Maastricht was founded on 5 June 1950 and opened its doors later that year in the Grand Hôtel du Lévrier et de l’Aigle Noir on Boschstraat in Maastricht. With a starting capital of 500 guilders and around one hundred male students, practice‑based education was central from the very beginning. Theory and practice were combined in a real hotel environment.
It soon became clear that expansion was necessary. On 5 January 1954, Château Bethlehem was acquired and used to accommodate students. Further professionalisation followed in 1958, when the school changed its name from Katholieke Middelbare Hotelschool to Katholieke Hogere Hotelschool.
1960–1985 | Growth, professionalisation and innovation
In the decades that followed, the hotel school grew rapidly and continued to develop as a higher professional education institute. In January 1972, the new education building was taken into use, together with the opening of the campus and the Maas and Kanjel student residences. This marked a strong connection between living and learning. An important social milestone followed in 1975 with the admission of the first female students. The programme also continued to evolve academically. In 1984, the duration of the programme was extended to three and a half years. On 27 March 1985, the name Hogere Hotelschool was formally established in the statutes.
1985–2010 | From hotel school to management education
From the mid‑1980s onwards, the character of the programme changed visibly. In 1985, the programme was extended to four years and the focus increasingly shifted towards management and leadership within hospitality.
The programme became more international and attracted a growing number of students from the Netherlands and abroad. In 1994, the hotel school merged with seven other institutes to form Hogeschool Maastricht. In 2001, it became part of Zuyd University of Applied Sciences. Shortly afterwards, the programme continued under the name Hotel Management School Maastricht, the name we still use today.
2010–present | Education, research and responsible hospitality
In 2010, Château Bethlehem was given a new role as a Teaching Hotel, where students learn and work in a realistic professional environment. In the years that followed, the campus was further developed, including the construction of a new Student Residence and the transformation of the student restaurant Four Seasons into Refresh. The educational offering expanded with the introduction of the English‑taught bachelor programme, the Excellence Programme and hospitality consultancy activities. In addition, Hotel Management School Maastricht was awarded the designation Small‑scale and intensive education and received several international accreditations. Research and innovation gained a permanent place through the research centres Gastronomy, Global Minds @ Work and Future of Food. With the establishment of Foundation HMSM in 2021, social engagement and equal opportunities were structurally embedded within the school.
75 years of Hotel Management School Maastricht
In the academic year 2025–2026, Hotel Management School Maastricht celebrated its 75th anniversary. Under the theme Roots & Wings, the school reflected on its origins in 1950 and looked ahead to the future of hospitality education. The anniversary year coincided with the 15th anniversary of Teaching Hotel Château Bethlehem and marked the development from a small‑scale programme in Maastricht into an internationally recognised institute for hotel management.
Students, staff, alumni, partners and members of the local community came together during various activities on and around the campus. The relationship with the surrounding neighborhood also received special attention, including a winter event for Limmel, centred on connection and bringing together young and old.
Royal visit
A special highlight was the visit of Her Majesty Queen Máxima at the opening of the anniversary year. During her visit, she was introduced to both the history of the hotel school and its ambitions for the future, with a focus on innovation, inclusivity and responsible hospitality.
Alumni
Alumni also played a prominent role during the anniversary celebrations. During the alumni event, more than 400 alumni returned to the Maastricht campus to reconnect, meet former classmates and take a new Funda photo together.
As a recent and meaningful milestone, Hotel Management School Maastricht reached a major achievement in March 2026: its global network grew to more than 10,000 alumni, spread across over 80 countries. A living testament to 75 years of education, connection and impact within the international hospitality sector. What began in 1955 with 96 students has, over the course of 75 years, grown into an international hotel school educating approximately 1,500 students today.