De Fortuna
Less than 20 kilometres from Amsterdam, in the old centre of the picturesque Zuiderzee town of Edam, you will find the cosy three-star boutique hotel and the atmospheric à la carte restaurant ‘De Fortuna’.
The picturesque hotel has 23 rooms that are housed in five characteristic North Holland mansions with a beautiful, well-kept garden terrace in between, situated on the water. When the weather is nice, you can also have lunch and dinner in this garden.
The successful company has been active since 1972. Firstly as a hotel and since 1993 added the restaurant. The restaurant and hotel are located at one of the most picturesque spots in Edam, the so-called Boerenverdriet, with a view of the Kwakelbrug, the Speeltoren and one of the oldest, and still active, shipyards in the Netherlands.
The restaurant and hotel are open all year round. The restaurant has approximately 80 seats and an extensive terrace with another 90-100 seats. The restaurant presents a new menu every 6 to 7 weeks. In addition, we regularly offer a delicious seasonal menu outside of our regular menu.
Our mission
We use regional products and strive for a traditional and organic responsible preparation method. Sustainability and respect for the environment and life are therefore our top priorities!
Origin of the name
The name ‘Fortuna’
‘Fortuna’ is not a randomly chosen name. Fortuna, or Fanum Fortunae, is the Roman goddess of fate and fortune, who decides on good and bad fortune. She is often depicted with wings and the Cornucopia (Horn of Plenty). The proverb: ‘Lady Fortuna smiles at you’ is also derived from her.
(source: Wikipedia)
The ship ‘De Fortuna’
‘De Fortuna’ was also the name of a Dutch merchant ship, which sailed all the oceans from 1853 to 1877. The Vlaardingen merchant ship captain, Johannes Hoogerwerf (1835-1871), great-great-grandfather of the current generation of owners of Hotel & Restaurant ‘De Fortuna’, was in command of this sturdy schooner for many years. The schooner was over 20 meters long and transported various goods and possibly also passengers.
Captain Hoogerwerf died on board his ship as a result of the, in those years, notorious yellow fever. He was only 36 years of age at the time and was given a so-called seaman’s gravve near the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. With a ‘Three times around the mast in God’s name’ he was entrusted to the sea.
‘De Fortuna’ as the name of the hotel and restaurant
Joh. G. Dekker (1923-1990) was a great-grandson of the captain of ‘De Fortuna’. In 1971 he sold his busy construction company to take it a bit easier. Together with his wife Ada Dekker-Boot (1922-2002) he started a hotel. In light of the above it was obvious that the hotel would be called ‘De Fortuna’. Joh. Dekker was a gifted amateur sculptor. Among other things, the facade sign that hangs above the entrance to the restaurant is by his hand.
On this sign, ‘De Fortuna’ flies the red-green Edam flag and in the background one can clearly see the Edam Speeltoren and the Kwakelbrug. This suggests that ‘De Fortuna’ regularly visited Edam or, even more so, that she had her home port in Edam. However, this is not plausible, as ‘De Fortuna’ had her home port in Vlaardingen. She may have been at an Edam shipyard for maintenance or an occasional repair. Furthermore, the supposed connection of the ship ‘De Fortuna’ with Edam must be seen in the light of the poetic license of Joh. G. Dekker. Most likely he did this in order to better promote his hotel by means of a nice story.
Our history
The water on which Hotel & Restaurant De Fortuna is located is also called ‘Het Boerenverdriet’. It owes its name to the fact that in earlier times, when farmers transported their cows by cow boat across the water, they always experienced difficulties in rounding the winding bends and passing oncoming traffic.
Although the original houses, which now form Hotel & Restaurant De Fortuna, were already there around 1650, there are relatively few images available from before 1900. The black and white images show how it would have looked at the beginning of the previous century.
The old black and white photo of the front, on the Spuistraat, is from around 1920. The house on the far left (Spuistraat 1) mainly served as a shop and residence and was demolished in the late 1960s. It was never rebuilt. The house next to it (Spuistraat 3), now the entrance to the current Hotel & Restaurant De Fortuna, was also a shop. This house was thoroughly renovated and restored in 1973. The house next to it, Spuistraat 5, (with the white cornice facade) was completely demolished and rebuilt in the winter of 1989/1990. The monumental mansion next to it, Spuistraat 7 (not visible in the old photo), was largely restored in 1986. The ground floors of the three houses now flow into each other and the restaurant area and the kitchen are housed there.
De Fortuna 1971 to present
The history of Hotel & Restaurant De Fortuna begins in the early spring of 1971. Joh. G. Dekker (1923-1990), a contractor by profession, lived with his wife, Ada Dekker-Boot (1922-2002) and 4 growing children in the house at Spuistraat 5. The other buildings mainly served as storage for the construction company. The enterprising Ada Dekker furnished the surplus spaces as guest rooms and then rented them out to passing tourists.
It soon became apparent that a gap in the market had been tapped, which prompted Joh. Dekker to sell his construction company and to concentrate on renting out rooms together with his wife.
In the years that followed, he demolished, rebuilt, renovated and restored the above-mentioned buildings. In doing so, he laid the foundation for the current Hotel & Restaurant De Fortuna. In 1990, the last part of the complex was completed. Unfortunately, Joh. Dekker himself did not live to see it, he died in May 1990 after a long and debilitating illness. He was only 66 years old. He left behind a hotel with 23 comfortable rooms, which could easily withstand the international test of criticism.
Joh. Dekker was a very accomplished craftsman in the field of woodworking in his scarce spare time. This is evidenced by the various carved tables, cabinets, frames and clocks that can be found everywhere in the interior of the restaurant. The sign with the image of the ship ‘De Fortuna’, above the entrance is also by him.
After his death, Ada Dekker and her children continued the business with great enthusiasm. In April 1993, they opened a stylish à la carte restaurant within the walls of the hotel with 85 seats, a spacious, leafy terrace garden and an intimate bar. This restaurant can still enjoy enormous popularity today, in 2024, and is now also known nationally and far beyond.
Ada Dekker passed away in March 2002 after a short illness. Joh. and Ada Dekker were rightly very active and inspiring personalities. The company has therefore continued in their spirit!
