The Van Teylingen family
The story of the Villa begins in 1910 when the first plans were drawn up for the construction of the future home of the Van Teylingen family. The architect assigned to design the Villa was a former local tradesman from Middelburg who after an apprenticeship in his father’s construction firm went on to study architecture in both Rotterdam and Brussels. It was there that A.L.J. Goethals was trained in Jugendstil, also known as Art Nouveau, the style that makes up much of the character of the Villa. 

The architect demanded nothing but the best materials for this project; the finest marble for the fireplaces, the best craftsmen and the finest roofing. The construction of the Villa was a pricey project for the Van Teylingen family, who moved in once the Villa had been finished. C.J.J.A. van Teylingen was a nobleman well known for his administrative gifts. He was the mayor of Nieuw- and St. Joosland, Rithem, as well as holding a seat in the Provincial-Executive. The eldest of the two unmarried sons that lived in the Villa was the mayor of Oostkapelle and Serooskerke and served the municipality in that function for 40 years. 

During the time the family lived in the Villa, technology swiftly changed the comfort with which they were living. The Villa was one of the first houses in Oostkapelle to enjoy the benefits of gas and later electricity, running water and even a telephone line.

Agricultural school
After the family sold the Villa on, it became home to an agricultural school in 1946. Young boys from local farms were schooled in the use of agricultural tools, harvesting and even potato selection. Some of these courses were taught on boys’ families farms. During these years the headmaster lived on the top floor of the Villa, which had been radically transformed to suit the needs of an all-boys school.

Tourist destination
In the years after the school closed down in 1964, the Villa has been home to several families. In 1970 the first foundations were laid for its current destiny, as a bed & breakfast was opened in the Villa, named “de Dolfijn” (the dolphin) at that time. In 1984, after a careful renovation of the property, the Villa opened its doors as a hotel which it remains until today. The Troy family has been taking care of the characteristic for two generations, restoring the glory and grandeur of when the Villa was originally build.