The Hotel, the former Brussels Hilton, will be redeveloped by GCA, a world-renowned Spanish architectural firm. The hotel on boulevard de Waterloo was taken over in February by Swedish real estate group Pandox AB, which has decided to turn it into an upscale hotel with a focus on modern, stylish elegance. In the near future, GCA will begin the complete renovation of the 433 rooms, which will benefit from a revolutionary new layout and contemporary look, all with the aim of offering guests optimum comfort.
Spanish design
The Spanish firm ‘GCA Arquitectes Associates’ has been chosen to carry out the renovation of The Hotel. Behind this name lies a team of architects and designers who, for over twenty years, have successfully completed various architectural and interior design projects around the world. GCA was founded in 1986 by Josep Juanpere and Antonio Puig, who are now assisted by 5 partners. One of these partners, Jordi Castañé Portella, is project manager for The Hotel. GCA’s head office in Barcelona employs over 60 professionals, and another office with 30 staff was opened in Shanghai in 2009.
GCA’s track record includes an impressive list of hotels, shopping centers and office buildings in several of the world’s major metropolises, including New York, London, Paris and Dubai. These successful projects have earned them an international reputation in their field. Last year, the office won the prestigious ‘Hostelco 2010 award’ for its contribution to the famous Arts in Barcelona, a prize for the most innovative project in the hotel industry awarded at the international Hostelco trade show. Other big names in the international hotel sector include the Prague Hotel in Prague, the Toumani Arts Hotel in Dubai, the South Lake Spa Hotel in Shanghai and the Punta Coral resort in Mexico City.
Room renovation
All 433 rooms will be completely renovated and refurbished by GCA. In May, we’ll start with the construction of the first ‘show room’. Once this has been approved in June, the renovation of all the rooms will begin in September, with 120 of them to be ready by the end of 2011 and the remainder gradually completed by autumn 2013.
One of the hallmarks of the new rooms is their revolutionary layout. The traditional desk disappears and is replaced by a long sofa alongside the window with a sliding table. Today’s businessmen and women travel with laptops and tablets, so they no longer need a large desk. The innovative layout makes optimum use of the space, so that guests can relax as well as work.
The bathroom is separated from the rest of the room by slatted blinds. This gives an impression of space and, by leaving the blinds open, allows the guest to enjoy a magnificent view of the city from the bathroom. The rooms are decorated with elegance and comfort in mind, so that guests feel completely at home and relaxed.
“To find the perfect partner for the redevelopment of The Hotel, we set up an international design competition. Of the 5 offices that took part, GCA seemed the most relevant. They can realize any style, and their strong point is that they are able to choose the right style for every project and every location. Their concepts for The Hotel are exactly what we were aiming for, and we’re therefore convinced that our customers will be very pleasantly surprised”, comments Aldert Schaaphok, Vice President Pandox AB.
During the renovation work, the hotel will remain open to guests, and staff will ensure that the highest standards of service and quality are maintained.
For more information about GCA: www.gcaarq.com
For more information about The Hotel: www.thehotel-brussels.be
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