BRUSSELS—Radisson Hotel Group has opened the Radisson Collection Hotel, Grand Place Brussels, the first Radisson Collection property in Belgium. The flagship hotel is a transformation of the former Radisson Blu Royal Hotel.
The 282 rooms and public spaces were completely renovated and redesigned in partnership with architecture firm Rafael de la-Hoz. The hotel also offers two restaurants, 18 meeting spaces, an executive lounge, a Presidential Suite and a fitness center.
Featuring a glass-crowned, seven-story atrium and post-modernist architecture, the hotel’s design was inspired by the hotel’s opening in 1989, as well as its location.
“The existing entrance and facade was dark and didn’t allow any visibility into the hotel from the street. We addressed this with a new transparent facade that allows people passing by to see the eye-catching bar and design features and entice them inside to see and learn more,” said Rafael de La-Hoz, principal of his namesake firm. “Upon entering the hotel, you are immediately greeted by its predominant feature of the lobby and seven-story atrium. The project presented the challenge of maintaining the impact of the scale and height of the atrium, while making it as inviting and appealing to guests as possible. We achieved this by creating bespoke floating lamp installations to add warmth and ambience to the open space.
“Local influences are present throughout the hotel with urban photography, lighting inspired by Brussels’ famous Atomium landmark, and the music of Belgian artists in our curated playlists,” he continued. “The new design builds on the hotel’s foundation of Art-Deco-inspired Postmodernism, adding fine fabrics from Italy and Spain and works by prominent European artists, including a collection of photographs of Brussels that link the city’s past to the present.”
Federico J. González, CEO, Radisson Hotel Group, said, “Brussels is a very important location for our Belgian debut of the Radisson Collection brand. It is the center of the European Union and remains the world’s first choice for international congresses or business meetings, with unparalleled international character for both business and leisure travelers. Prior to the renovation, the hotel was very successful as a Radisson Blu hotel. We saw strong potential to transform this hotel into a Radisson Collection luxury hotel due to the increasing demand from both local and international guests, and the heritage of the building itself. Our EMEA [Europe, Middle East and Africa] headquarters is here in Brussels, and it’s fantastic to see the Radisson Collection brand continue to grow in our hometown.”
Philippe Close, mayor of Brussels, said, “The opening of the Radisson Collection Hotel, Grand Place Brussels highlights the importance of Brussels as a dynamic and attractive city for savvy business and leisure travelers.”
González said of the brand: “As part of our recent signings announcement in May, we welcomed Grand Hotel Savoia Cortina d’Ampezzo, A Radisson Collection Hotel in Italy to our growing portfolio of Radisson Collection hotels for 2019 and 2020, which includes Radisson Collection Hotel & Suites, Paris La Défense; Radisson Collection Hotel, Palazzo Touring Club Milan; Radisson Collection Hotel, Magdalena Plaza Sevilla [Spain]; Radisson Collection Hotel, Tsinandali Estate Georgia; Radisson Collection Hotel, Gran Via Bilbao [Spain]; and Radisson Collection Resort, Nanjing [China]. We are excited to continue expanding the Radisson Collection brand and portfolio of hotels.”
Radisson’s Hybrid Meetings Solutions
Together with the opening of Radisson Collection Hotel, Grand Place Brussels, Radisson Hotel Group has launched its new Hybrid Solutions incorporating Hybrid Rooms and Hybrid Meetings.
Hybrid Meetings combine the best of meeting in person and virtually, offering an image, sound and video conferencing system; dual screens; wireless presentation clicker; high-speed internet connection; and more. Organizers can now choose to offer virtual participation options and hybrid formats that allow for small local gatherings, while also broadcasting to remote attendees and satellite locations.
The company has partnered with Zoom to provide a smooth experience for their clients’ virtual and hybrid meetings and events. Specialist in-house event teams will assist clients in delivering a range of events from hybrid multi-site meetings to broadcasting events.
Hybrid Rooms combine the facilities of a state-of-the-art office with the comfort of a hotel room to create a dedicated and quiet workspace for the business traveler, leisure guest and local day-guest alike. Hybrid Rooms offer easy connectivity to second screen devices: video-conferencing facilities; wireless enabled keyboard; mouse and loudspeaker; printing services; stationery; unlimited coffee and tea; access to on-site wellness facilities; and many other benefits.
Radisson Hotel Group’s Hybrid Solutions are currently available across 50 select hotels in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The rollout will continue through 2020 and 2021.