Corinthia Brussels

Coordinates: 50°51′4″N 4°21′54″E / 50.85111°N 4.36500°E / 50.85111; 4.36500
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Corinthia Brussels
The Corinthia Brussels seen from the Rue Royale/Koningsstraat
Map
Former namesHotel Astoria
Alternative namesGrand Hotel Astoria, Corinthia Grand Hotel Astoria Brussels
Hotel chainCorinthia Hotels International
General information
TypeHotel
Architectural style
Address
Botanique/Kruidtuin (lines 2 and 6)
  • Tram: Congrès/Congres (lines 92 and 93)
    • Website
    Official website
    References
    [1]

    The Hotel Astoria is a currently closed historic

    Brussels International Exposition of 1910, in a true Parisian spirit, the hotel's Louis XVI facade and majestic interior lend it a distinctly aristocratic appearance.[2]
    It is considered among the finest luxury hotels in the world, and has served as a famous meeting place for kings and other great statesmen and world personalities. The hotel has been closed since 2007 and is set to reopen in Summer 2024 as the Corinthia Brussels.

    The hotel is located at 101–103,

    Botanique/Kruidtuin (on lines 2 and 6), as well as the tram stop Congrès/Congres (on lines 92 and 93).[3]

    History

    Origins and early history

    The Hotel Astoria was built in 1909 for the

    Brussels International Exposition of 1910, at the request of King Leopold II, to replace the former Hotel Mengelle, a vast neoclassical complex designed in the second quarter of the 19th century by the architect T.-F. Suys. The current hotel was designed by Henri Van Dievoet (1869–1931), a nephew of the architect Joseph Poelaert, in an eclectic Beaux-Arts style, mixing borrowings from the Louis XV and Louis XVI styles. Van Dievoet furnished the hotel's 108 rooms in the Louis XV style, with luxurious amenities such as hot water and electric chandeliers. The laying of the first stone took place in 1909, and the hotel opened in 1910, just in time for the International Exposition.[1]

    The Hotel Astoria's architect, Henri Van Dievoet

    One of the three most famous hotels in Brussels during the

    First World War, the hotel resumed its activities under the management of Georges Marquet who would soon create many luxurious hotels across Europe.[4]

    • The Hotel Mengelle in 1885
      The Hotel Mengelle in 1885
    • The Hotel Astoria in the 1920s
      The Hotel Astoria in the 1920s
    • A view of the Hotel Astoria's interior
      A view of the Hotel Astoria's interior

    Contemporary

    The Hotel Astoria in 2008

    From 1975, chamber music could be heard every Sunday morning as part of the Astoria Concerts. For the wedding of then-Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde in 1999, King Albert II and Queen Paola organised a grand reception in the hotel.[5] Two years later, it was also there that then-Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and Minister Johan Vande Lanotte concluded an agreement with Swissair about the fate of Belgium's national airline, Sabena, in the greatest secrecy.[6]

    Since 21 September 2000, the hotel has been listed as a protected monument by the Monuments and Sites Directorate of the Brussels-Capital Region.[1] The hotel closed in 2007 and was sold to Global Hotels & Resorts, owned by Saudi Arabian Sheikh Mohamed El-Khereji.[7] In 2010, work began on renovations, including the demolition of an adjacent building for construction of a new wing for the hotel. The work was never completed and the hotel remained vacant. It was acquired by Corinthia Hotels in 2016[8] and is set to reopen under the name Corinthia Brussels[9] in Summer 2024, with 126 rooms, Belgian brasserie, gastronomic restaurant by a Belgian Michelin-starred chef, Palm Court lounge, 1,000 m2 (11,000 sq ft) of spa, retail concept space and private members club.[10]

    Famous guests

    The Hotel Astoria has become a mythical place in Brussels. For a century, it has been the meeting place for kings and greats of this world. In the guestbook, many famous personalities can be found: heads of state and prime ministers like

    Gérard Philippe; singers like Maurice Chevalier; and musicians like Khachaturian, Menuhin, Oistrakh and Rubinstein.[4]

    See also

    References

    Citations

    1. ^ a b c d Région de Bruxelles-Capitale (2016). "Hôtel Astoria" (in French). Brussels. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
    2. ^ "Astoria: Die Nobelherberge von Brüssel", in, Bonn Journal, nov. 1972, n° 11, pp. 43 to 45 and Olivier Stevens, "La vie de palace. 3. L'hôtel Astoria. Palace et carnet mondain", in, La Libre. Match, n° 256 3–9 August 2006, pp. 88 to 95, (with illustrations).
    3. ^ "CONGRES - 93 STADE - STIB Mobile". m.stib.be. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
    4. ^ a b Jean d'Osta, Dictionnaire historique et anecdotique des rues de Bruxelles, Brussels, 1986, p. 288–289
    5. ^ E.W. "Le mythique Astoria va renaître en 2021... En attendant, on a pu voir sa toute première chambre". La Libre.be (in French). Retrieved 19 January 2022.
    6. ^ "Het ontluisterende Astoria-akkoord". Site-Knack-NL (in Dutch). 31 October 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
    7. ^ "Corinthia dedicates €60 million to revamping Astoria hotel in Brussels".
    8. ^ CORINTHIA HOTELS ANNOUNCES THE ACQUISITION OF GRAND HOTEL ASTORIA, BRUSSELS http://www.corinthia.com/press-releases/corinthia-hotels-announces-the-acquisition-of--grand-hotel-astoria-brussels/ Archived 10 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine
    9. ^ "Corinthia Grand Hotel Astoria Brussels". Corinthia. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
    10. ^ "Brussels begins transforming 'ghost hotel' into luxury city resort".

    Bibliography

    External links

    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Corinthia_Brussels&oldid=1211456228"