Pandox AB, the Swedish hotel group which acquired the Brussels Hilton in September 2010, has reached an agreement with Hilton Worldwide to assume the management of the hotel on the Waterloolaan in Brussels as of 1 February 2011, as a result of which the establishment will no longer be a Hilton Hotel.
New management
On 1 February 2011, Pandox AB will also take over the management of the Brussels Hilton which it acquired from an American investment company in September 2010.
Pandox AB has a strong vision for the future, namely to position a strong hotel in the premium segment of the Brussels hotel market that meets the requirements of the international business traveller, through extensive renovation and a new, modern organisation.
New name
As of 1 February 2011, the hotel will no longer be a Hilton hotel. It will go under the new name of ‘The Hotel’. This name refers to the hotel’s current position on the Brussels hotel market: one of the largest and best known centrally located hotels in Brussels, and a landmark for the city on the international, social, cultural and economic front. In the meantime, talks are in progress between Pandox AB and internationally known hotel brands about the possible brand with which this “Brussels landmark” could be positioned in the future, after the renovation works.
Extensive renovation
The hotel will undergo extensive renovations over a period of about 2 years, during which it will remain open for its guests. Pandox AB will make sure that the excellent service and high standards are perpetuated.
The renovation of the façade is already under way and is expected to take about a year. All rooms, bathrooms and hotel corridors will be completely renovated from the summer of 2011 to the end of 2012. The entrance hall, lobby, reception, bar and restaurant on the ground floor will be modernised from the summer of 2011 to the beginning of 2012. The ballroom on the first floor and the conference rooms on the 25th, 26th and 27th floor are to be renovated from the end of 2011 to the summer of 2012. The technical installations will also be renovated, and a new and dynamic catering offer will be introduced.
The total investment for the renovation is estimated at €25 million. Source