THE NETHERLANDS: Sustainability-focussed hospitality group, Conscious Hotels, will open its first hotel outside the Dutch capital Amsterdam this year, in the city of Utrecht.
The boutique hotel will be located in the historic Tivoli which was once a monastery (1248 – 1267), and which during the 1980s later grew into one of the most famous pop venues in The Netherlands seeing concerts by Prince, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nirvana.
Real estate developer Stadswaarde was looking for a sustainable partner for the opening of a boutique hotel at the historic location and partnered with Conscious Hotels.
With the renovation of the building and the opening of the boutique hotel, the 750-year-old building and the garden will be open to all Dutch and international visitors.
During the renovation, historic features of the building are being preserved, such as the fireplaces in some of the rooms and the stained glass windows in the lobby. The original windows will also remain where they are, but the building is well insulated by the use of secondary glazing.
The Conscious Hotel in Utrecht, which is cited to open in September, will offer 46 rooms and a large lobby where local residents and hotel guests can meet together.
Sustainability is central for the group and the aim is to gain an energy label A+ for the hotel, while the interior features recycled and upcycled furniture using exclusively vegetarian and organic products.
Solar panels are also being installed and the hotel has partnered with Hotels for Trees.
Marco Lemmers, co-founder and CEO of Conscious Hotels said: ‘We are going to realise a beautiful eco-sexy boutique hotel in this Utrecht monument that the city will be proud of. Utrecht has been on our wish list for a long time. This busy and fast-growing, sustainable city with a beautiful historic city center is attractive to both leisure and business guests.”
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