NH Collection Brussels Centre opens its doors

NH Hotel Group launches first NH Collection hotel in the Benelux

BRUSSELS - SEPTEMBER 24 - Brussels had a premiere today: the first NH Collection hotel of the Benelux region has opened its doors, right in the heart of the city.
In the presence of the Flemish Minister of Tourism Ben Weyts and Spanish Ambassador in Brussels Ignacio Jesus Matellanes Martinez, Hotel Director Alain Bouchat symbolically opened the doors of the renewed NH Collection Brussels Centre hotel. The fully refurbished hotel is situated in a historical and iconic building from 1929. With 241 comfortable rooms, five meeting and event spaces with natural daylight and a panoramic roof top restaurant and terrace on the ninth floor, NH Hotel Group is proud to have transformed one of its seven hotels in Brussels into the NH Collection brand . This brings the total number of NH Collection hotels to 47 worldwide, with many more to come.   

Brussels: a key destination for NH Hotel Group 

NH Hotel Group invests in the refurbishments of its hotels worldwide as part of its strategic five-year-plan. In this plan, Belgium and particularly Brussels have been defined as key destinations for the Company. Next to NH Collection Brussels Centre, NH Hotel Group also invests in other NH Hotels in the city. 

"With seven properties in and around the city centre of Brussels, NH Hotel Group is optimizing and enlarging its presence here. Our guests love to explore the city from our hotels, whether they stay with us for business or pleasure. After the acquisition of the four-star hotel NH Brussels Carrefour De L'Europe in March 2015, NH Collection Brussels Centre is yet another proof of our ambitions in this city," says Maarten Markus, Managing Director for NH Hotel Group in the Benelux, UK, France, USA and Africa. 

"Flanders is a beautiful destination for both leisure as well as business travellers. We really have all it takes to spend a wonderful time here," says Flemish Minister Ben Weyts. "That’s why I keep investing in tourism projects and infrastructure. The opening of NH Collection Brussels Center shows that the private sector is confident as well."    

NH Collection is the newest brand of the Company, referring to four-and five star flagship properties in unique and/or historical buildings in the best locations. NH Collection lets its guests 'feel the extraordinary' and aims to create memorable stays, combining the best of gastronomy, innovation and art. With NH Collection hotels in, among others, Spain, Italy, Colombia and Mexico, Belgium is the next key destination where NH Hotel Group launches its premium brand. 

NH Collection Brussels Centre
The hotel, formerly known as NH Atlanta Brussels, is situated in the heart of the city. Located within walking distance of Brussels' main touristic sites and parallel to the Rue Neuve shopping street, the hotel is a popular destination for both business and leisure travelers. 
As for the building itself, it was built in 1929 and has retained some beautiful period features, such as the lobby with a mezzanine and an original staircase, bringing a unique, classical grandeur to all nine floors. All 241 rooms, five meeting rooms and public areas have been refurbished to meet the high quality and design standards of the NH Collection brand. The NH Collection design team created a modern and warm interior with classical elements, to balance the rich history of the hotel with the high standards of contemporary hospitality. 

Hotel Director Alain Bouchat sees a perfect match of NH Collection with his guests' preferences: "Staying in an NH Collection hotel ensures you of a high level of service, combined with great gastronomy, state-of-the-art technical facilities and a mindblowing atmosphere and design. All these elements are combined in NH Collection Brussels Centre and I am very proud to be heading this great property in the city."

About NH Hotel Group

NH Hotel Group is listed on the IBEX 35 stock exchange of Madrid and has nearly 400 hotels in 29 countries in Europe, Africa and North- and South-America. The portfolio of the NH Hotel Group includes the urban NH Hotels, the NH Collection flagship hotels, the nhow designhotels and the Hesperia holiday resorts. Worldwide more than 20.000 employees work day and night to deliver the best service for the best price to the 16 million guests the hotel chain welcomes yearly. The hotels of NH Hotel Group in the Netherlands have been rewarded with the Zoover Award for Best Hotel Chain of 2014 and 2015.
NH Hotel Group operates eleven hotels in Belgium, of which seven hotels in Brussels.
For more information visit www.nh-hotels.com and www.nh-collection.com.

Official Press Photo 1 (left to right):

Rodolphe van Weyenbergh – Secretary General Brussels Hotel Association
Maarten Markus – Managing Director NH Hotel Group Benelux, UK, France, USA & Africa
María Arboledas Cique - Vice President Projects NH Hotel Group
Alain Bouchat – Hotel Director NH Collection Brussels Centre

Official Press Photo's 2 and 3 (left to right):

Ignacio Jesus Matellanes Martinez - Spanish Ambassador in Brussels
Maarten Markus - Managing Director NH Hotel Group Benelux, UK, France, USA & Africa
Philippe Close - Alderman for Tourism, Staff and Finance of the City of Brussels
Alain Bouchat - Hotel Director NH Collection Brussels Centre

Photography:

JFW Studio - Filipe Wiens