ZAELIG Hotel - a blissful total renovation

Anyone who runs a catering business knows better than anyone else that the overall experience of your business makes all the difference in the experience your guests have. Your vision, worked out in a well-thought-out concept that also takes functionality into account: that is what Inside stands for. "Total unburdening of the client is our hobbyhorse. We not only design, but also have the knowledge to coordinate or realise the entire project," Project Advisor Carlo Toye and Designer Miquel Serlet tell us. 

Case in point: ZAELIG Hotel in Knokke-Heist. "A hotel with a rich history, handed down from mother to daughter," says Miquel. "The family has always lived off tourism and invariably offered their hotel rooms at democratic prices. So our design started from this vision, and also from the target group envisaged by managers Dries and Florence: holidaymakers with bicycles, families with children and guests who like a sustainable stay. Also, with the sea in the backyard, the reference to nature was very important." 

"Hoteliers have a vision," adds Carlo. "That vision, combined with our vision and our out-of-the-box mindset, means we always hold the key to good design." 

"And that's also why the hotel market appeals to us so much," agrees Miquel. "Every hotel is different. That uniqueness, that vibe, translating that concept into a unique interior: that's what we like to do and do well." 

Starting from hull

"ZAELIG Hotel was an intensive project, with full execution being monitored by our own project managers," Miquel continues. "We were allowed to start from a stripped building, as soon as it was wind- and watertight. We leave structural interventions to the architect, but it plays to our advantage that we can make decisions from the concrete slab. And, we are also not too shy to point out certain things to architects," laughs the designer. "One the things we always pay attention to is the flow of a space or business. From our interior design experience for hospitality and offices and have a better view on that. Nothing as annoying as a restaurant where you constantly bump into each other, or a hotel lobby where you get lost."

So starting from a shell space has its advantages, but also challenges. "In a total renovation of this magnitude, there are always unexpected situations. For instance, in the case of ZAELIG Hotel, we noticed that after the demolition works, certain floors had subsided and the walls were in very bad condition."

"Total unburdening is our goal," adds Project Advisor Carlo. "We sit around the table a lot, are open and transparent. We make agreements with contractors, monitor the budget and timing: crucial in the hospitality sector. Just shifting deadlines is impossible. So even in the case of the sagging floors and walls, this was solved within the set project time. After all, the hotel was before the high season and already had reservations." 

Miami in Knokke

Inside's interior cracks always start from the client's vision and the environmental context. "The young operators and the broad target audience meant we went for a playful colour palette, with natural influences of wood as a nod to the surroundings," explains Miquel. "The owners also wanted an industrial touch, which ultimately gave the whole place a unique mix between Miami and Scandi vibes. A unique overall concept, which continues in the rooms."

The common thread throughout the hotel is the use of solid pine wood. The four room types were then assigned their own colour, which is reflected in the space from bathroom to furniture and accessories. The industrial touch is in the floor - polychape - and the visible ventilation techniques in the breakfast room. A unique and successful mix, and certainly not a copy-paste of previous projects.