Client Hotel Arena

Programma Hotel, café, meeting & events, parking, restoration listed building (Rijksmonument)

Hotel Arena in Amsterdam is extended with a new hotel wing and two modern pavilions housing a café and rooms for meeting & events. The design for the new hotel wing elaborates onthe original plan by architect Adrian Bleijs from 1888. His design for the St. Elizabeth Asylum consisted of several phases, of which less than half has been completed. The chapel, originally decorated with stained glass, will be restored. With the design of the new hotel wing, the main entrance of the hotel will be relocated from the street to the Oosterpark, so that building benefits optimally from its park side location.

Hotel Arena has been a well-known establishment in the Amsterdam hotel-world for years. The hotel has developed into a modern cultural hotel over the past 17 years. It is a lively meeting place for locals, tourists, business people and creative people. The hotel is housed in the former St. Elisabeth orphanage, designed by the architect A.C. Bleys, founded in 1890. At Hotel Arena, the commercial, artistic and cultural elements go together as stylishly as the combination of history and design. These elements can be found all through the building. Upon entrance, the two stories high lobby features 10 meters high black curtains contrasting with its monumental white marble staircase. The second monumental staircase features the exact opposite interior with its black marble stairs and tall white curtains. Care was taken to preserve the authentic architecture and monumental elements in the 5-meter high rooms too, while adding contemporary design. The interplay of the lighting with the shades of white chosen for the new interiors creates an especially intimate mood. Black glass walls separate the hotel room from its bathroom, adding a very modern element to the design. The same contrast can be found entering the totally bright hotel room after walking down the all-black and intimately lit hallway.