The super-fast renovation of Hotel Astoria

15/03/2021

10 July 2020. The completely renovated Hotel Astoria opens its doors in De Haan. Yet, back in early March, the Belle Epoque building still looked quite old-fashioned. How did the luxury hotel undergo such an impressive transformation in such a short time? The secret behind this rapid transformation: Clicwall.

Discover all Clicwall possibilities

9 months earlier…

Tuesday, 19 October 2019. An autumn day like any other. But not for Colin Dearman. Together with his business partner Klaas Van Laeren, he spots a unique opportunity on Leopoldlaan in De Haan: Hotel Astoria is looking for a new owner.

From then on, everything goes fast. Three days later, the two young entrepreneurs decide to embark on the adventure. Barely six days after that pivotal dinner date, they sign the contract. GCCF (Groep Caenen Capital Fund) brings funds to the project. The next challenge? Make sure the hotel can be fully renovated and reopen as soon as possible, preferably in the summer of 2020.

A race against time

Colin and Klaas know what they want. Danny Hoorelbeke from Project Vijf, who knows exactly how to bring their ideas to life. Together with co-designer Marianne Scheyving from mINT architectuur, he sets the plans in motion in January. The demolition works already in early March. Their big plan: the renovation of a surface area of 3000 m², including 65 hotel rooms. Their target date – July 1st – is barely four months away.

What follows is a race against time. And, in practice, a complex jigsaw puzzle to get everyone and everything at the right time in De Haan. Some days, up to 40 people from three different contractors are working on the renovation of Hotel Astoria. And then there is the delivery of materials, which is no mean feat under lockdown. Fortunately, project consultant Ines Goeminne offers her support.

A logical choice

Colin had already been introduced to Clicwall at an interior design fair. An encounter that had left a lasting impression. It only took a subsequent visit with Danny to a recent renovation project using a Clicwall design for them to make the choice. Danny immediately calls Ines – with whom he has already successfully completed several projects – to seal the new collaboration deal.

Total renovation of Astoria Hotel with Unilin Clicwall and HPL Dainty Oak

The material evidence

Clicwall is a modular wall system with a smart click profile which can be installed quickly and dust-free. With its impact-resistant and maintenance-friendly melamine top layer, the wall is ready for immediate and worry-free use.

Colin: “We clicked immediately. The ease of installation, the clever design, the fast delivery… It was a perfect fit. Thanks to the efforts of Danny and Ines, we completed this – let’s be honest – very ambitious project quickly and successfully.”
Danny: “Clicwall is unique on the market: the system is cleverly constructed, can be installed quickly and is also very affordable. The supplied corner profiles in the same colour as the wall are also a great discovery. The stylish designs also give me, as an interior architect, plenty of opportunities to express my creativity.”
Ines: “Clicwall is ideal for renovations, especially when the deadine is tight. In the designs, which we develop ourselves , we emphasize authenticity. Thanks to the perfect design match with HPL & melamine, the look can be seamlessly extended from wardrobes to bedside tables and headboards.

Danny and Ines also worked with Juunoo, an innovative support structure for light interior walls that fits perfectly with Clicwall.

An immediate hit

On 10 July 2020, only one week later than planned, Hotel Astoria opens its doors to the general public. Of course, a grand opening is out of the question due to the COVID-19 restrictions, but this won’t rain on Colin’s parade. The hotel will be fully booked all summer. Mission accomplished. The icing on the cake? Hotel guests are not the only ones enjoying the renovation: the hotel is also very popular for conferences and photo shoots. Whatever their reasons for coming, Colin is there to welcome visitors with a smile.


Colin Dearman Entrepreneur and owner of Hotel Astoria		Danny Van Hoorelbeke Manager of Project Vijf		Marianne Scheyving Manager of mINT Architectuur		Ines Goeminne Project consultant at UNILIN Panels