hotelvak.be
EN
Platform on hotel management, interior design and design in Flanders
With the official opening of TULIP Hotels & Residences – Zwolle, Louvre Hotels Group has not simply hung a new sign on the facade. At Schuttevaerkade, the former Campanile hotel has been redeveloped into a fresh mid-range hotel where staying, working, and meeting blend seamlessly. Deputy Mayor Anja Roelfs performed the official opening. She cut the ribbon and succinctly summarised the transformation: “This place has reinvented itself.”
The 69 rooms, lobby, bar, restaurant, meeting rooms, and gym have been renovated according to the new brand identity of TULIP Hotels & Residences. The hotel will also feature one apartment. This makes Zwolle the first hotel in the Netherlands to fully present this concept. It's about more than just styling. New beds, mattresses, linen, and showers form the basis, but the biggest change is in the positioning: from a functional Campanile profile to a hotel that combines comfort, design, and multifunctional use.
According to Roger Kruft, Director of International Marketing at Louvre Hotels Group, that choice is part of a broader strategy. The group launched a five-year plan in 2023 in which at least eighty percent of the hotel portfolio must be renovated or repositioned. Campanile was successful for many years, but according to him, the rebranding makes “a fresh start with a completely new product easier.”
Where Campanile was traditionally strong with project-based business travellers, TULIP Hotels & Residences focuses on a broader, hybrid target group: business travellers who combine work and leisure, leisure guests, families and guests visiting Zwolle who don't want to step into the luxury segment directly. Kruft: “Today's hotel guest is no longer looking for a bed, but for a place that fits their day. Work, relaxation and socialising blend together.” The hotel deliberately opts for a three-star classification – due to the profiling of the other brands in the group – but… guests will certainly experience a four-star stay.
The idea really takes shape in the lobby and the new TULIP Café. The café isn’t a classic hotel lounge, but an accessible spot for coffee, lunch, dinner, an informal meeting or a few hours of work. A sort of living room function. The public spaces are therefore not designed as separate elements, but as flexible zones that can adapt throughout the day. The atmosphere? It feels intimate. From the green ceiling elements, the warm wood tones, many rounded shapes, a long work table, and the open connection between reception, café, and lounge.
Operationally, the renovation has also been considered. Multifunctional spaces, smart design and a clear price-quality ratio should make the concept future-proof in a market with rising costs and higher guest expectations. “No hotel concept is sustainable forever,” states Kruft. “But the need for flexibility, comfort, atmosphere and multifunctional spaces remains.”
For Annelie Breukers, owner and hotel manager, the opening mainly marks the moment when all the elements come together. Guests have already reacted positively to the renewed rooms in recent months. Andreas Tscherning, Deputy COO of Louvre Hotels Group, expressed his confidence during the opening: “I have great faith in the market.” With Breda and Gouda as the next Dutch repositionings, Zwolle is taking on the role of a pioneer.
