Corinthia Grand Hôtel Astoria

The Corinthia Grand Hotel Astoria, formerly the Hotel Astoria, is a five-star hotel located at 101–103, rue Royale/Koningsstraat, in central Brussels (Belgium). Built in 1909 for the Brussels International Exposition of 1910, it has served as a famous meeting place for kings and other great statesmen and world personalities.

Hotel Astoria
The Hotel Astoria, Brussels, in 2020
General information
LocationCity of Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium
AddressRue Royale / Koningsstraat 101–103
Opening1910
OwnerCorinthia Hotels International
Design and construction
ArchitectHenri Van Dievoet
For other uses, see Hotel Astoria.

The hotel is served by the Brussels-Congress railway station, the metro stations Parc/Park and Botanique/Kruidtuin, as well as the tram strop Congrès.

History

The Hotel Astoria was built in 1909 for the Brussels International Exposition of 1910, at the request of King Leopold II, to replace the former Hotel Mengelle. It was designed by Henri Van Dievoet (1869–1931), a nephew of architect Joseph Poelaert. Built in a true Parisian spirit, the hotel's Louis XVI facade and majestic interior lend it a distinctly aristocratic appearance.[1] It is considered among the finest luxury hotels in the world.

Since 2000, the hotel has been listed as a protected monument.[2] After standing vacant for 10 years, it was acquired by Corinthia Hotels in 2016[3] and is set to reopen in 2021 under the name Corinthia Grand Hotel Astoria Brussels.[4]

Famous guests

The Hotel Astoria has become a mythical place in Brussels. For a century, it has been the meeting place for kings and greats of this world. In the guestbook, many famous personalities can be found: heads of state and prime ministers like Adenauer, Ben-Gurion, Churchill, Eisenhower, Edward Heath, Édouard Herriot, Hirohito and the Shah; artists like Dalí; writers like James Joyce and Marguerite Yourcenar; actors like Pierre Fresnay and Gérard Philippe; singers like Maurice Chevalier; and musicians like Khachaturian, Menuhin, Oistrakh and Rubinstein.[5]

  • The Hotel Astoria of Brussels in the 1920s
  • A view of the interior of the Hotel Astoria
  • The hotel's architect, Henri Van Dievoet
  • The Hotel in 2008

See also

Notes
  1. "Astoria: Die Nobelherberge von Brüssel", in, Bonn Journal, nov. 1972, n° 11, pp. 43 to 45 and Olivier Stevens, "La vie de palace. 3. L'hôtel Astoria. Palace et carnet mondain", in, La Libre. Match, n° 256 3–9 August 2006, pp. 88 to 95, (with illustrations).
  2. "Bruxelles Pentagone - Hôtel Astoria - Rue Royale 100, 101, 101a, 101b, 101c, 103, 103a, 103b, 103c - VAN DIEVOET H." www.irismonument.be. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  3. CORINTHIA HOTELS ANNOUNCES THE ACQUISITION OF GRAND HOTEL ASTORIA, BRUSSELS http://www.corinthia.com/press-releases/corinthia-hotels-announces-the-acquisition-of--grand-hotel-astoria-brussels/
  4. "Corinthia Grand Hotel Astoria Brussels". Corinthia. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  5. Jean d'Osta, Dictionnaire historique et anecdotique des rues de Bruxelles, Brussels, 1986, p. 288-289


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