November 30, 2012
Bern's Hotel Schweizerhof Wins "Best Hotel Interior Europe"
Mark Thompson READ TIME: 3 MIN.
London - The historic Hotel Schweizerhof in Bern, which has been re-planned and refurbished by MKV Design, has won Best Hotel Interior Europe and Best Hotel Interior Switzerland in the International Hotel Awards 2012.
The oldest grand hotel in Bern and deeply valued by local people since it opened 150 years ago, the Schweizerhof was once the hotel of choice for visiting celebrities and state occasions. Having fallen into decline and closed for several years, the new owners were challenged with how to reinvent the hotel within the constraints of the existing heritage fa�ade in such a way as to meet the expectations of today's well-seasoned business and leisure travelers.
The client's brief called for the recreation of a hotel that was luxurious yet functional and which would therefore stand the test of time. This entailed extensive internal re-planning in order to achieve more and larger guestrooms as well as to introduce spaces that typify contemporary luxury hotels, such as a spa and cigar lounge.
It also involved significant re-planning of the entrance lobby areas to provide an immediate and welcoming retreat from the busy thoroughfare outside and the shops which flank the entrance on both sides.
Hotel Schweizerhof now stands apart from all other leading hotels in Bern with its clearly stated, individual personality. It has been reinvented for the future, within the spirit of its inheritance but not as a replica of the past.
By combining design influences from across Western Europe, the international culture of Switzerland is now celebrated and by combining the new with the historic MKV Design has created a hotel that is contemporary, not merely fashionable, which respects its architectural envelope while delighting guests with its 21st Century comforts. The story of Hotel Schweizerhof goes on.
The International Hotel Awards celebrate the highest levels of achievement by companies operating in the hotel sector across all regions and are a world-renowned mark of excellence.
MKV Design is a London-based interior design practice that specialises in the luxury international hotel and resort sector.
Working with owners, developers and leading global hotel groups, MKV creates outstanding and award-winning environments that distinguish its projects and ensure they serve the test of time.
Current/recent projects include: The Metropol, Belgrade; Hotel Palace and Icon Hotel, both in Burgenstock, Switzerland; Hotel Royal-Savoy, Lausanne; Kempinski Hotel Corvinus, Budapest; Emirates Pearl Hotel in Abu Dhabi; Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa, Edinburgh; and Costa Navarino, including a Starwood Luxury Collection and a Westin hotel, in Greece; and a new hotel in central London.
More information is available at www.mkvdesign.com
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A long-term New Yorker and a member of New York Travel Writers Association, Mark Thompson has also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The author of the novels WOLFCHILD and MY HAWAIIAN PENTHOUSE, he has a PhD in American Studies and is the recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center. His work has appeared in numerous publications.
