Amrath takes failed, iconic Scheveningen hotel Kurhaus

The Kurhaus in Scheveningen remains open. The curator confirmed that the upscale hotel is being taken over by the Dutch hotel group Amrath.

The Kurhaus was declared bankrupt on Friday. The acquisition news followed soon after the declaration. The curator has been engaged in a takeover for some time.

David Dreese, operational director at the Amrath Hotel Group, says that the acquisition mainly has to do with the building. "It is an icon of the city." He compares it with the Scheepvaarthuis, a hotel in Amsterdam that Amrath took over earlier. "Our owners, the family of Eijl, has a penchant for beautiful buildings and the opportunity arose."

To make it profitable, Dreese wants "the building to do its work". "The attraction of the building should bring the people in."

The entire staff of the Kurhaus were dismissed, but were asked to apply again today. Amrath wants fewer staff members, but the number of jobs that will be lost is unknown. "The Kurhaus makes a loss. And the chances that everyone is taken back into service are low." says Marc Udink, administrator of the Kurhaus.

In the meantime Amrath staff from across the country is running the hotel. "But it may become cleare that a building like the Kurhaus desperately needs the know-how of personnel." says Dreese, "We will need a lot of people from the existing workforce."

The Amrath Hotel Group owns 16 three-, four- and five star hotels in the Netherlands. The group also owns the Scheepvaarthuis (Grand Hotel Amrath) in Amsterdam situated in the famous Amsterdam school building.

Since 1979 the Kurhaus was run by the German hotel chain Steigenberger. The monumental building on the Scheveningen boulevard was built in 1885.