Leuven (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – After 2 years of restoration, Leuven’s 1838 Sint-Pietersgasthuis wing reopened as “The Guesthouse” in Martin’s Klooster Hotel, featuring 32 rooms, Curatio restaurant, a conference centre, and heritage preservation, Alderman Dirk Vansina said.
As VRT News reported, after 2 years of restoration, a historic wing of the Sint-Pietersgasthuis in Leuven has reopened as part of the 4-star Martin’s Klooster Hotel. The restored section has now been unveiled as “The Guesthouse.”The design seamlessly combines historical architecture with modern hospitality, organised into 3 distinct areas.
How did Leuven reopen the 1838 Sint-Pietersgasthuis as a hotel?
On the ground floor and basement, the new restaurant Curatio has opened its doors. The focus is on food and hospitality in a setting that respects the past. The hospital’s original ice cellar has been preserved and is now accessible to the public. The mix of old and new elements adds cultural value to the site and secures part of Leuven’s heritage.
“The repurposing of the old wing of the Sint-Pietersgasthuis into accommodation, a conference centre and a restaurant not only strengthens the dynamism of the Hertogensite, but also emphasises Leuven’s international standing,”
says Alderman for Urban Development Dirk Vansina (CD&V).
The first floor of the wing now functions as a conference centre with rooms for meetings and events. Each room carries the name of a Belgian woman who played an important role in healthcare. The main hall is named after Isala Van Diest, the first female doctor in Belgium.
The upper 2 floors are converted to include 32 hotel rooms. Officials said that adding this new capacity is essential to a city that continues to attract researchers, entrepreneurs and tourists year after year. With the forthcoming bid for European Capital of Culture 2030 in mind, such facilities are considered vital.
The building was originally constructed in 1838 in a neoclassical style and was inspired by the Hôpital Saint-André in Bordeaux. For more than 170 years, it functioned as one of the city’s main hospitals until medical services were gradually transferred to Gasthuisberg.
The site was then empty for years. It is located on the Hertogensite, the former hospital district that is now being transformed into a new urban quarter. Within this redevelopment project, the decision was made to restore and repurpose the guesthouse wing of the Sint-Pietersgasthuis to secure its future and preserve its history.
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