Minister Wets Approves Thermae Palace Restoration in Ostend

Ostend (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Thermae Palace Hotel in Ostend will be renovated with Flemish government co-investment. Ministers Depraetere and Wets, contractor Artes Woudenberg, and Mayor Crombez lead works; Royal Galleries also restored.

As VRT News reported, the Thermae Palace Hotel in Ostend will undergo a major renovation. The Flemish government will co-invest in the project to protect the hotel’s historic value. Ministers Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit) and Ben Wets (N-VA) announced the plans during a visit to the city. 

They also inspected the Royal Galleries next to the hotel, which have already been restored. They mentioned that the aim is to restore the hotel’s exterior to its former glory. At the same time, the building will be expanded and modernised to meet today’s hotel standards. 

“Restoring such a historic building is expensive. We’re looking into how we can make it happen. But it’s important that regular visitors can also stroll through the Galleries and the renovated hotel. This historic place must be open to everyone,”

Minister of Tourism Depraetere said.

Minister Wets stressed that private funding is crucial for the project to succeed.

“Flanders has a wealth of valuable heritage. Our government doesn’t have enough money to maintain all these buildings and sites on its own. That’s why private funding is also needed for the Thermenhotel.”

What are the plans for renovating the Thermae Palace Hotel and Royal Galleries in Ostend?

Minister Wets explained that requiring all original interior spaces and materials could discourage investors. By protecting the façade and allowing changes inside, the project hopes to attract investors. 

Work on the Royal Galleries next to the Thermae Palace Hotel in Ostend has been ongoing for 2 months. The historic Galleries faced major structural problems because the roof was too heavy. For years, the building required shoring to prevent further damage. 

The original roof included a 40-centimetre-thick concrete slab that placed excessive pressure on the structure. This slab is now being removed and replaced with a new concrete slab. Jonckheere, the site manager for contractor Artes Woudenberg, said the restoration was urgently needed to secure the building and protect its future.

“During the work, we saw that large chunks of concrete had rotted away. The concrete reinforcement was rusted. It will take a lot of work to renovate everything. We hope to be finished by early next summer. That is, assuming no major surprises arise.”

After the new roof is waterproofed, the contractor will repair the concrete ceiling. The rotundas at both ends of the Galleries will also be renovated inside. During a visit by Flemish ministers Melissa Depraetere and Ben Wets, members of the heritage group Dement staged a protest. They held flags and placards to express their concern that Ostend is risking its historic heritage by involving private partners in the renovation of the Thermae Palace Hotel.

Mayor John Crombez of Oostende (Vooruit) responded:

“Many people are happy that the Galleries and the hotel will remain. The buildings’ future has been uncertain several times. The critics are right to be concerned.