INVESTORS Warimpex, with hospitality partner Vienna International, in collaboration with architectural firm OP Architekten and British architects Jestico + Whiles, has built a hotel within Łódź that is truly a destination in its own right.
The four-star andel’s Hotel Lodz, with 278 rooms and suites, is situated in the epicentre of the Polish city’s hip and happening heart, in the midst of some of the most artistically reworked 19th century buildings. It is located in the same complex as the impressive Museum of the City of Łódź and the grand new shopping and cultural district of Manufaktura. From the outside the buildings look very European chic, but the story behind them adds a wow factor. The museum was once the home of textile magnate Poznański, the bright red-brick buildings of andel’s Hotel and Manufaktura were once a massive spinning mill and textile factory complex owned by him. After decades of standing empty, the weaving mill, established in 1878 by Poznanski, was transformed into a shining example of how historic industrial architecture can blend with modern design. The hotel exudes a modern, modish charm, which is not without paying homage to the building’s heritage. The architects have paid attention to the story behind the façade which apart from the painting is original and therefore, easily over a century old.The lobby of the hotel is huge; the space scattered with displays of eclectic art sourced from nationally and internationally renowned artists. One can find, peppered around the property, beautiful traces of the booming industrial era; an old factory part used as the stump of a stylish coffee table and a heavy, wooden closet used to store linen in the past, now stands as a pièce de résistance at the entrance of the hotel’s spa. The rooftop swimming pool encased in glass is a great vantage point, from where one can better understand the expanse of Poznański’s empire. The 1,300-sq-m ballroom on the fourth floor, combined with the 3,100 sq m of conference area, makes it a great place to do business. The andel’s Hotel Lodz celebrated five years in September, and it doesn’t come as a surprise that in five short years, the venue has won more than 30 awards for its architecture and design.