Best accommodation, best cuisine, best service - this is the short and concise philosophy of the Japanese Okura group, which is operating more than 80 luxurious hotels world-wide. Accordingly, the recent modernization of the Spa and Health area in the Okura Amsterdam was carried out with great sensitivity. The objective was not only a simple renovation but to add new elements to the proven ones in a stylish manner and to provide user friendliness at a high level.
The Okura Hotel in Amsterdam is the only 5-star-superior hotel in the Netherlands and the sole hotel of this Japanese group in Europe. It is situated at the southern edge of the “Amsterdam Grachtenring” in a central position in the vivid quarter of “de Pijp“, and it takes only a short time to walk to the most important museums as well as the RAI exhibition centre. More than 300 employees ensure the highest comfort possible of the international guests to which 300 rooms and the biggest suite of the Benelux countries are available.
The recently modernized “Nagomi-Spa & Health“ follows the tradition of the Japanese bathing culture. On an area of 300 square metres, the Nagomi-Spa offers diverse services and facilities at the highest level. The Nagomi-Health with a swimming pool in the size of 18 x 6 metres, a whirlpool, a steam sauna, a Turkish bath, an Ice Cube and a gym with modern equipment is located directly next to it.
Sensitive modernization
This health and relaxation oasis is considered as hotspot in Amsterdam. Thus, great demands were made on the modernization. In this connection, the floor covering as distinctive element of the interior design played an important part, as it had to satisfy several requirements at the same time. It had to harmonize with the wall covering within a comprehensive concept, to convey stylish aesthetics and to offer high functionality. For these good reasons, one decided in favour of quality tiles of Agrob Buchtal.
Noble design
Thanks to natural raw materials such as coloured clay minerals and earths, fine-grained structures and the multifaceted shade “pebble-grey”, the ceramic tile series Valley perfectly harmonizes with the prevailing colours white, grey and blue. Individually produced design solutions make the overall picture of the floor less monotonous and are eye-catchers without being obtrusive or superficially affected. An example for the love for details is to be found at the whirlpool, which is bordered with ceramic tiles in which curved recesses were precisely milled. They visually surround the round pool and elegantly underline its design style. It also was for design reasons that the tiles on the two slightly raised transverse sides of the swimming pool were provided with decorative grooves.
The exactly slotted ventilation covers at the bottom of the floor-to-ceiling glass front or the dimensionally accurate ceramic covers of the drain channels in the shower and sauna areas are also convincing by discreet elegance.
The view from the gallery with sports and fitness equipment down to the swimming pool reveals another attractive architectural detail. The pattern on the floor of the pool laid with dark-green tiles perfectly reflects the form of the ceiling opening above it. By the way: the tiles in the swimming pool were also supplied by Agrob Buchtal and intentionally not replaced in the course of the renovation, as this visually attractive and durable solution with the former series Chroma (now: System ChromaPlural) has been convincing the Okura group until today.
High functionality
Besides a stylish ambience, great importance is of course also attached to comfortable functionality in the invitingly designed Nagomi-Spa of the Okura at Amsterdam. Thus, tiles of the series Valley were laid on almost all floors - not only for reasons of design consistency but also for reasons of user friendliness and safety.
“The range of Agrob Buchtal includes a number of series which are available in several slip-resistance categories and yet are consistent with regard to the look“, Charles Boucher from the Amsterdam tile specialist company of the same name explains. “Thanks to that, I can offer my customers optimal and differentiated functionality for every area of application, and the visual harmony is guaranteed at the same time.“ On the stairs towards the gym, for example, the slip-resistance category R10/A was chosen, while tiles with R11/B ensure safe walking in the wet zones.
The Protecta upgrading baked onto the tiles already in the factory also contributes to a perfect look and hygiene: without time-consuming subsequent impregnation, it prevents the penetration of substances forming stains and thus considerably facilitates the maintenance cleaning.
The new Nagomi Spa & Health is an excellent example for a sensitive modernization which preserves traditional things and at the same time adds modern elements. It offers the guests from all around the world an ambience which corresponds to the high standard of the 5-star hotel.