The opening of the new Elbphilharmonie philharmonic hall has marked the start of an important year for Hamburg’s MICE industry.
The Elbphilharmonie philharmonic hall, located on the edge of the River Elbe, opened on 11 January and is designed as a ‘rolling wave’ in homage to Hamburg’s world-famous harbour.
The Elbphilharmonie, already an iconic feature of Hamburg’s skyline, is also home to a 244 room 5-Star Westin Hotel offering meeting space including eight conference rooms as well as a panoramic view of the city and harbour.
The hotel opened in November last year and has already experienced huge demand as Dagmar Zechmann, general manager of the Westin Hamburg, explains: “The response since our opening last year has been fantastic and demand from international and national visitors is high. We received bookings for our 205 rooms and 39 suites months in advance and the numbers of events hosted at our hotel has really exceeded expectations with great feedback from event planners.
“Our location positions us as the ideal destination for meetings and events and for those looking for a room with a view. We are proud to be part of Hamburg’s new and renowned landmark and are looking confidently into the future.”
Other hotels are set to launch in Hamburg this year including the Fontenay (131 rooms, 5*), offering views of the city’s famous Alster Lake, the Fontenay hotel.
Located in its own private park in the city, the hotel’s conference facilities are across four rooms equipped with the latest in audio and visual technology. Designed by Hamburg-born architect Jan Störmer, the hotel has a modern and innovative sculptural design featuring 131 rooms and suites.
Part of the Design Hotels portfolio, Sir Nikolai Hotel (94 rooms) is a 19th-century mansion set to ‘bring a new kind of cool to Hamburg’. It is situated between Altstadt, the city’s cultural nucleus, and Speicherstadt to the south, Hamburg’s historical quarter and UNESCO World Heritage site.
Other hotels set to open soon in the city include Hampton by Hilton (161 rooms, 4*), Courtyard by Marriott (277 rooms, 4*), Hotel Stadthofe (130 rooms, 4* superior), Adina Apartment Hotel (202 rooms, 4*), Holiday Inn Hamburg - City Nord (297 rooms, 4*), Grand City Hotel Hamburg Mitte (250 rooms, 3*), Novum Style Hotel City East (100 rooms, 3*) and Ruby Hotel (298 rooms).
Florian Gerdes, marketing manager Conventions at Hamburg Convention Bureau, said: “The opening of the Elbphilharmonie marks the start of a momentous year for Hamburg. The iconic venue is a real jewel in the city’s conference and meeting crown and forms part of a wider new offering for planners. From major 5 and 4 star names through to quirky boutique hotels, there is a huge choice of top notch accommodation and meeting spaces launching in key locations throughout the city including near the airport, Congress Center Hamburg and the iconic River Elbe.”
