Knokke-Heist (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Memlinc Hotel in Knokke-Heist closed after 102 years. Mayor Cathy Coudyser halted demolition. The €125 million Memlinc 2.0 project will have 17 luxury apartments and must preserve historic façades.
As VRT News reported, the Memlinc Hotel on Albert Square in Knokke-Heist has closed its doors after 102 years of operation. Plans to replace the hotel with a luxury residential project began last year, but demolition work has now been halted by authorities. Officials found that more of the original building had been removed than allowed under the heritage permit.
The new project, called The Memlinc 2.0, is set to include 17 high-end apartments, 53 underground parking spaces, and 2 ground-floor hospitality venues, with an estimated total value of €125 million. Protected parts of the building, including the historic façade, must be preserved or restored. The city has said that work cannot continue until officials confirm what must be repaired or rebuilt.
What will happen to the Memlinc Hotel after demolition is halted?
A new development will replace the Memlinc Hotel in Knokke-Heist with 17 luxury apartments. The project will include upscale residences, underground parking, and hospitality spaces on the ground floor. The hotel is a protected monument, and the city requires that parts of the building be preserved.
Large sections of the front and side façades are included among the protected elements. These conditions were clearly stated in the building permit. Authorities have made it clear that the historic sections must remain intact and be properly integrated into the new construction.
“But just before the Christmas holidays, we discovered that far more had been demolished than was stipulated in the permit,”
says Mayor Cathy Coudyser.
“We halted the work today. Before the Christmas holidays, we had already ordered that the rubble not be cleared any further. The original sections of the facade might still be among the rubble and could be reused. The client, architect, and contractor must first restore the excess demolition.”
Mayor Cathy Coudyser has said the construction project may only continue once the protected façades have been rebuilt or restored. It is still uncertain how much the preservation requirements will delay the construction schedule.
“Policy in Knokke-Heist has also changed in this regard: we want to treat our heritage with care. It’s a protected monument, one of Knokke-Heist’s iconic buildings. There was a very long preliminary process to obtain the permit to convert it into lofts. We therefore ask for respect for the execution of the permit,”
Mayor Cathy Coudyser said.
The hotel was one of the oldest and most famous in the town. Over the decades, the Memlinc welcomed prominent guests, including French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, banker David Rockefeller, and singer Maurice Chevalier. The hotel was owned by four generations of the same family. Its closure at the end of March marked the end of a long chapter in Knokke-Heist’s history.
The Memlinc Hotel, which is located on Albert Square in Knokke-Heist, was inaugurated in 1923 and immediately established itself as one of the premier seaside hotels in the area. The hotel was constructed in 1922 and has been owned by the same family for four generations.
The hotel has entertained many notable guests over its years of operation, including French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, banker David Rockefeller, and entertainer Maurice Chevalier.
It has also withstood several major crises: World War II, the oil crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Memlinc Hotel will cease operations at 12:01 AM on March 30, 2025, after operating for 102 years. The Memlinc Hotel property was sold to a real estate developer in late 2024, and it is expected to be redeveloped for luxury apartment use.
