Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Around ten Antwerp hotels are joining the Tomorrowland hotel program this year, offering themed perks for festivalgoers—including make-up rooms and more.
Previously, they declined to do so due to the festival’s inadequate financial offer. They are now at last switching.
“The oversupply of hotel rooms is forcing Antwerp hotels to become more affordable,”
says Didier Boehlen of the Antwerp Hotel Federation.
Lower prices are the result of oversupply.
Over the past few years, hotels in Brussels have mostly taken part in Tomorrowland’s “Global Journey Package.” Festival attendees buy an airline ticket, a festival ticket, and hotel accommodations with this package. Tomorrowland makes advance arrangements with a number of hotels.
“The hotel has to meet several requirements,”
says Didier Boehlen.
“Antwerp hotels were charging too much for an overnight stay. Brussels hotels are emptier in the summer and were therefore able to meet the price of Tomorrowland.”
Now, prices in Antwerp, Belgium, have dropped.
“Over the past nine years, the number of rooms in Antwerp has increased by 90 percent. This is creating oversupply. That’s why a number of hotels are choosing to collaborate with the festival.”
According to Boehlen, more than half of Antwerp’s beds will be used by festival-goers in the coming days. “That’s over 12,000,” he says.
Hotels are restricting themselves to an information desk at reception if they accept visitors other than festival attendees. Other lodging establishments are going all out.
“The festival starts at our hotel,”
says Lizette Visser, manager at Van Der Valk Hotel Park Lane.
“We’ve transformed a meeting room into a makeup area, a DJ plays there in the morning, and when festival guests return at night, they’ll get delicious pizza as a snack.”
The reception area has also been decorated.
“As a new hotel, we want to put ourselves on the map with this. It’s also nice if the entire hotel has the same atmosphere,”
says Visser.
Despite the lower nightly price, the partnership with Tomorrowland also offers advantages for the hotels.
“The next four nights will be packed with festival-goers,”
says Peter Nuiten of Hotel Lindner.
“As a result, no one will be checking in or out of the hotel. That also gives the staff some peace of mind.”
“The festival also has a positive impact on the entire city,”
says Nuiten.
“As a hotel, we can only encourage this kind of publicity for Antwerp,”
he concludes.
How do Antwerp hotels prepare for the influx of Tomorrowland festivalgoers?
In order to accommodate the artistic and expressive festival vibe, several hotels provide make-up rooms where visitors can style themselves before leaving for the event.
In order to make guests feel special and create enduring memories, hotels offer extra facilities like welcome hosts and festival-themed souvenirs.
Hotels may change breakfast hours or provide grab-and-go choices for visitors heading to Boom in order to accommodate festival scheduling.
To ensure that festival attendees can travel conveniently and safely, hotels frequently plan or coordinate daily train transfers from Antwerp to the Tomorrowland location in Boom.
With an emphasis on a hassle-free commute to and from the festival grounds, staff members are ready to advise visitors about public transportation alternatives and shuttle times.
