Radisson Blu Aurum, a five-star hotel developed by RaRa Group, will open its doors in the mountain city of Brașov, central Romania, on October 16. Work took 34 months and involved a team of 250-400 people monthly, with the project rehabilitating an old building in an advanced state of decay.

The five-star hotel in the centre of Brașov combines the old and the new, preserving some of the features of the original building built in 1930 and a fragment of the Brașov citadel discovered during the execution works.

The total investment amounted to EUR 16.3 million, EUR 3 million more than the value initially estimated, mainly due to the rising costs of both the building materials and labour segments amid the pandemic context and market volatility. The investment was financed through Exim Bank by RaRa Group, the owners and developers of the hotel.

Radisson Blu Aurum Brașov offers 110 rooms, an event hall with a capacity of 150 people, a restaurant with a terrace, a sky bar, a swimming pool, SPA, charging stations for electric vehicles, and monitored parking. Accommodation prices start at EUR 125/night.

“Brașov is the most visited city in Romania, therefore, the opening of a chain hotel offers the opportunity to increase the level of premium services in the Brașov area. We expect Radisson Blu Aurum to be a destination not only for leisure tourism but also for business, considering the dynamic economy of the area,” said Anca Cristea, General Manager of Radisson Blu Aurum.

More than 120 specialists from various fields were involved in the development and design phase, which lasted 4 years. Then, during the almost 3 years of execution works, between 250 and 400 people were involved monthly, and more than 100 local companies with high expertise in their field were contracted. According to company representatives, the discovery of the fortress wall was one of the project’s most significant challenges.

“From the location in the historic centre, which brings specific architectural rigours, to the complex project of consolidating the existing building, a building in an advanced stage of decay and classified in seismic risk class 0, from the preservation of historical vestiges of relevance in the history of Brașov to the fact that the execution works were affected by the pandemic just two months after their start, well, all this proves that we are at the end of a path marked by challenges,” said George Mihalache, architect at Arhi Grup.

In her turn, Ramona Neamțu, owner of Radisson Blu Aurum Brasov, said: “Starting with the excavations of the building built in the 1930s and 1960s, more than 1,000 tons of materials were evacuated, and more than 650 tons of reinforced concrete were used for consolidation. If we calculate all the quantities handled in our project, we exceed 3,000 tons of materials and over 850 deliveries with different types of vehicles.”

The hotel team will have more than 70 employees, and the owners target an average occupancy rate of 65% for next year.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: the company)