Dubai-based design firm H2R has completed a much publicised renovation of one of Egypt’s most prominent resorts.
Nestled in the heart of Egypt’s northern coast, the historic Alamein Hotel has recently undergone a large-scale renovation undertaken by up-and-coming Dubai-based design and architecture studio H2R in collaboration with Emaar Hospitality Group.
Housing 190 rooms including luxury chalets, seven suites and two presidential villas, the hotel has in its 50-year history been frequented by celebrities, artists and bohemians alike, and now boasts a retro refurbishment that includes contemporary interiors, paying tribute to the glory days of when the resort first opened.
While keeping the cultural context and heritage intact in their design strategy, the firm’s aim was to rejuvenate and create a modern boho-chic style, while integrating the surrounding seaside environment into the nature of the property.
The design theme also references vintage influences of Egyptian music and cinema, creating a link back to the hotel’s former celebrated guests.
“Throughout the property, we wanted to create a sense of refined classics and translate that through materiality, the furniture pieces, fixtures and equipment,” explain Hasan and Husain Roomi, the founders of H2R Design. “We used clean lines layered with textures to bring a modern mid-century experience and comfort twist to the mesmerising vistas.”
Within the resort’s renovation, H2R’s design used natural white washed timber, and light and breezy elements to reflect the coastal region, as well as fabrics and upholstery suitable for the beach environment.
The colours were meticulously selected to compliment the natural landscape (muted blues, light greys, off whites and accents of deep blue to reflect the everchanging colour of the sea. Metal was also used as an accent, adding elegance to the joinery, furniture elements and lighting, which played an integral role in illuminating the spaces.
The prominent architectural features of the lobby include the welcoming central double volume lobby colonnade and atrium, which help open up the surrounding vistas. Each guest suite has been designed to capture the outside and seamlessly balance it with the interiors.
The hotel remained fully occupied while the renovation took place, and given the antiquity of the building, accurate drawings of the site were not available and records of the many ad-hoc architectural changes were no longer available, creating a challenge for the firm.
“Alamein Hotels has been open since the 1960’s and throughout its existence, has had a prestigious and loyal guest following,” says Jacqui Shaddock, partner at H2R Design.
“We intended to retain these guests and also revive their experience while encouraging a new generation of visitors. When transforming the hotel from the day to night scenarios, we focused on maintaining a welcoming and intimate ambiance that would instantly make guests feel at ease.”