IHI reopens Lisbon hotel

IHI plc last week reopened its landmark 517-room Alfa Hotel and Congress Centre in central Lisbon, 13 months to the day the hotel was shut down to undergo a complete refurbishment.

The project was completed on time, entailing the total strip-out of the 24-storey property down to its concrete shell, and a subsequent refit and upgrade of all interiors, mechanical and electrical installations, as well as the hotel's façades.

The Alfa is one of Lisbon's landmark hotels, located at the heart of the city's financial district. IHI acquired the hotel in August 2001 with the objective to upgrade what was then a four-star mid-range property into Lisbon's foremost five-star conference and leisure hotel. The hotel was shut down at the end of February 2003 and the complex task of refitting the property's interiors and back of house equipment initiated.

The refurbished five-star hotel and congress centre now comprises 517 bedrooms, a 280-cover main restaurant, a 120-cover Portuguese restaurant and a lobby bar. Above all, the hotel is geared at the conference and meetings markets.

Its 3,000m2 allocated to state-of-the-art meeting facilities make it the largest conference hotel in Lisbon, able to handle 1,400 delegates at any given time, supported by a 24th floor Executive Lounge affording spectacular views of Lisbon, complete with boardrooms, executive check-in and business facilities. The hotel also offers a 2,000m2 gymnasium and spa facility and underground car parking for 55 vehicles.

A spokesman for IHI expressed satisfaction with the high standards of workmanship achieved in the refurbishment project, as well as the completion of all works within an impressive 13 months, making it possible for the hotel to welcome its first guests this week.

The hotel is now gearing up to Portugal's major international event of the year: the prestigious European UEFA Football Nations Championship, to be held between June 12 and July 5. The Alfa has been chosen by the tournament's organisers to act as the event's lead hotel headquarters.

IHI is a public company based in Malta with hotel investments in Lisbon, Malta, Budapest and St Petersburg. The company's hotels are operated by Corinthia Hotels International, an associate company of IHI. The refurbishment project was managed by Quality Project Management Limited, an associate company of IHI.