De Gulden Leeuw continues building for the future

De Gulden Leeuw continues building for the future

Anyone who has walked along the Merk recently has probably already noticed: containers outside the door, construction workers coming and going, and plenty of demolition and building work taking place inside. The renovation of De Gulden Leeuw has begun. And quite a lot is going to change in the coming period.

One important change is that the restaurant is being sold and will have a new owner. In the future, the restaurant and the hotel will therefore continue as two separate businesses.

To make this possible, work is currently being carried out on, among other things, the ceilings of the restaurant and the necessary fire separation between the restaurant and the hotel. Work is also taking place underneath the hotel rooms above. The aim is to complete this first phase around mid-November 2026.

FROM RENOVATION TO NEW HOTEL ROOMS

After this first phase, attention will shift to the rear section of the hotel: from approximately halfway through the current bar area up to and including the former residential part of the building (Begine 6).

New hotel rooms will be created in this section, with 1 July 2027 currently set as the target completion date.

This involves much more than walls, pipes and installations. The interior of the hotel will also be given a new look. Over the coming months, the plans for the style, atmosphere and interior design of the rooms will become increasingly concrete.

“At the moment, what you mainly see are containers, dust and construction workers,” says hotel manager Pieta Visser. “But of course, that is not the final picture. We are working towards a hotel that is ready for the future, while at the same time preserving the character of this special place. De Gulden Leeuw is part of Workum, and we want that to be reflected in what we are creating here.”

MORE ROOMS, BUT ALSO MORE OF A HOTEL

The ambition goes beyond simply adding more rooms. We are working towards a hotel where guests deliberately choose to stay in the heart of Workum, with comfortable rooms, a distinctive atmosphere and, in the future, rooms overlooking an inner courtyard.

Careful consideration is also being given to different types of guests. The plans include, among other things, a wheelchair-accessible room, options for families and rooms for guests travelling with a pet.

Although 1 July 2027 is the target completion date for the new hotel rooms, preparations for the summer season will begin much earlier. The new rooms need to be available for booking well before the summer, allowing guests to plan their stay in Workum in good time for the high season.

FIRST, THERE IS STILL SOME BUILDING TO DO

Until then, the construction work around De Gulden Leeuw will continue to be noticeable from time to time. Direct neighbours and businesses around the hotel will therefore receive a monthly neighbourhood update by email, keeping them informed about what is happening, what is planned and what they may notice as a result.

However, this information is not intended solely for the immediate neighbourhood. Anyone in Workum who is interested in the development of De Gulden Leeuw can receive the monthly update. Those wishing to stay informed can send an email to [email protected], including their name, address and email address. If any work will directly affect neighbouring residents or businesses, they will be informed separately in advance.

We also do not want to keep our plans behind closed doors. As soon as the final drawings and room layouts are ready, anyone interested will be able to make an appointment to view them at the hotel.

Over the course of the coming year, more and more of the chosen style, atmosphere and interior design will also become visible.

“Naturally, people in Workum see and hear a lot and there is plenty of talk about the renovation,” says Pieta Visser. “That is part of it. But we have only just begun. What you see now is a hotel in the middle of a renovation, not the finished result. Give us the time to do it properly. Step by step, we are building for the future here, and we hope that Workum will ultimately be just as enthusiastic about the result as we are.”

A great deal will change in the coming period. The next few months will still require some patience. In the meantime, we will continue to show more and more of what is taking shape here, step by step.

Pieta Visser

Hotel Manager, De Gulden Leeuw
GBI Hospitality B.V.

This is our own website with the best price. Click here for our accommodations or ask us your question. Or read on with or go to the overview of all articles.