Get the best out of yourself every single day

‘Make it happen today!’ Or rather: ‘Get the best out of yourself every single day to give our guests an unforgettable experience.’ That's the motto of the inspiring and creative hotel nhow Brussels Bloom. And Nedlin happily contributes to that – not just by providing premium-quality linen but also by ensuring a proactive collaborative partnership and realising extraordinary results that match perfectly with this unique hotel!

nhow Brussels Bloom is a unique hotel in the vibrant Botanique neighbourhood. The hotel was built in the 1970s and used to be one of the most exclusive hotels in Brussels, which regularly welcomed famous VIP guests such as Michael Jackson and former US Presidents Ronald Reagan. In later years, the hotel was bought by the NH Hotel Group. Last year, however, the hotel was completely renovated and transformed into a most unconventional hotel based on the theme: The Creative Hub: room for art. Everything exudes creativity, from the lobby downstairs to the breakfast room and from the lift to the newly decorated rooms. Every floor is inspired by a different art form.

The rooms are decorated to resemble an artist's studio. Guests entering the rooms will be spellbound by the explosion of colours and prints, whereas the sleeping area is an empty canvas, waiting for the artist to begin. The tranquil décor of the bedrooms all include one eye-catcher in the form of a unique painting. The inspiration for the bathrooms was found in a photographer's darkroom – a mysterious space with a few splashes of colour. Creativity is stimulated by the different Polaroid photographs on the wall, inviting the guests to create their own nhow bathroom moments.

The former presidential suite on the top floor has been converted into a space for creative workshops. Needless to say that the ‘mascot’ of the nhow brand, the chameleon, could not have been more aptly chosen for this hotel. The impressive appearance of the chameleon perfectly demonstrates the nhow brand values: self-discovery, change, and creativity. Patch, as the chameleon is called, adorns the hotel's façade and lights up at night. Alain Bouchat, Hotel Director of nhow Brussels Bloom, explains: ‘This hotel is all about creativity and being who you are. We want our guests to feel at home but they also must feel appreciated as individuals. That is why our staff members never fail to respond to our guests’ needs and wishes, like a chameleon. This is also why we gave all our employees a watch, to remind them of our vision at any moment of the day: this is the moment to make a difference for our guests.’ Guests clearly seem to appreciate the new hotel experience – just weeks after the reopening, the hotel already got a review rating of 9.8 on Booking.com!

Inspiring linen

Such an inspiring environment calls for inspiring linen, for which nhow Brussels Bloom found a partner in Nedlin. As Alain Bouchat comments: ‘Nedlin already supplied the hotel with linen even before NH Hotel Group took over. I happened to know Gert Kap already as he used to be Regional Director, and my manager, at NH Hotel Group for many years. It is great to work with someone who knows all the ins and outs of the hotel business. He knows exactly what hotels need and expect from their linen suppliers. Nedlin also works for several other large hotels (and chains) in Brussels, so the company knows the market very well. Another reason to contract them was that they could deliver the customised services we wanted for our unique hotel experiences. And so we decided to stay with Nedlin for nhow Brussels Bloom.’

Clear agreements

Alain has never had a moment's regret about the collaboration between Nedlin and nhow Brussels Bloom. ‘Nedlin has been a great partner from day one. The scheduled reopening of the hotel at the start of the COVID-19 crisis was, of course, a challenge. But this also had its pros and cons. One of the pros was that we could revamp the hotel while it was closed, meaning that causing a nuisance to guests was never an issue. The major disadvantage was not receiving any revenues. Luckily, Nedlin proved to be a very accommodating partner. They were extremely flexible and even offered exclusive nhow T-shirts to our entire household staff as a bonus. And that was not the only way Nedlin showed its added value. We also ran into several complicated issues, such as the logistics, as the supplied linen cannot be stored in one location as in most hotels but must be immediately distributed to the various floors. Nedlin never saw this as a problem and we were able to make clear agreements about this distribution.’

Bathrobe as an eye-catcher

Another reason for working with Nedlin is the quality of linen they provide. nhow Brussels Bloom is not your run-of-the-mill hotel and our linen has to be special as well. Alain explains: ‘We wanted our linen to match with the whole hotel concept so, together with Nedlin, we opted for an exceptional quality that they can supply. The responses we get from our guests certainly confirm that we have made the right choice.’ The most eye-catching items, however, are the bathrobes, which proved to be a real challenge for Nedlin. Gert Kap, Commercial Director Hospitality at Nedlin, elaborates: ‘Alain wanted the bathrobes to become real eye-catchers. This turned out to be a test for us as well because they didn't just want a good-quality bathrobe with a nicely embroidered logo.

Still, as the expression says, “a new day brings new opportunities” and we happily accepted the challenge! Together with our bathrobe supplier, we created a unique design that is printed on the bathrobes using 3D technology. The result is a real signature item that matches perfectly with the interior design of the rooms.’

Partner instead of supplier

The success of the bathrobes and other linen left the partners wanting even more! To incorporate the unique concept of nhow Brussels Bloom even further, the kitchen staff will get new work outfits. Alain: ‘We are going to introduce live cooking in our restaurants so our guests will see the kitchen staff at work. Thus, to create an even better experience, we want our staff to look great as well and that’s why Nedlin and we are now working on the kitchen staff’s outfits. I've seen the first samples and they look amazing!’ Alain is very content to have Nedlin as their supplier: ‘In fact, I wouldn't call them a supplier anymore as Nedlin has become a true business partner. Their quality of linen is excellent and the laundry is delivered back to us clean and fresh every day, exactly as agreed. All agreements are met without fail and, equally importantly, they proactively offer their input – not just Gert but this goes for every Nedlin employee we are in contact with. I can feel that they are just as enthusiastic about our hotel as we are! When you run a hotel that is in no way standard, it is wonderful to have a partner that understands your vision and manages to exceed itself every day as well.’