Hotel Van der Valk: MOSA

Hotel Van der Valk in Antwerp (Belgium) was ready for a thorough makeover. The owners wanted to elevate the hotel to a higher plane and to create warm, welcoming spaces with the aid of natural materials. Mosa Solids tiles in 90 x 90 centimetres matched this ideal perfectly, so the choice of floor tiles was quickly made.

Van der Valk operates hotels all over the world, from Benelux and France to the Caribbean. The hotel chain wants its interiors to present a modern yet home-like and friendly atmosphere. However, the owners of the different hotels are free to add their own personal interpretation to this.

Elevating to a higher plane
‘The Van der Valk hotel in Antwerp hadn't had a makeover in quite a while,’ says Monique van der Linden, interior designer at Van der Valk Design. ‘The owners wanted to elevate the interior to a higher plane. The entire ground floor was therefore given a new look. In order to connect the different spaces on this floor, partitions of glass have been installed. The owners wanted an emphasis on craftsmanship and hand-made things for the design of the interior. They, therefore, chose natural materials such as iron and leather. As in our other hotels, a warm and friendly feel took centre stage.’

The Mosa Solids tiles in the format 90 x 90 centimetres fitted perfectly within this vision. ‘The Solids floor tiles have a businesslike yet dynamic character thanks to the texture that is unique to each tile,’ says Van der Linden. ‘Their natural look links up seamlessly with the total concept. Our preference was for the grey hue thanks to the rugged character and the natural touch with reminiscent of slate.’

Practical considerations also prompted Van der Valk to opt for the Mosa Solids tiles. ‘We attach great importance to the R-rating or anti-slip rating of tiled floors at our hotels,’ says Van der Linden. ‘We could not permit the risk of our guests slipping or falling at the buffet in case the floor is wet. We know we can count on Mosa tiles.’ The robust nature of the Solids tiles was the decisive factor. As Van der Linden explains, ‘Our guests push trolley cases over the floors. Ridges or bumps would cause undesirable levels of noise and disturb our receptionists. We were therefore looking for a smooth, flat tile, and we found it through Mosa.’

The 90 x 90-centimetre format was recently added to the Mosa Solids series. Van der Valk consciously chose this new, larger variant. ‘Large tiles make small spaces feel larger,’ says Van der Linden. ‘These new, larger Mosa Solids tiles optimize the look and feel of our hotel.’