WILLEMSTAD - Yesterday, a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony was held for the construction of The Pyrmont Hotel on Penstraat. Symbolic, because construction has already begun since the beginning of this year. The new hotel is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The Pyrmont Hotel will have 300 luxurious rooms, including 25 historic luxury suites. There will also be eight restaurants and bars, a ballroom, childcare and youth club, a fitness center, and a diving and watersports center. Hotel guests can swim in one of the two pools or at the beach behind the breakwaters and a 225-meter boardwalk.
A luxury all-inclusive hotel will be realized on the property between two iconic buildings, the former Cerro Bonito and the earlier Kas di Pueblo, managed by Autograph Collection, a specialized unit of the Marriott chain. Autograph Collection already manages more than 200 luxury resorts worldwide.
Based on the Autograph philosophy, both historic buildings will be renovated and integrated into the Pyrmont hotel to allow the cultural and historical legacy to live on.
Both buildings were owned by the prominent local Maduro family until almost a century ago. Cerro Bonito, a neoclassical building designed by the architect Bartholomé Lyon from Corsica, held special events at that time, such as gala shows and private soirées by the sea. Later on, it functioned as a hotel. In the new setup, it will feature a signature restaurant under the name Cerro Bonito.
The Kas di Pueblo building, located further down Penstraat and named after regent queen Emma of Waldeck Pyrmont by the Maduro family, has also served various functions over the years before being purchased by the political party NVP in 1948, hence its green color, to be used as a party building until a few decades ago. The Pyrmont plans will add a ballroom and luxury spa here.
Employment opportunities
Developer Pen Resort B.V. started work earlier this year. The construction of the entire complex will take 32 months and will be completed in the second half of 2025. As the construction process progresses, more and more construction workers will be employed. At its peak, the project will provide employment for 250 mostly local construction workers of various disciplines.
This project requires an investment of $87 million and is expected to provide 350 direct employment opportunities and indirectly support another 150 jobs when it opens.
It is expected that this hotel will attract around 30,000 foreign guests to the island annually, but extra airlift will be needed to achieve this.
