The 56-metre-high water tower in the Schildersbuurt no longer stores gallons of water. Today, the water tanks have been drained and are used as flats for Hotel Watertoren West. Because the flats are built in and around the water tanks, it is a unique night out.
Tank as ceiling
Although Water Tower West is now a full-fledged hotel, the features of the water tower still run throughout the property. Inside the landmark building are two water tanks that together stored nearly 1.8 million litres of water. Now the tanks are used as flats and office spaces. In some flats, for instance, the blue tank forms the ceiling. On the tank, you can still see exactly where repairs were once made by the patches of different blue paint. Expect large windows, authentic shutters and great views over the city of Groningen.
The upper tank houses offices and a bar. In the offices, you are in the oldest water tank, which is why the walls are steel. This gives the spaces a tough industrial look. At the very top of the tower, in the sky bar, you have the best view. The roof has been opened up so you can see the roof structure when you look up. Here there is also a nesting box for the peregrine falcon that flies around here. Via a live connection, you can watch on a screen inside the nest of this fastest bird in the world.
Water tower, watchtower, hotel
Built in 1912, the tower has had different functions over the years. Besides water tower and hotel, it was also used as a watchtower for the Germans during World War II. From the tower, they watched the Canadian soldiers who came to liberate the city of Groningen in 1945. A real firefight ensued during that liberation in which the Canadians fired at the water tower with a cannon. This caused a leak in one of the water tanks. Water gushed out. Evidence of this shelling can still be seen in the hotel. In the toilet on the seventh floor is a bullet hole through which you can see right out. A number of flats in the hotel are named in honour of Canadian soldiers who died fighting for the water tower.
" "Sleeping around or even in the old water tank" "
Business hotel
At Water Tower West, you cannot get breakfast or swim in the pool, as this is a real business hotel. So here they don't have rooms either, but flats. The flats are spacious and have full kitchens. This makes it attractive to stay there for a longer period.
Upstairs in the hotel, you can have meetings, work and team building. There are several workspaces that can be rented out. In addition, the hotel plans to operate on a kind of subscription basis. This will allow self-employed people and companies to work for a fixed amount with a beautiful view from the tower. In addition, the sky bar at the top can be hired for team building and free mibos. So the water tower offers a place to stay, network, work and have drinks.
Exhibition space
On the ground floor of the tower, you will find the reception, as well as an exhibition space. Because of the tower's original concrete construction, the space between the original pillars seems made for hanging art. Currently, beautiful paintings by Joost Doornik are on display. Some of these paintings have a Groningen touch, for instance, you can spot the Vismarkt on one of the canvases. This exhibition is temporary; different artists will exhibit their work all the time. There are also original blueprints of the water tower on display in this space. The exhibition space is open to the public on Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00 to 17:00.
