The prestigious hotel in Ghardaia and one of the oldest in the city, “Le M’zab” (ex-Rostomides), completely renovated and restored, has been officially reopened, after 27 years of closure, as part of the celebration of the 67th anniversary of the outbreak of the Glorious Revolution of November 1, 1954, it was learned on Tuesday from the management of the tourist management company of Ghardaia (EGTG).
This jewel of hotel accommodation had closed its doors in 1994 to undergo major renovation works, while keeping its historical and architectural cachet that dexterously combines local and modern styles, indicate its managers.
An investment of more than 300 million DA has been dedicated to the realization of all the renovation and restoration works of this hotel carried out in the early seventies, with the aim of making this structure an important tourist pole for the promotion of the destination “le M’Zab”, Abderrahmane Sallouhi, Director General of the EGTG, told APS.
Designed by the architect and urban planner Ferdinand Pouillon, this 150-room hotel structure, which offers a panoramic view of the M’zab pentapolis, was built between 1970 and 1972 on the rubble of a fort called “Bordj Giraud” housing during the colonial period the army of occupation and also serving as a place of torture of the mujahideen, according to numerous testimonies collected by the APS from mujahideen.
Inaugurated on May 19, 1972, this hotel, which nestles on a promontory overlooking the M’zab valley classified as a universal heritage since 1982, has been very popular with foreign tourists as well as personalities from the world of politics, culture and architecture.
Closed in 1994 due to the need for renovation, the hotel has experienced a strong decrepitude and has undergone accelerated degradation by acts of vandalism carried out by young people who have made the adjoining grounds of the hotel places of depravity.
To counter its decrepitude, the public authorities had released for the first time more than 575 million DA for the safeguarding and rehabilitation of the oldest hotel in the M’zab valley (classified three stars), it is recalled.
The works for the renovation of this infrastructure, a real architectural work, with a capacity of 300 beds, six “senior” type suites with lounge and four “junior” suites, a dining room with more than 200 seats, two relaxation lounges, a disco, a swimming pool and shopping arcades for various shops were started and completed in 2007, without being exploited for lack of tenants.
Having remained closed since its renovation in 2007, the hotel has once again suffered damage that required another rehabilitation action for more than 300 million DA, reported Mr.Sallouhi, stressing that during the restoration and maintenance work, the hotel staff of the EGTG underwent training and development cycles.
The renovation and upgrade works of the hotel have focused in particular on air conditioning, sanitary facilities, glassware in the rooms, the facelift of common areas such as restaurants, reception, conference rooms, facades, outdoor signage as well as the main technical facilities (fire safety, kitchen, swimming pool etc …) and interior architecture.
The renovation also affected furniture, bedding and other equipment as well as the acquisition of multimedia equipment.
In addition to its aesthetic, nostalgic and historical value, this luxurious hotel will strengthen the tourist infrastructure and the handicraft sector of the Ghardaïa region and raise the tourist destination of the M’zab very popular with foreign tourists, academics and researchers in the field of architecture.
The Hotel Le M’zab (ex-Rostomides) – 📷 Credit : Top Destinations Algeria
Translated by Hope from https://topdestinationsalgerie.com/ghardaia-reouverture-de-lhotel-le-mzab-ex-rostomides-photos/
