BWM Designers & Architects

Like an ocean liner making its way from the dunes to the sea, the hotel on the Polish Amber Coast stretches across the sandy beach towards the Baltic Sea. BWM Designers & Architects redesigned the extraordinary, charismatic building and made it suitable for all weather conditions, while preserving – and even further highlighting – its passenger ship character.

Protection against wind and weather

“The architectural design of the hotel is very clever,” says BWM architect Erich Bernard. “Instead of being parallel to the beach, it is perpendicular to it, which means that all the rooms have a sea view and which also enhances the impression of a moving ship.” The weather isn’t all sunshine and rainbows though – neither on a cruise ship nor by the Baltic Sea. This is why BWM always kept the more challenging time of year, the cold months, in mind. “On a passenger ship, the weather dictates in which of the two main areas life takes place: above deck or below deck,” Bernard explains.

Ultimate cosiness – both above and below deck

While the outdoor areas above deck allow guests to enjoy the fair weather, breathe in the fresh sea air and delight in the vastness and purity of the ocean, the areas below deck must provide refuge and convey security, comfort and cosiness. Thanks to the redesign by BWM Designers & Architects, this popular holiday hotel on Wolin, Poland’s largest island, now boasts two areas with very different atmospheres to reflect this bipolarity.

Generally speaking, the interior design is inspired by maritime-inspired elements such as shades of blue, water lines, brass and wood. BWM contrasted the light “above deck” colours with the somewhat darker, warmer “below deck” hues. And an oval bar separates these two areas. It divides the space into a light, sunlit breakfast room that opens up to the sea on the one hand, and a somewhat darker, cosier restaurant and bar area on the other.  In the breakfast room facing the beach and the sea, BWM replaced the previous horizontal fabric blinds with vertical curtains, which, in addition to allowing an unobstructed view of the beach and the sea if desired, also offer the greatest possible flexibility and freedom depending on the weather conditions.

A Viennese café in dark blue, with typical Viennese elements such as classic Thonet chairs and red velvet upholstery, provides a comfortable haven where guests can choose a treat from the cake buffet.

A mobile ice cream and beverage trolley in a vintage-style beach look offers refreshments right by the outdoor swimming pool. It immediately catches the eye of guests entering the lobby, reminding them of the proximity of the beach and conveying a sense of sun and fun.

Setting sail

Finally, maritime-inspired motifs, colours and details also create a nautical atmosphere in the 200 newly designed rooms. Understated shades of blue and green are combined with outdoor-style lamps and suspended elements reminiscent of a ship’s rail. In combination with round mirrors and decorative lifebuoys, all these elements together embody the joys of travel, holiday and adventure.