Plaza Hotel Curaçao

Plaza Hotel Curaçao was a landmark hotel in Willemstad, Curaçao, constructed within the historic Waterfort and opened on 12 October 1957 as Hotel Curaçao InterContinental. The property was developed during an effort to expand Curaçao’s tourism infrastructure and provide a large international hotel on the island. Its opening was accompanied by an announcement from KLM concerning direct flights between New York City and Curaçao, reflecting the hotel’s intended role in the island’s international tourism strategy. The hotel’s site had previously been occupied by the Netherlands Marine Corps. After the government considered a proposal from International Hotel Corporation in the early 1950s, the area around the Waterfort was selected for redevelopment. El Curaçao N.V. was established in July 1955, and construction proceeded after the marine personnel were transferred to Marinebasis Parera. The hotel incorporated the old fort and became a prominent structure on the Willemstad waterfront. A major expansion was announced in 1968. Completed in 1970, the addition created a 14-floor tower and increased the hotel’s total capacity to 258 rooms. The building became the tallest structure in Curaçao, a distinction it continued to hold according to the referenced material as of 2022. The tower included meeting facilities and a penthouse suite, strengthening the property’s role as both a tourist hotel and an events venue. The hotel went through several operating and ownership changes. InterContinental ended its management contract at the end of 1976, after which Canadian Pacific Hotels acquired the property and renamed it Plaza Hotel Curaçao. Canadian Pacific also relocated its Latin American and Caribbean headquarters to Curaçao, while Air Canada announced charter flights to the island. By the early 1980s, however, the hotel was reporting substantial losses and depended heavily on casino activity and government subsidies. In 1984 it was sold to the Hart Group, a joint venture involving Richard Hart and Ramada Hotels. The property was renovated, a discotheque was added, and the refurbished hotel reopened in December 1986. Van der Valk Hotels acquired the property in March 1989 for US$3 million. Plans for an artificial beach encountered difficulties in negotiations with the island government and opposition from environmental groups concerned about damage to the coral reef. The hotel later changed hands again, being sold in 2006 to Barney Ivanovic. A dispute between Ivanovic and business partner Chester Peterson in 2008 led to Ivanovic’s forcible removal from the hotel and a prolonged legal conflict. Financial problems eventually brought the operating company to bankruptcy proceedings. By 2017, Plaza Hotel Management reportedly owed Girobank NAf 26 million. Girobank, the mortgage holder, initiated court proceedings, and Plaza Hotel Management was declared bankrupt. Several attempted post-bankruptcy sales did not result in completed payment: a 2017 auction sale to John W. Burcham’s Waterfront Hotel Group was not paid, and a 2018 sale to Tom Bolera likewise failed to close financially. In September 2020, the property was sold to Algemeen Pensionfonds Curaçao for NAf 6.3 million. The former hotel subsequently deteriorated through neglect, vandalism, and concrete degradation. Pieces of the structure reportedly fell away, prompting recommendations that the building be fenced off. An assessment commissioned from Viva Construction before the 2020 auction concluded that demolition was the best option. The property is therefore treated as a former and defunct hotel brand rather than an operating hospitality business, although the 2020 purchaser planned to redevelop the site.

The origins of Plaza Hotel Curaçao date to 1953, when the International Hotel Corporation approached the government of Curaçao with a proposal to construct a major hotel on the island. A model was submitted for approval in 1955. The government chose to redevelop the area surrounding the Waterfort, a defensive structure first constructed in 1634 and rebuilt in 1827. The proposed hotel site was then occupied by the Netherlands Marine Corps, which relocated to Marinebasis Parera late in 1955. El Curaçao N.V. was incorporated in July 1955 to support the project. Hotel Curaçao InterContinental opened on 12 October 1957. The opening coincided with KLM’s announcement of direct flights from New York City to Curaçao, underlining the property’s importance to the island’s emerging international tourism sector. The building occupied part of the old fort and quickly became a major landmark in Willemstad. In 1968, an expansion was announced. The work added a 14-floor tower, completed in 1970, and increased the total number of rooms to 258. The tower contained meeting space on its second floor and a penthouse suite at the top. Its height made the hotel the tallest building in Curaçao, a status it retained in the source material through 2022. InterContinental chose to terminate its contract at the end of 1976. Canadian Pacific Hotels acquired the property on 2 September 1976 and renamed it Plaza Hotel Curaçao. Canadian Pacific moved its Latin American and Caribbean headquarters to Curaçao, and Air Canada announced charter services to the island. The hotel’s financial performance later weakened. In 1981, it reported significant losses and was sustained in part by casino revenue and subsidies from the island government. The government had acquired a 32 percent share in the hotel in 1981 and announced in 1989 that it intended to sell that interest. Negotiations with the Hart Hotel Group began in 1983, and the hotel was sold in June 1984 to the Hart Group, a joint venture of Richard Hart and Ramada Hotels. The property was renovated and received a discotheque. It reopened in December 1986, with Hart expressing confidence in its future profitability. Van der Valk Hotels bought the hotel in March 1989 for US$3 million. The purchaser proposed an artificial beach, but negotiations with the island government proved difficult. Environmental groups protested because of concerns that additional construction could damage the coral reef. Van der Valk also criticized the property’s lack of a private beach compared with other island hotels. In 2006, the hotel was sold to Barney Ivanovic, a Yugoslavian-born American businessman. A 2008 dispute with business partner Chester Peterson escalated into Ivanovic’s forcible removal from the hotel and a lengthy legal battle. In 2011, Ivanovic sued Adèle van der Pluijm-Vrede, who had been the notary and acting Governor of the Netherlands Antilles, in a Florida court. The case was dismissed after the court determined that the allegations were not connected sufficiently to Florida, while van der Pluijm-Vrede had declined to appear, citing expense and lack of time. Girobank held the hotel’s mortgage. By 2017, Plaza Hotel Management reportedly owed the bank NAf 26 million. Girobank brought the matter to court, and Plaza Hotel Management was declared bankrupt. A June 2017 auction sale to John W. Burcham of Waterfront Hotel Group, which proposed a Hilton DoubleTree conversion, was not completed because the purchase money was not paid. A 2018 sale to Tom Bolera for NAf 13.5 million also failed for the same general reason. In September 2020, Algemeen Pensionfonds Curaçao purchased the property for NAf 6.3 million and planned to redevelop the site. By the time of the 2020 auction, years of neglect and vandalism had left the former hotel in a dilapidated condition. Concrete deterioration caused pieces to fall from the structure, and experts recommended fencing it off. Viva Construction’s assessment concluded that demolition was preferable to attempting to preserve the deteriorated building. The property is consequently documented as a former hotel rather than an active operating brand.

• 2020

  Pension fund acquires the property

  [1]Plaza Hotel Curaçaoen.wikipedia.org

  Algemeen Pensionfonds Curaçao bought the property at auction and planned redevelopment.

• 2017

  Operating company enters bankruptcy

  [1]Plaza Hotel Curaçaoen.wikipedia.org

  Plaza Hotel Management was declared bankrupt after proceedings initiated by mortgage holder Girobank.

• 2006

  Barney Ivanovic becomes owner

  [1]Plaza Hotel Curaçaoen.wikipedia.org

  The property was sold to Barney Ivanovic.

• 1989

  Van der Valk acquisition

  [1]Plaza Hotel Curaçaoen.wikipedia.org

  Van der Valk Hotels purchased the hotel for US$3 million.

• 1986

  Renovated hotel reopens

  [1]Plaza Hotel Curaçaoen.wikipedia.org

  The renovated property reopened in December.

• 1984

  Hart Group acquisition

  [1]Plaza Hotel Curaçaoen.wikipedia.org

  The hotel was sold to the Hart Group, which renovated the property and added a discotheque.

• 1976

  Property becomes Plaza Hotel Curaçao

  [1]Plaza Hotel Curaçaoen.wikipedia.org

  Canadian Pacific Hotels acquired the property after InterContinental ended its management contract and renamed it Plaza Hotel Curaçao.

• 1970

  Fourteen-floor tower is completed

  [1]Plaza Hotel Curaçaoen.wikipedia.org

  The expansion increased the hotel to 258 rooms and made it Curaçao’s tallest building.

• 1957

  Hotel Curaçao InterContinental opens

  [1]Plaza Hotel Curaçaoen.wikipedia.org

  The hotel opened on 12 October 1957 within the redeveloped Waterfort area.

• 1955

  El Curaçao N.V. is established

  [1]Plaza Hotel Curaçaoen.wikipedia.org

  El Curaçao N.V. was founded to support development of the hotel project at the Waterfort site.

• 1953

  International hotel proposal is presented

  [1]Plaza Hotel Curaçaoen.wikipedia.org

  The International Hotel Corporation approached the government of Curaçao about building a large hotel on the island.

A landmark international-style waterfront hotel positioned around Curaçao tourism, business events, casino entertainment, and its distinctive location within the historic Waterfort.

• Hospitality · 1957

  Hotel accommodation

  The hotel’s core offering was accommodation in a large waterfront property in Willemstad. Following the 1970 tower expansion, the complex contained 258 rooms and included a penthouse suite. The property operated under several identities and ownership groups before becoming defunct.

• Business hospitality · 1970

  Meetings and events

  The expanded tower included meeting facilities, allowing the hotel to serve business gatherings and organized events in addition to leisure travelers. The available source material does not specify the size, names, or individual formats of these facilities.

• Entertainment

  Casino entertainment

  Casino activity was an important part of the property’s revenue mix during the Canadian Pacific period. The source material states that casino income helped keep the loss-making hotel operating in the early 1980s, but it does not provide further details about the casino’s operator or games.

• Nightlife · 1986

  Discotheque

  The Hart Group added a discotheque as part of a renovation program in the mid-1980s. It formed part of the hotel’s entertainment proposition when the renovated property reopened in December 1986.

• 2008

  Ownership dispute involving Barney Ivanovic

  A dispute between owner Barney Ivanovic and business partner Chester Peterson resulted in Ivanovic being forcibly removed from the hotel and led to prolonged legal proceedings.

  Source

Read more

• 2020

  Redevelopment after pension-fund acquisitionStrategy

  Background

  The building had suffered years of neglect, vandalism, and concrete deterioration, and a construction assessment was commissioned before the auction.

  Action taken

  Algemeen Pensionfonds Curaçao acquired the property and planned to redevelop the site after Viva Construction identified demolition as the best option.

  Aftermath

  The former hotel remained a deteriorated, non-operating property rather than a functioning hotel brand.

  Source

• 1989

  Artificial-beach expansion proposalStrategy

  Background

  Van der Valk sought to strengthen the hotel’s resort appeal, noting that it lacked a private beach.

  Action taken

  The owner proposed an artificial beach, requiring negotiations with the island government.

  Aftermath

  Negotiations proved difficult and environmental groups opposed the proposal because of potential coral-reef damage.

  Source

• 1984

  Hart Group renovation programStrategy

  Background

  The hotel had experienced financial difficulties under Canadian Pacific and entered negotiations with the Hart Hotel Group.

  Action taken

  The Hart Group acquired the hotel, renovated it, and added a discotheque.

  Aftermath

  The renovated hotel reopened in December 1986, with Richard Hart publicly expressing confidence in its profitability.

  Source

• 1976

  Canadian Pacific acquisition and rebrandingM&A

  Background

  InterContinental decided to end its management contract at the end of 1976.

  Action taken

  Canadian Pacific Hotels purchased the property on 2 September 1976 and renamed it Plaza Hotel Curaçao.

  Aftermath

  Canadian Pacific moved its regional headquarters to Curaçao and pursued airline-linked tourism development, but the hotel later reported major losses.

  Source

• 1968

  Decision to expand with a high-rise towerGeneration change

  Background

  The original hotel was expanded to increase room capacity and add more substantial meeting and accommodation facilities.

  Action taken

  A 14-floor tower was constructed and completed in 1970, bringing the total number of rooms to 258.

  Aftermath

  The expansion made the hotel the tallest building in Curaçao and reinforced its status as a major island landmark.

  Source

1. 1Plaza Hotel Curaçaoen.wikipedia.org