The Kurhaus is a landmark building on the boulevard of Scheveningen. The history of the Kurhaus begins in 1818 when Jacob Pronk, an enterprising resident of Scheveningen, decided to establish a pavilion with four rooms equipped with bathtubs that could be filled with either cold or hot water, catering to the popular seawater and air cures of the time. Pronk owned two bathing carriages, allowing interested individuals to enter the sea unseen and then cautiously slide into the water.
The Bathhouse became a great success, so much so that in 1826 a stone building named "Municipal Bathhouse" was erected. This building housed hotel rooms, a library, a billiard room, dining rooms, and bathing facilities. Jacob Pronk was forced to sell his properties to the city council of The Hague, which then took over the management. When the spas in Belgium threatened to win the competition, it was decided that Scheveningen needed to launch a large-scale project. A consortium of four Dutch businessmen was established, and they agreed with the city council to pay an annual rent of ƒ 25,000 to the council until 1958.
The Bathhouse was demolished, and within a year, the Kurhaus was built by German architects Johann Friedrich Henkenhaf and Friedrich Ebert, the architect of the Krasnapolsky Hotel in Amsterdam. The Kurhaus opened in 1885, offering 150 hotel rooms, a large hall (the Kurzaal), restaurant La Corvette, an elevator, and hot water facilities.
In 1886, the Kurhaus burned down to the ground but was completely rebuilt within a year. In the following years, the consortium added a shopping gallery, a Pier, the Kurhaus Bar, two hotels, the Circus Theatre, and the inhalatorium to the Kurhaus. In the inhalatorium, people were treated with seawater for various ailments and could inhale the fresh sea air. The inhalatorium existed until 1945; then it was converted into a small theater. In 1952, central heating was installed in the Kurhaus; until then, the hotel was mainly seen as a summer residence. But a summer residence with class. Members of the Royal House, foreign guests, and heads of state spent their summers at the Kurhaus.
One of the main attractions was the music offered. The large hall (the Kurzaal), which functioned as a concert hall at the time, offered a performance by famous concert groups and musicians every day. To name a few; Richard Tauber, Maurice Chevalier, Edith Piaf, Duke Ellington, Marlene Dietrich, Bela Bartok, Leonard Bernstein, etc. Heads of state were received by the Dutch government or the Royal family during gala evenings.
In the 1960s, the Kurhaus changed hands, tourists preferred sunnier destinations, and decay became visible. In the early 1970s, the municipality found the Consortium Scheveningen, consisting of Bredero and Nationale Nederlanden, willing to jointly develop a new Scheveningen that could be exploited year-round. Given the poor condition of the Kurhaus, it was decided to undertake a total reconstruction.
On May 8, 1979, in the presence of then HRH Princess Beatrix, the Kurhaus Hotel was officially reopened after being closed for 7 years. The total reconstruction costs amounted to ƒ 110 million, of which ƒ 7 million was for the interior. The reconstruction of the Kurhaus was made possible thanks to a government subsidy of ƒ 50 million. Until October 24, 2014, the Kurhaus was affiliated with Steigenberger Hotels AG, a German (Frankfurt) hotel chain. Since October 24, 2014, the Kurhaus has been part of the Amrâth Hotel Group.
Grand Hotel Amrâth Kurhaus The Hague Scheveningen is located in an authentic, monumental building, right at the beach of Scheveningen. The beach is a 3 minute walk from the property. WiFi access is available here, free of charge.
