Hotel Thermal

Completed in 1976

Hotel Thermal is located in the centre of the spa town Karlovy Vary, in close proximity to the spa zone. Art Nouveau buildings dating from the 19^th century originally stood there. The vast complex required almost 30 houses to be demolished, including a school building. Husband and wife Vladimír and Věra Machonin, prominent representatives of Brutalism, won the competition for the hotel’s design. Its construction lasted from 1967 to 1976. The complex was initially planned as a large congress centre connected with a hotel. In the 1990s, its demolition was considered. The hotel is still owned by the state. An extensive reconstruction of the building began in 2019. Art historians are warning that the unique building is threatened and its inscription on the list of cultural heritage is being considered.

The complex of Hotel Thermal has several parts: the 16-storey hotel building, a large base and a body with a circular floorplan, with common rooms and the main hall. The 50-metre outdoor pool in also an integral part of the complex. The main building also contains a restaurant, a café, a casino and a passage with shops. There is a car park with garages in the hotel’s basement. The complex is one of the largest congress centres in the Czech Republic, with a large hall and other conference rooms, projection halls and lounges. After its completion, the hotel became the venue of the International Film Festival Karlovy Vary. Important ceremonies take place there, including the awards ceremony, in which the main prize, the Crystal Globe, is awarded.