From Skanpol to New Skanpol - the history of our hotel.

Construction of the proud Kolobrzeg hotel began in the spring of 1960. The investment was started by the Gdansk City Construction Company, and continued by the Kolobrzeg Construction Company from 1961. However, this was not an easy task in the face of changing plans, material shortages and economic difficulties. Initially, the hotel was to have 10 floors, but in the end 8 floors were built. As planned, the facility was to be ready in 1963, but this was not accomplished until 1967.

In 1967, its manager Jan Kluba commented on the construction difficulties saying: "There are not enough highly qualified craftsmen. In particular, carpenters and glaziers are needed. Various "minor shortcomings" in the design are revealed. For the ceilings the installations were to be built using a thousand kilograms of aluminum slats. The designers "forgot" in their calculations about the ceiling over the main entrance and part of the ceilings in the restaurant and reception hall, so the builders were 700 kg short of this material. A lack of nickel-plated screws for paneling is also hitting us."

The hotel was originally designed for 188 rooms: 110 single and 74 double rooms, plus 4 suites. A total of 264 beds were to be provided. Of course, extra beds were also possible, so the facility could accommodate more guests.

Beginning in the early 1960s, a tall crane grew into the city's skyline for several years at what is now Dworcowa Street, delivering building materials to successive floors. The investment itself was of great interest to party dignitaries. They pointed not only to its "innovative" architectural form, but also to the important function it was to serve in the future in the resurgent health resort, which still lacked accommodations, especially those of a higher standard. The photo of the construction was hung for many years in the office of the First Secretary of the Provincial Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party in Koszalin. Generally, in 1962 the structure of the hotel was ready. In the spring of 1963, work was already underway on the terrace towering this part of the city. Among other things, workers could be seen repairing the tower block of the collegiate church.

In 1963, an international competition was held to name the hotel. There were 1,541 participants, of which 1,118 entries came from abroad. The name "Skanpol" won as it had been proposed by 3 people from Poland, Sweden and Denmark. The prize was a 2-week vacation at the hotel, only that it was still under construction at the time.

In 1967, the investment was moving toward a happy ending. What remained to be done was the finishing work and furnishing the hotel, which was a task as difficult as the construction itself. The radios for the rooms were made by the "Diora" company. Carpets came from Kalisz, furniture was made in Slupsk and Swarzedz, linens came from Prudnik, porcelain from the Ćmielów factory, and glass from the Zawiercie glassworks.

The "Skanpol" Hotel opened on August 2, 1967, although it was not yet fully ready, as the restaurant was not in operation. Zbigniew Powierża became director of the facility.

The hotel was very popular from the very beginning. It hosted 10,000 visitors in six months, including nearly 600 from abroad - from 18 countries, primarily Swedes. In 1968, foreign visitors left more than $30,000 at the hotel.

In the 1990s the hotel was sold to private investors from Denmark and is now called "New Skanpol".

Text author: Robert Dziemba

Article from: miastokolobrzeg.pl