Toulouse. A pharaonic project will open its doors (and its swimming pool) on the largest square in the city
By Maxence Dourlen
Published on
the old Compans-Caffarelli barracks will soon be reborn from its ashes. In a few weeks, the gigantic mixed hotel project will materialize after several years of work. This establishment will be intended for students during the school year, but also for workers or tourists throughout the year.
Initially scheduled for spring 2021, the opening of the Student Hotel of Toulouse is scheduled for September 1, 2022. Guided tour of this singular hotel residence with swimming pool on the roof.
More than 350 rooms
Located opposite the campus dedicated to digital professions, the Student Hotel offers 354 rooms including 190 intended for students (from 18 to 21m2) from the start of the school year. When you enter the 10,000m2 of the establishment, you quickly understand that the management has pulled out all the stops.
24-hour catering area and terrace (225m2), state-of-the-art gym, cinema room, soundproofed workspaces, laundromat, multiple coworking rooms, e-gaming lounge (with Playstation 5)… Nothing was left behind. by chance by the Dutch hotel chain which has other establishments in Paris, Vienna, Madrid and even Berlin. A few weeks before its opening, the Toulouse hotel clearly displays its ambition: to become an essential place to live of the Pink City.
Opening September 1
Still under construction, the old Compans-Caffarelli barracks are gradually being revealed with an opening scheduled for the start of the school year. “30% of student rooms have already been reserved”, explain the members of the team, always hard at work to be ready on D-Day. Spacious, these rooms are equipped with a large bed – and an often superb view – are accompanied by common areas including ultra-functional kitchens and various entertainment areas (ping-pong table, billiards, piano, etc.). 80 bikes will also be self-service for tenants who could accommodate an accompanying person 7 nights/month.
“We really want to create spaces for exchanges between the different students while promoting the local culture. »
In addition to these spaces reserved for the youngest, the hotel offers other services to satisfy the occasional visitor or who wishes to stay for several weeks or months. These 38 “long stay” rooms are classified 4 stars with an integrated kitchen. 126 more “classic” rooms accompany the offer for “non-student” visitors.
Open days
Several open days will be organized during the month of August to discover the Student Hotel in Toulouse: 11,12,18 and 19.
From 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., you will be able to discover this 10,000m2 establishment and all its amenities. It will also be possible to eat in the presence of a DJ.
A place open to the city
Far from being fixed on the direction to give to the establishment, the management team wants to be very flexible, in particular with regard to the reception of the external public. An important security system is also in place with surveillance cameras and the presence of a security guard 24 hours a day.
Whether for seminars, to take advantage of the catering service or the various facilities, outside visitors will always be welcome. A €100/month package is also offered for visitors wishing to regularly take advantage of the amenities of the Student Hotel in Toulouse. And this obviously concerns the swimming pool located on the 6th floor of the establishment.
Rooftop swimming pool
The swimming pool and the rooftop (130m2) of the Student Hotel are undoubtedly the strong point of this new establishment. With a breathtaking view of the Place de l’Europe – which will be fitted out in the coming months -, a catering service and a bar, the place already promises to be one of the essentials of summer 2023.
While waiting to be able to take advantage of it, the management of the establishment promises an evening every week, on Fridays, as well as various events. “We will also adapt to our tenants,” continues Aliénor Bibal. Yoga, aquagym, conferences… The establishment does not rule out any track to satisfy everyone.
Debates around its construction
Long disputed, this project will finally have come to an end. As soon as it was announced, several voices were raised, particularly during public meetings, to denounce the establishment of this hotel project in a place steeped in history.
Launched by residents of the district, a petition (“So that the place of Europe in Toulouse remains intact”) had registered more than 1600 signatures. “It’s a place like there aren’t many in the city center anymore…”, attracted a local resident at the time.
With the construction of the Student Hotel, the area of the square has increased from around 20,000 m2 to around 12,000 m2…
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