Splendid functionalist jewel? Šumperk Hotel Perk!

The functionalist building of the iconic Grand Hotel, which has been operating at the same location since 1931, originated from the pen of interwar architect Bohumír Čermák, who gained fame as the author of Pavilion G at the Brno Exhibition Centre, the Prague Karlín Palace, and also for his notable functionalist buildings for the then network of department stores ASO throughout Czechoslovakia. His structures with ribbon windows, on pillars, with free floor plans and roof terraces adorned numerous cities from Plzeň to Šumperk, and even Vienna and Lima. The then Hotel Grand also shone with its functionalist facade and neon signs. However, dramatic historical twists halted its prosperity, and the hotel gradually fell into disrepair.

A new chapter in the life of the building of today's Hotel Perk began in 2020, when renovation commenced, lasting almost 3 years. The involvement of interior designer Lucie Koldová proved to be a key decision for the final unmistakable form and atmosphere of the hotel, imprinting the hotel with its resulting face and character. The emphasis on details, preference for local artisan companies, perfectly thought-out combinations of materials and colors, as well as top-notch furnishings and the use of modern technologies elevate the interiors of Hotel Perk to the highest design league. In the rooms, you will find dressers and nightstands from Master & Master, which is based in nearby Zábřeh in Moravia; furniture from Form Design and Todus also plays a wonderful role in the hotel furnishing. The Brokis lighting, controlled by custom-made switches from Hager Manufaktura, draws deserved attention in the interior.

A beautiful view of the city opens up from the wellness center located on the top floor of the building. The wellness center does not hide Lucie Koldová's touch and is everything but ordinary. The most striking proof is the use of large original Muffin lights, which create a calming atmosphere perfect for relaxation. The title of the most generous space in Hotel Perk belongs to the reception and lobby bar on the first floor. The eye-catching dominant feature of this space consists of suspended lights that Lucie designed for the Brokis brand, along with a seating arrangement in pastel colors and soft shades. The particularly inviting Cocon armchairs, which Lucie designed for Master & Master, beckon pleasant lounging. The overall composition feels airy, spatially generous, and well-lit.

The reason you will find the reception and lobby bar only on the first floor of the building is a kind of natural separation between the spaces for hotel guests and non-resident visitors to the restaurant and café, which are located on the ground floor. The restaurant boasts not only a modern menu emphasizing local and seasonal ingredients but also an imaginative interior. The colors on the ground floor have been chosen in darker intimate tones, complemented by gray concrete plaster and black metal and furniture; thanks to brick cladding and layered textures, it does not feel cold or unwelcoming. Today, it is one of the designer's favorite parts of the hotel. “The restaurant was overall challenging, and I adjusted the arrangement in combination with the lighting until the last moments,” explains Lucie Koldová. The restaurant features a long counter that bends in the middle, mimicking the rounded shape of the modernist facade. One half serves food service in the restaurant, while the other serves the café. Despite the fully glazed ground floor, the seating feels pleasant. “I wanted to create a cozy atmosphere for the restaurant’s guests, which is why I chose spot lighting above the café tables,” explains Lucie Koldová. A constellation of Prisma lights, which Lucie again designed for the Brokis glassworks, appears as small artistic artifacts floating in the air. They attract attention and symbolically connect the restaurant with the hotel lobby on the first floor. “The collection of lights with metal prisms has a clear opinion, and the atmospheric smoked glass globes with a diffuser create a pleasing ambient effect in the interior,” the designer highlights. The restaurant at Hotel Perk seems to aim to prove that even in a small town, hundreds of kilometers from Prague, experiential gastronomy can thrive. The tables in the restaurant are meticulously set—from linen napkins to cutlery in leather cases and porcelain dishes from Figgio Norway, used by Michelin restaurants around the world. The focus on quality gastronomy and homemade pastry delicacies, however, pays off, and in addition to hotel guests and tourists, local residents repeatedly find their way to the restaurant and café.

Hotel guests can choose from a variety of accommodations, from classic double rooms to a panoramic suite with its own terrace and views of the city and the adjacent park. Even in the rooms, the designer did not settle for standard furnishings. For example, according to her designs, skilled artisans in Kozmice near Hlučín crafted tables and cabinets for the hotel rooms. The lighting in the rooms was also not left to chance. “I am so glad that Lucie Koldová chose unique lights from the internationally renowned design duo Muller Van Severen,” says Katrin Grund, founder and owner of the design store MONOBRAND, who supplied the lights and lamps for the rooms. “In various rooms, you will find a full spectrum of these purist lamps, from black to striking green. They beautifully complement the masterful pieces used in the public areas of the hotel that the designer created for the Brokis brand,” Katrin Grund smiles. In the rooms, you will also find custom-made berker R.3 switches and sockets in black, but with a special matte finish. “Our custom production program Hager Manufaktura addresses precisely these individual requests for architects and designers worldwide,” explains Thomas Grund, the general director of the Czech branch of the German-French company Hager. “For Hotel Perk, we adjusted our berker R.3 switches in terms of the final surface finish. Although they are glossy in the standard offering, for the interiors of Hotel Perk, they were made in matte. And I must admit that this seemingly small change significantly enhances the result,” Thomas Grund smiles. For other, less prominent interiors of the hotel, the choice fell on more discreet lumina intense switches and sockets in white, again from Hager. These switches serve reliably in the interior without drawing attention away from other design artifacts.

In summary, a new jewel rightly belongs on the design map of the Czech Republic, which is well on its way to becoming a favorite among lovers of design accommodations and modern gastronomy. All that remains is to applaud the investors and creators of the successful renovation and tip an imaginary hat to them for the diligence and perfectionism with which they approached the return of nobility and splendor to the First Republic hotel. So hurry up, everyone to Šumperk, because you must see, taste, and simply experience Hotel Perk!