Hotel Kempinski Laje de Pedra
Designed by architect Edgar Albuquerque Graeff, the historic Hotel Laje de Pedra opened in 1978 and was largely responsible for bringing Canela, a small town in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, to the attention of national and international tourists. The hotel became an icon of hospitality and a stage for historic events like the signing of the Mercosur Treaty, which established a South American trade bloc.
Its doors closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the property was subsequently purchased by LPD Canela Empreendimentos e Participações SA, which is expected to invest a sizable amount in the property’s revitalization and generate hundreds of jobs in this small community.
Images: Neorama Studio
Located on a verdant 28,000-square-meter site, the hotel will be renewed and expanded in a way that honors the region’s culture, history, and natural environment. “Our proposal is to provide guests and visitors with updated spaces that value the historic identity of the hotel and the original design guidelines,” explains architect Douglas Tolaine, design director of our São Paulo studio and the project leader.
“The main challenge was to balance the vision of the future with the history and tradition of Laje de Pedra. This is not simply a hotel project, but the rescue of a destination with a profound cultural impact,” says architect Fernando Vidal, the studio’s managing director.
“I’ve visited Laje de Pedra since I was a child. This magnificent hotel introduced the Serra Gaúcha, which was a regional tourist destination at the time, to the rest of Brazil. We will transform it into the best leisure hotel in the country: luxurious, but with personality and identity. We want to promote an immersive experience in the culture, art, interior design, and architecture of Rio Grande do Sul,” says manager José Paim, partner at LPD Canela.
The renovation will prepare Laje de Pedra to become integrated with the luxury hotel chain Kempinski Hotels and will place Canela on the international high-end tourism itinerary. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, Kempinski Hotels operates 79 five-star hotels in 34 countries.
Among the amenities will be a new theater with 350 seats, which will function as a cinema and a 2,500-square-meter convention center. The complex will also have 366 apartments of varying sizes.
The new Kempinski Laje de Pedra Hotel & Residences will also feature a covered plaza for entertainment activities, four restaurants, five bars, a complete spa with an indoor lap pool, an infinity pool, a children’s area, and an exclusive rooftop bar with a stunning view of the Quilombo Valley.
