Reimagining Sanglier des Ardennes

The iconic five-star hotel Sanglier des Ardennes faced challenges in 2024 when it experienced an impressive fire just before Christmas, yet it turned this challenge into an opportunity for re-invention. They moved the Wagyu restaurant to a new venue and enlisted WeWantMore to transform the area into a multifunctional restaurant serving as both the breakfast, lunch, and tea room. 

The result is L’Orangerie du Sanglier: a bright, inviting venue located above the lobby at the heart of the hotel. Welcoming both guests and visitors, it celebrates the hotel’s resilience while bringing the natural beauty of the Ardennes indoors.

L'Orangerie: A New All-Day Dining Destination

WeWantMore's design for L'Orangerie was guided by the concept of "Traces of Time," inspired by the Ourthe River and Durbuy's rock formations. Preserving the existing floors and central bar became an essential part of this narrative, requiring inventive solutions to transform the dark atmosphere of the original Wagyu into a bright, uplifting space.

Within L’Orangerie, a subtle line in the floor and ceiling marks the transition between old and new, with darker areas reserved for service and lighter spaces for dining. Carefully arranged furniture, curtains, and directional seating define intimate breakfast zones, while soft yellow tones, light oak, and marble surfaces enhance the airy atmosphere. The space blurs the boundary between the dining area and outdoors, creating an environment that honours the hotel’s heritage while embracing its evolution.

Flexible Spaces for Work & Connection

With breakfast relocated to L'Orangerie, the former breakfast area was transformed into a contemporary business centre that expands the hotel's conference and meeting facilities. The client wanted to offer companies the possibility to organise off-site meetings in a high-end environment, and the new layout was designed around four distinct meeting spaces, offering greater flexibility while creating a more intimate, hospitality-led atmosphere. The main boardroom, featuring original Panamarenko sketches, sits alongside a more informal meeting room and two adjoining spaces that can be opened into a larger multipurpose venue for conferences, workshops, corporate events or even walking dinners. 

Continuing the same material language, the interiors combine light and dark oak, tactile materials, bespoke lighting features and generous views across the Ourthe River. A large breakout lounge and dedicated coffee stations encourage informal encounters beyond the meeting table.

"Our collaboration with WeWantMore transformed a necessary redesign into an exciting opportunity. Their creativity shaped a central gathering place that inspires guests and energises our team. Energised by our guests enthusiastic feedback, we look ahead to a bright future in a venue that reflects the true welcoming spirit of the Sanglier des Ardennes"

- Benoit Bronckart, CEO Sanglier Durbuy Adventures