Recommended Hotels

The prices below indicate room rates per night for a double room. Most budget and moderately priced hotels include breakfast in the room rate, but many expensive hotels do not. Older hotels tend not to have wheelchair access, although newer hotels generally have ramps. (For more information, click here.)

€€€€ over 400 euros

€€€ 250–400 euros

€€ 100–250 euros

€ below 100 euros

Brussels

Grand-Place/Ilot Sacré/fish market

Amigo €€€ rue de l’Amigo 1–3, tel: 02-547 4747, www.roccofortehotels.com. One of the most luxurious hotels in the city, the Amigo is situated just off the Grand-Place.

Le Dixseptième €€€ rue de la Madeleine 25, tel: 02-517 1717, www.ledixseptieme.be. This intimate elegant hotel just across from the Galeries Royales St-Hubert was home to the Spanish ambassador in the 18th century, and the building retains much of its grandeur. All rooms have marble bathrooms.

Floris Arlequin Grand-Place €€ rue de la Fourche 17–19, tel: 02-514 1615, www.florishotelarlequin.be. Many rooms in this small hotel, situated in a historic district and street close to the Grand-Place and the Manneken-Pis, have beams and little windows. They are nicely furnished, but the bathrooms are small. You can’t beat the location for both sightseeing and eating out.

George V € rue T’Kint 23. Modernised and generally brightened up, this small hotel in an old residential zone across the way from the Bourse, and a 10-minute walk from the Grand-Place, has quite basic but nicely furnished rooms.

Métropole €€€ place de Brouckère 31, tel: 02-217 2300, www.metropolehotel.be. The grande-dame of Brussels’ hotels, the Métropole is sumptuous, with fantastic marble decorations, although some areas are showing their age. It has a fully equipped fitness centre.

Mozart €€ rue du Marché-aux-Fromages 23, tel: 02-502 6661, www.hotel-mozart.be. Situated one street behind the Grand-Place in the heart of a restaurant and bar area, the Mozart offers a good option to those who want to be very central. Rooms have antique furnishings and old paintings and the interiors are a flamboyant mix of Baroque and Oriental styles.

Residence le Quinze €€ Grand-Place 15, tel: 02-511 0956, www.hotel-le-quinze-grand-place.be. You can’t get much closer to the Grand-Place than in the historic main square’s only hotel. It has just 14 rooms, the more expensive with the most desirable view in town.

Welcome €€ quai au Bois-à-Brûler 23, tel: 02-219 9546, www.hotelwelcome.com. This boutique hotel, in a townhouse dating from 1896 at the Marché-aux-Poissons, makes up in personal attention for what it lacks in size. Each room is individually styled on a different national theme. There’s no shortage of good seafood restaurants just outside on the Fish Market.

Upper City

Les Bluets € rue Berckmans 124, tel: 02-534 3983, www.bluets.be. In a townhouse dating from 1864 off avenue Louise, this small, quirky hotel, filled with antiques, is full of country-house charm, but just a 20-minute walk from the Grand-Place. The feeling of staying at a rural residence extends into the rooms, which are old-fashioned and comfortable rather than modern and efficient.

Eurostars Montgomery €€ avenue de Tervueren 134, tel: 02-741 8511, www.eurostarsmontgomery.com. Situated near Parc du Cinquantenaire, the Montgomery offers a variety of rooms, with decor ranging from blue marine with floral decorations to Japanese-style rooms in shades of blue and white. The library has volumes in several languages, and there’s an elegant restaurant and a sauna.

9 Hotel Sablon €€ rue de la Paille 2, tel: 02-880 0701, www.9-hotel-sablon-brussels.be. A 4-star boutique hotel with attractive contemporary décor inspired by the artists and galleries of the Sablon district and luxurious spa facilities, including a swimming pool, hot tub and Finnish sauna. There’s a bar but no restaurant, although there are plenty of dining options nearby.

Hotel du Congrès €€ rue du Congrès 42, tel: 02-217 1890, www.hotelducongres.be. This hotel is just off rue Royale, about 15-minute walk from the Grand-Place. It’s a clean, basic option, converted from four 19th-century houses. Some of the rooms overlook a garden.

Ibis Styles Brussels Louise €€ avenue Louise 212, tel: 02-644 2929, www.ibis.com. Stylish hotel in a pleasant district. The rooms in this converted townhouse are comfortable and rates are reasonable for a hotel on one of Brussels’ most elegant streets.

Le Châtelain €€€€ rue du Châtelain 17, tel: 02-646 0055, www.le-chatelain.com. Luxury, five-star hotel, located just off avenue Louise. Rooms are lavishly equipped, tastefully furnished and well soundproofed. Guests can relax in an enchanting garden at the rear.

Made in Louise €€ rue Veydt 40, tel: 02-537 4033, www.madeinlouise.com. In a residential street off busy chaussée de Charleroi, this tranquil hotel is distinguished by graceful decor and antiques in its reception area and hallways. The rooms are plain, however, but mostly decently furnished, comfortable and cosy.

Pantone €€ place Loix 1, tel: 02-541 4898, www.pantonehotel.com. A palette of colours that ranges from fiery to restrained creates an up-to-the-minute ambiance in this designer hotel in a leafy part of the St-Gilles district, close to avenue Louise. Rooms also feature photography by Belgian artist Victor Levy. There’s a rooftop bar terrace in summer.

Sabina €€ rue du Nord 78, tel: 02-218 2637, www.hotelsabina.eu. In a street off rue Royale, this small hotel in a 19th-century townhouse features some of the attributes of a private residence. The rooms don’t quite match the warmth of the public spaces, but they are quiet and tastefully modern.

Steigenberger Wiltcher’s €€€ avenue Louise 71, tel: 02-542 4242, http://en.steigenberger.com. Large and sprawling, this hotel on Brussels’ grandest street is among the most expensive in town. Facilities include a heated indoor pool, a health club and spa, and a continental restaurant. The luxuriously furnished rooms include excellent amenities.

Vintage €€ rue Dejoncker 45, tel: 02-533 9980, www.vintagehotel.be. Housed in an early 20th-century townhouse close to avenue Louise, the retro-design vintage of this small hotel is broadly mid-20th century, and an in-house wine bar keeps the vintage theme going. Each bedroom has a unique decor.

Warwick Barsey €€€ avenue Louise 381–383, tel: 02-649 9800, www.warwickbarsey.com. A luxury hotel situated near the city centre and only minutes away from the best designer shopping in Brussels (on avenue Louise), the Warwick Barsey has well-furnished rooms, a bar and friendly helpful staff. Hotel guests can also enjoy a Renaissance-style terrace and garden.

Beyond the Old City

Bedford €€ rue du Midi 135–137, tel: 02-507 0000, www.hotelbedford.be. The Bedford is close to Gare du Midi. The decor in the rooms is a little unimaginative, and rooms also vary greatly in terms of natural light and noise levels. Restaurant, bar and shops.

Hotel Bloom! €€ rue Royale 250, tel: 02-220 6611. New owners have reinvented the staid old Royal Crown, in the Botanique district just outside the city centre, as an innovative, design-led hotel with a multifaceted continental restaurant. Not only does the hotel support artists and designers, but it also uses green electricity.

Le Plaza €€€€ boulevard Adolphe Max 118–126, tel: 02-278 0100, www.leplaza-brussels.be. Situated just a short stroll from place de Brouckère in an Art Deco palace, Le Plaza was a major attraction for visitors during the 1930s and 1940s, but it passed a number of years in the doldrums before being totally refurbished in fine style in the late 1990s.

Theater Hotel € rue Van Gaver 23, tel: 02-350 9000, www.theaterhotelbrussels.com. This hotel is centrally located in the theatre district, close to Place Rogier and rue Nueve, and has a simple but cool contemporary style. Some rooms are triples and quads suitable for families or small groups.

Floris Ustel Midi €€ square de l’Aviation 6–8, tel: 02-520 6053, www.florishotelustelmidi.be. Friendly three-star hotel just minutes from Gare du Midi. There is a lively bar with a large terrace, and a fine restaurant, La Grande Ecluse (for more information, click here) is next door in the old flood-lock building of the River Senne. The hotel also features an entertainment room for guests.

Antwerp

De Witte Lelie €€€ Keizerstraat 16–18, tel: 03-226 1966, www.dewittelelie.be. Magnificent suites-only hotel just minutes away from the Grote Markt and other attractions in central Antwerp. The courtyard is a peaceful retreat from the bustle of the city.

Rubenshof €€ Amerikalei 115–117, tel: 03-237 0789, www.rubenshof.be. Near the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, this small family hotel used to be the residence of Belgium’s cardinal and features lavishly appointed public spaces. The 22 rooms are plain, but comfortable. The Art Nouveau breakfast room has beautiful stained-glass windows.

Bruges

Die Swaene €€€ Steenhouwersdijk 1, tel: 050-342798, www.dieswaene.com. This small, romantic hotel on the Groenerei canal in the city centre has comfortable rooms elegantly and individually furnished to a high standard. Its lounge, from 1779, used to be the Guildhall of the Tailors. All rooms have separate bathrooms. The restaurant serves excellent seafood and Flemish cuisine.

Hans Memling €€ Kuiperstraat 18, tel: 050-471212, www.hansmemling.be. A small hotel situated in the heart of the city, the Hans Memling is perfect for exploring this historic town. It has a pleasant breakfast room and a cosy terrace.

Hotel Orangerie €€€ Karthuizerinnenstraat 10, tel: 050-341649, www.hotelorangerie.be. An attractive 17th-century canal house set opposite the Dijver canal, this hotel is in an ideal location. The rooms are individually designed and furnished to luxurious standards.

Rosenburg €€€ Coupure 30, tel: 050-340194, www.rosenburg.be. A 10-minute walk from the historic centre, this quiet, canal-side hotel offers plain modern yet comfortable accommodation. There is a restaurant and a bar. Most of rooms overlook the canal.

Ghent

NH Gent Belfort €€ Hoogpoort 63, tel: 09-233 3331, www.nh-hotels.com. Situated opposite the Stadhuis (Town Hall), the hotel is centrally located and in a perfect position for exploring the town. Facilities include a restaurant, bar, fitness room and sauna. Rooms are simple, yet stylish and spacious.

Novotel Gent Centrum €€ Goudenleeuwplein 5, tel: 09-293 9002. Part of the Accor chain, this is probably one of its most attractive hotels. Situated in the historic centre of Ghent, it incorporates a 14th-century crypt. There is a restaurant, a bar and an outdoor pool open in summer.