Brussels hotels

You can’t get much closer to the Grand-Place than the luxurious Hotel Amigo without actually curling up on the square’s cobblestones. But the prime location isn’t the only reason this is one of the best hotels in Brussels.

Set on the site of a 16th-century jail (the name comes from Spanish soldiers mishearing the Flemish word for ‘prison’), I’m a big fan of its award-winning Italian restaurant, Bocconi. You’ll also find all the 5-star touches you’d expect from the Rocco Forte group, including ultra-knowledgeable concierges.

The rooms mix understated opulence with a nod to Belgian heritage – think Herge and Magritte prints and traditional fabrics – along with Carrara marble in the bathrooms. Don’t leave without a drink at Bar Magritte, where 20 unique cocktails are inspired by the artist’s life and surreal dreamscapes. My top pick is the Double Meaning, made with Pisco infused with apple, avocado and absinthe.

If you’re looking for unique hotels in Brussels, The Dominican ticks all the boxes, with its unusual history and impressive style credentials as a Design Hotels member. Built in the heart of the city on the site of a 15th-century Dominican Abbey, the hotel was once home to neoclassical French painter and revolutionary Jacques-Louis David, who chose to exile himself in Brussels after the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte.

In the guestrooms, you’ll spy designs inspired by the symbol of the Dominican order alongside prints of some of David’s most famous works, tactile velvets, deep chocolatey woods and tiles, and Nespresso coffee machines.

In summer, dine under the fig tree in the courtyard or feast year-round at the gilded Grand Lounge. The stuffed quail is the specialty, but I recommend saving room for the very unexpected butternut squash crème brûlée.

With its quirky photography theme and ‘cosy industrial’ style, it pays to zoom in on the Zoom Hotel. The 37 guestrooms are decorated with unique photos of Brussels taken by Belgian artists, while elsewhere you’ll find retro camera equipment, decorative drawings of cameras and a photo wall. I love the Instagrammable corners, which encourage you to get in the picture too.

Set across two converted houses off the swanky Avenue Louise, there’s plenty of emphasis on cosiness here too, with four-poster and king size beds in the largest rooms. You’ll also find photo-inspired colour themes – not only black and white, but Kodak yellow and red, and sepia.

End the day at the terrace bar with snacks, natural wines and craft beers from Brussels. There’s no doubt this is one of the best hotels in Brussels for urban style.

Located inside a 19th-century arcade, the elegant, boutique Hotel Des Galeries is light years from your average shopping centre hotel. With only 23 guestrooms, you’ll find nods to its historic setting combined with contemporary style touches like bespoke tiles.

For a stay to remember, I don’t think you can beat one of the three duplex suites. One has its own private walkway; another looks out over the statue of St Michael at the top of the nearby City Hall. Each room is slightly different, with subtle coral pops of colour or sage green shades as restful as the hotel’s atmosphere, plus vintage touches such as parquet flooring and free-standing tubs.

Look out for the huge medal press in the heart of the hotel’s Comptoir des Galeries brasserie, set in the arcade’s former workshops, where craftsmen produced work for the Belgian royal family.

After a lavish renovation transformed its 225 guestrooms and 42 suites in 2015, Steigenberger Wiltcher's is easily one of the grandest hotels in Brussels. Named for English hotelier Sidney Wiltcher, everything here is done on a palatial scale. It’s home to one of the biggest ballrooms in the city, as well as one of its top health clubs, with a pool, spa, beauty salon, sauna, steam room and fitness centre.

The rooms are similarly spacious and decked out in muted modern minimalism, with fine wood furniture and Acqua di Parma toiletries in the marble bathrooms.

My tip for sheer indulgence is to start your day with the impressive breakfast buffet at Café Wiltcher's, one of five bars and restaurants to choose from. Then, after browsing the designer offerings along nearby Avenue Louise, end with Belgian caviar and Champagne at Loui Cocktail Bar and Restaurant.

Behind the unassuming ivy-clad exterior of this hotel you’ll discover an aristocratic gem, furnished as if you’ve stepped back in time to the reigns of Louis XV and XVI. With a few added Eastern touches and splashes of colour rounding out the design, this is one of the best hotels in Brussels for those looking for something a little different.

Despite the luxurious touches – including a spa with a hammam, glittering chandeliers in the restaurant and rococo elegance in the 50 guestrooms – this family-owned hotel is far from stiff and formal. Expect huge gilt-framed mirrors, ornate chaise longues, and lashings of gold and chocolate brown in the rooms, as well as white Carrara marble and cool Rajasthan greens in the bathrooms.

End the day sipping a herb-infused cocktail at the bar, before tucking into Belgian wagyu beef in the Kolya restaurant. I particularly love the eye-catching ostrich-egg chandelier.

This boutique B&B beats off some stiff competition to make my list of the best hotels in Brussels thanks to its Art Nouveau setting and unique style. Built in 1904 by a leading Art Nouveau architect – himself a student of the style’s pioneer, Victor Horta – Maison Flagey has all the essentials for a chic architecture-themed break. The Horta Museum is close by, along with the Art Deco Flagey Building.

Each of the five guestrooms is decorated individually with added period touches, such as Art Nouveau lamps, tempting day beds, freestanding vintage baths and original mosaic tiling alongside mod cons like Nespresso coffee machines.

One of my favourite touches are the sunny terraces you’ll find in several rooms – but anyone can soak up the views of the Ixelles ponds from the terrace at breakfast before exploring the hip suburb of Ixelles.

Life’s too short for ordinary stays, announces Hotel Hubert, and I’m certainly not going to argue with that. The hotel more than lives up to its promise, offering a vibrant modern alternative to the many historic offerings in Brussels.

One of the best hotels in Brussels, the specially designed wallpaper in the rooms depicts the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, just across the street, with pale pink walls and deep plum velvet chairs to complete the funky retro effect.

The rooms also feature modern updates, including Nespresso machines, rain showers and mini-fridges, while the food truck in the lobby serves fantastic pizza and focaccia. Head to the colourful bar, one of my favourite spots, for cocktails and Belgian beer – take a moment to pause on one of the velvet bar stools and gaze round at the lush plants as you order.

It’s said that during the 17th century, this building was once the residence of the Spanish ambassador. You’re guaranteed a stay to remember at Le Dixseptieme, with plenty of nods to its fascinating past, such as timber beams and an original carved wooden staircase.

You’ll feel as if you’re stepping back in time as you stroll through the front door, just 250 yards from the Grand-Place, making this one of the best hotels in Brussels for location. The Classic section houses the oldest and largest rooms, with original tiled fireplaces, antique four-poster beds and prints of Old Masters.

Meanwhile, there are more contemporary Patio rooms around the courtyard and 13 new Garden rooms overlooking the hotel’s tranquil hidden garden. All are named after Belgian artists, with their artwork reproduced inside – I’m a fan of the Van Eyck suite.

Set in a converted townhouse dating from 1911, this welcoming hotel has a few individual touches to mark it out as one of the best hotels in Brussels. The 48 guestrooms are sleek and stylish, with vintage furnishings and bold wallpaper adding personality to the cool, minimalist decor.

But it’s the extras which should tempt you to stay at this boutique hotel near the Avenue Louise. The impressive breakfast buffet has a focus on local providers, along with vegetarian and gluten-free products – choose from waffles, local cheese, pastries, eggs, pancakes, chia pudding and honey from beehives set on the rooftops of Brussels.

Or relax with a choice of Belgian beers from the Made in Market selection, before playing giant chess in the leafy courtyard. I love the fact the hotel supports charities in Belgium and overseas, so you’re actually doing good while feeling good.