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Belgium Hotel Reviews
Cubicle Dreamin': Belgium's Brewery Hotel
November 8, 2007 at 9:30 AM | 0 Comments
Cubicle Dreamin' is a feature in which we ask the hotel mavens to take some time out of their busy work day, surf the Internet, and tell us what hotel they wish they could beam themselves to right that very second--all on the slave driving companies dime, of course. Oh, like these people aren't surfing aimlessly anyway--at least now their purposeless clicking will be cobbled together into useful hotel stories--we hope. Have a destination hotel you are just dying to leave your cube for? Send the story our way.
In this episode, Hotel Maven Emily gets her hotel drink on. Enjoy.
Just because Oktoberfest has come and gone for this year doesn't mean we can't dream of traveling to a land where the tap flows freely...and directly from our hotel. Belgium's Hotel Carolus is located inside the 15th century brewery Het Anker in the charming town of Mechelen, about halfway between Brussels and Antwerp. Sure, the 22 rooms look pretty spartan, but who cares about high thread count sheets when you've got a Belgian bock to keep you warm?
aloft hotels
aloft hotel hype taken overseas
March 12, 2007 at 5:45 PM | 0 Comments
starwood's w hotel spin-off, aloft hotels has taken the lower-cased hotel hype show abroad, announcing an aloft brussels.
The 150 guestroom aloft Brussels will be located on Rue Belliard, Leopold, in the `European' quarter of Brussels. The property is conveniently located approximately 800 feet from the European Commission and European Parliament buildings, and just minutes away from the Council of Ministers building.
so far, it looks like all of the aloft branding will be taken over to brussels when the place opens in 2009, including the re:mix (community/lobby area), w xyz (the bar) and re:fuel, the one-stop food and beverage area open 24 hours.
this is just the first of many alofts expected to open worldwide. while its nice to have ambitious global expansion plans, maybe they could open an aloft up stateside first?
related stories:
· aloft coverage [HotelChatter]
· starwood hotels bring a new twist in travel to europe [BizWire]
Celebrity Scoop
Ralph Fiennes Continues World Sex Tour at Hotel
March 6, 2007 at 4:28 PM | 0 Comments
Actor Ralph Fiennes caused quite a stir last month when he joined the Mile High Club with a Qantas stewardess yet that hasn't slowed down his travelling sex drive.
The latest report has the actor frolicking naked in a hotel pool in Belgium with not one, but four women.
Guests at the Hotel Tuilerieen in Bruges were awoken at 5am by loud music, yelling and screaming. Usually, hotel managers don't like to disturb celebrity guests no matter how bad the behavior, but this hotel's rep, Patricia Homble said: "I wasn't happy about it."
But did she ask Fiennes and co. to leave? We doubt it.
Related Stories:
· Ralph Fiennes Caught In Nude 'Pool Romp' [Post Chronicle]
· Ralph Fiennes Loves Qantas [Jaunted]
Valentine's Day Hotels
Valentine's Day Hotel Packages: Hotel Heritage
January 17, 2007 at 9:08 AM | 0 Comments
Valentine's Day is a month away and if you want to impress your significant lover with a spectacular hotel stay, then you better get cracking. Luckily, we will make your job a little easier by featuring some hotel packages that we have heard about this week. Any tips or questions about how to romance your lover in a hotel (not sexually of course), send 'em our way and we'll do our best to answer them.
The Hotel Heritage in Bruges may not have an exotic Valentine's day package with erotic cooking but they are counting on the charm of Europe to set the romantic tone. From their Valentine Package description?
What would you think about strolling along the Canals, being carried around the medieval centre or to enjoy the first ray of sunshine at the Park of the Lake of Love? This doesn't sound so bad? Forget the world for a while and come to enjoy the magic of Bruges! It has been said a million times before: Bruges and romance are an everlasting match!!
The very enthusiastic package includes up to three nights accommodations, breakfast buffet, a horse-drawn carriage through the heart of town, a box of Godiva chocolates, a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, a teddy bear holding a red heart with "I Love You" embroidered on it (seriously) and tourist information. And an added touch, the hotel keeps little cupid statues in the bathroom.
Rooms start at 163 Euros for a stay during the week and start at 171 Euros for a weekend stay.
Related Stories:
· Hotel Heritage: Blogger in the Belfry [HotelChatter]
Bad Rate
Bad Rate: Package Busters at Rocco Forte Hotel Amigo
November 28, 2006 at 9:55 AM | 0 Comments
[Ed. Note: This is the Bad Rate in our Good Rate/Bad Rate feature. These rates listed below were valid on November 28, 2006 and are subject to change. Enjoy.]
Tis the season to play Santa and Scrooge. This week we looked at a city that goes all out for the holidays--Brussels--and we found a lump of coal in the stocking at Rocco Forte Hotel Amigo.
As we noted in the Good Rate post this week, The Times of London reports that Brussels puts on a great European Christmas Fair.
The Rocco Forte Hotel Amigo is by most accounts the top hotel in Brussels and it also has a prime location near the Grand Palace and Place St. Catherine. But they take "nickel and dime" to a new level, more appropriately they "dollar and euro you to death."
When we took a look at the packages offered through the hotel site, it's clear that they are simply the sum of the parts added together. The Brussels Your Way package, for example, tosses in breakfast, a welcome drink, some coupons, "free access to the health club" and a "free newspaper"--then adds 75 euros to the regular room rate. (Brussels Our Way would mean we don't have to book a package to get a newspaper and gym access from a 5-star hotel.)
The Brussels Shopping Package runs the bill up 170 euros to include breakfast, a cocktail, and a personal shopper at your side for three hours. Without a package you'll pay a staggering 28 euros per person for breakfast ($36) and either way your car will require 24 euros a day for parking (over $31). If you're unfortunate enough to have a child with you, that will be 50 euros for an extra bed, thank you very much. We're scared to even guess how much Internet access would set us back.
If you're here on EU business and someone else is picking up the tab, forget all this and wallow in your sumptuousness. Still, request a room away from the street if you are a light sleeper: the main complaint here is about the noise from streetfront rooms.
Related Stories:
· Rocco Forte Hotel Amigo reviews [TripAdvisor]
Good Rate
Good Rate: Le Chatelain All Suite Hotel in Brussels
November 28, 2006 at 9:42 AM | 0 Comments
[Ed. Note: Welcome to our Good Rate/Bad Rate feature where fearless Hotel Maven Tim Leffel looks at hotel prices in the same city and decides which is better worth your hard-earned benjamins. The rate here was valid on November 28, 2006 and is subject to change.]
Tis the season to play Santa and Scrooge. This week we looked at a city that goes all out for the holiday--Brussels--and we found the Christmas spirit alive and well at Le Chatelain All Suite Hotel.
According to the Times of London, Germany is the country winner when it comes to European Christmas fairs, but you can't go wrong in Belgium either, especially not with the Brussels annual European Christmas market near Grand Place. Beginning Dec. 2 and through New Year's Day, this market has "cheerful lights, delicious aromas and...a nearby skating rink supplementing the fun."
So if you would rather head to Brussels, then check out our Good Rate pick, Le Chatelain All Suite Hotel. The hotel isn't likely to win any awards for cutting-edge design, there's nothing olde Europe about it, and the website is downright ugly. But with the U.S. dollar sliding down against the euro once again, the package deals here are as enticing as a Belgian chocolate.
The Brussels Discovery Package, at under $200 a night, throws in a Santa's sack of goodies: breakfast, parking, two "musts of Brussels" voucher booklets for nine local attractions, a bed for the little one if needed, and all taxes and fees.
It's not as close to the Christmas fair as some hotels, and we suggest cabbing or tramming it to Grand Place. But the fine folks at the front desk should help you with that. And there's another bit of Christmas joy here--free WiFi.
Related Stories:
· Le Chatelain reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Hotel Le Chatelain: Free WiFi in Ixelles [HotelChatter]
Belgium Hotel Reviews
Hotel Heritage Sun Deck View Video
July 14, 2006 at 9:42 AM | 0 Comments
Earlier this week we told you about our recent trip to Hotel Heritage in Brugge Belgium.
To give you a taste of what this hotel's sun deck view is like we filmed this short video.
Enjoy.
Belgium Hotel Reviews
Hotel Heritage: Blogger in the Belfry
July 11, 2006 at 12:19 PM | 0 Comments
Brugges is one of those must visit medieval cities in Europe. Once in town, you will want to stay at one of the many killer hotels Bruge has to offer. We made our camp at one such hotel, Hotel Heritage, which is steps away from Markt and Burg, the two main squares in town. You will need to take a cab from the train station to the hotel, unless you are up for a twenty minute walk with your luggage.
More on the Heritage after the jump
Belgium Hotel Reviews
Hotel t'Sandt is for Lovers
July 7, 2006 at 10:39 AM | 0 Comments
After reading a HotelChatter story about Hotel t'Standt we decided to give it a go while visiting Antwerp late last month.
A tipster informed us if we wanted a quiet room we should request a room in the back, off the street, which we did. Our room, #107, was most definitely quiet, however, we are not sure how loud a front room would have been. Zand, the street the hotel is located on, is not a party street. There is a pub on the corner, and Antwerp does not exactly close up shop early (after all, in late June it doesn't get dark until after 10pm), but this street appeared relatively quiet to us.
t'Sandt is strategically situated between the Schelde river and Hoogstraat. Hoogstraat, a popular street with plenty of cafes, will lead you right down to Grote Markt, where there is plenty of action. As for getting to the hotel in the first place, you can definitely walk from the tram station at Groen Plaats up to t'Sandt, and tram is how most folks arrive into Antwerp's central square. We did the Euro walk of shame--toting baggage from any European train station to your hotel--from the tram station, across the flat terrain, to Hotel t'Sandt, quickly and without incident.
Our room was on the small side, but not cramped, and definitely not Schrager like. Hard wood floors, and good sized bathroom, bright colors, and a small sitting area helped the room feel comfortable. The television is small, but flat, and the WiFi is way too expensive to be of any use, we actually didn't even access the Internet while in Antwerp, if you can believe that. However, the fact that this hotel is a cross between a bed and breakfast and a boutique hotel makes it a good place to hunker down for a romantic weekend in the 'twerp. Sadly, we were alone.
The breakfast is passable, but not overwhelming. If your expectations are bread, juice, and a bit of fruit, you are in luck.
As for the t'Sandt service, our experience was top notch. Friendly Flemish is how we would describe it. Maid service was prompt, and the folks at the front desk helped us map out walking routes and located specific destinations.
Related Stories:
· Belgium Field Trip [Jaunted]
· Not All Belgians Look Like Dr. Evil [HotelChatter]
· Hotel T'Standt Reviews [TripAdvisor]
