Sofitel Brussels Le Louise
Located in the trendy Louise district, this branch of the Sofitel chain puts you near a Eurostar train station for easy access to the rest of the country. You're a 10-minute walk from the city center's cultural attractions, and the hotel is a destination in and of itself thanks to the sleek Crystal Lounge. Remodeled in 2008, the 169 guest rooms now feature rain showers, flat-screen TVs, in-room espresso machines, minibars, laptop safes and high-speed internet access. The hotel's "SoBed" offers a feather/down combo in your duvet and mattress top so you can rest easily. Dine and drink in the Crystal Lounge, and be sure to check out the array of cut-crystal and rock-crystal decanters. The hotel is also equipped with a fitness center to work off any overindulgence. This is a pet-friendly hotel.
Sofitel Brussels Le Louise
40 Avenue de la Toison d'Or
1050 Brussels
Belgium
(+32) 2 514 22 00
sofitel.com
Stanhope Hotel
This boutique hotel is housed in a turn-of-the-century mansion, restored to look like an English country house. It's just a few minutes' walk from the trendy shops and restaurants of Brussels' Louise district. The Library Bar offers a place to relax after a long day of cycling, and the Brighton Restaurant serves up Belgian favorites such as mussels and frites (fries). Visit during the summer, and you can dine in the ivy-covered Magnolia Courtyard, where waiters ply you with champagne as you relax in the shade of the hundred-year-old magnolia tree. The 108 guest rooms all feature high-speed Internet, robes and slippers, private bathrooms and air conditioning. You can also take advantage of the fitness room and on-staff masseuse.
Stanhope Hotel
9 Rue du Commerce
1000 Brussels
Belgium
(+32) 2 506 91 11
thonhotels.be/Stanhope
Hotel Vendome
The Hotel Vendome is a boutique hotel in the Brussels city center housed in a restored Hausmann-style 19th-century building. Each of the 106 guest rooms has a private bathroom (called an "en suite" bathroom), minibar and in-room safe. In-room Internet access comes only with the business suite; however, the hotel's moderate cost makes these suites as affordable as a standard guest room in a more upscale chain hotel. Dine on Belgian and French cuisine in the hotel's Brasserie Vendome, or spend a very happy hour in the bar---they have approximately 40 Belgian beers on tap. If you're arriving straight from the Zaventem airport, look for the Vendome Hotel's shuttle; it's cheaper than a standard taxi ride.
Hotel Vendome
98 Boulevard Adolphe Max
1000 Brussels
Belgium
(+32) 2 227 03 00
hotelvendomebrussels.com/
Article Written By Jenni Wiltz
Jenni Wiltz's fiction has been published in "The Portland Review," "Sacramento News & Review" and "The Copperfield Review." She has a bachelor's degree in English and history from the University of California, Davis and is working on a master's degree in English at Sacramento State. She has worked as a grant coordinator, senior editor and advertising copywriter and has been a professional writer since 2003.
