11 Best Hotels in Brussels, Belgium

Arguably the city's most complete stay is the attractive Martin's Klooster, which used to be a 15th-century Augustinian monastery and hospice. Stashed away in a quiet cobbled corner not far from the center, its Klooster Bar is also one of the better spots in town for a cocktail. Rooms are no less desirable, with the upper end sporting four-poster beds and "bubble baths." It is simply one of the prettiest stays in the area, complete with a magnificent interior orangery garden.

A business hotel that wants to be just that little bit cooler than the rest; granted its design is a little industrial in places, but this slick offering has large, loft-like rooms, a fun bar area, a fitness center, and a small café area clearly geared to tempt those whose business meetings ran over. You can play foosball or pool in the lobby, and a general air of professionalism runs throughout. An always reliable stay.

Having had a complete makeover and rebranding, it doesn't take long to appreciate the selling point of Craves, whose stylish, speakeasy-style Art Deco bar and accompanying Middle Eastern restaurant draw the eye as you make your way to the reception.The rooms are bold, if tasteful, affairs, decked out in deep blues and blacks, with marble surfaces, hardwood floors and brass accents—like an old-school gentleman's club by way of North Africa. Combined with its location—slap-bang in the center of the city, not far from the Bourse—it's a useful bolthole and a likeably polished stay.  

This family-run hotel is, in truth, more like a grand B&B: owner Carmen still rents the building, which used to be a rectory, from the church (Sint-Michelskerk) across the road. It's a charming location, with an attractive interior walled garden where you can take breakfast on sunny mornings. You can even pick its apples and strawberries when in season. Rooms have been recently renovated, and the "Michel Suite" in particular is gigantic—practically a flat in itself. It's the kind of quirky stay where there's nothing else quite like it in the city, and it's all the better for it.

Having styled itself as a "wellness hotel," this is one of the better-value stays along the Chausée de Charleroi in Ixelles, and its facilities—cleverly squeezed into a 19th-century mansion house—are a cut above most. The spa (a small pool, marble steam room, sauna) and fitness room are as much geared towards physiotherapy as relaxation, and it's possible to get a decent workout here, which is a rarity in most small city hotels. Downstairs, the bar is a slick, neon affair, and while the room decor tends to be quite dark (dark woods, beige carpets, gray marble), those overlooking the courtyard are more charming.

This four-floor, stylish boutique stay in the center, opening onto Rue des Bouchers, ticks just about every box you could want for a city stay. It's technically part of Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert (which the majority of rooms overlook), and it wraps around a small internal courtyard. Rooms are elegantly light affairs, all pale woods accented by white framing, and downstairs is the excellent bistronomique restaurant Comptoir de Galeries and a bar-café.

This stylishly restored, 17th-century building lies between the Grand Place and the Gare Centrale. Rooms surround a lovely interior courtyard, with some suites located up a splendid Louis XVI staircase. Named after Belgian artists, the rooms come with plain floorboards, exposed beams, and suede sofas, while some have terrace views. There are a couple of budget options on the top and bottom floors, which are a little smaller—those rooms around the Patio section tend to be a little newer. Suites have decorative fireplaces, and the honeymoon option is particularly romantic. A gym and wellness center are an added bonus.

Occupying the building of what was formerly one of the city's more eccentric stays, there is little that is quirky about this polished, family-owned boutique hotel. But that's rather the point. It's all light wood, sleek lines, creams, and beamed ceilings, like something out of an upmarket French furniture catalogue, and not dissimilar to its excellent sister hotel in the Louise area. The bar-café downstairs is very much of the lounging-with-a-newspaper variety, and also doubles as the breakfast area, while the rooms are large for the size of the building. It's a surprisingly quiet area too, despite the bars and restaurants of place Sainte-Catherine being just a short walk away.   

This upscale hotel has expansive terraces, a rose-filled garden populated by waterfowl and songbirds, and a good restaurant, Kolya. Roman pillars and classical scenes painted on the walls give the lobby a slightly kitsch vibe. The well-appointed rooms have Louis XV and Louis XVI-style antiques—even the TVs are set in distressed-looking picture frames. The sauna (in a design about-face) has a Moroccan flavor with tiling and arched doorways.

As part of Sablon's lineup of antiques shops, cafés, and chocolatiers, this hotel offers discreet luxury behind an elegant white facade. The reception area is set within a hushed row of private art galleries, and there's a pretty interior cobbled courtyard. Rooms are tastefully decorated and have had a much-needed refurb in recent years. The plusher suites also come with whirlpool baths. Ask for a room at the back, as the square outside is often clogged with people, and the noisy weekend antique market gets going at 9 am.