Brussels' hotels are as varied as its attractions, ranging from polished boutiques to handsome historic piles and kitsch dens. Whether you decide to stay in the thick of things or in a quieter quarter, you'll struggle to find yourself much more than a short ride on the Metro or train from Brussels Midi station (where direct Eurostar services arrive). These are the best hotels in Brussels.
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££ | SPA | POOL | Best for proper pampering
Formerly the Grand Hotel Astoria, this might be one of the city's newer hotels (having been unveiled in December 2024), but it has the reassuring and familiar flavour you associate with the Corinthia brand. It revives what was once a landmark hotel of the early 20th century, and the renovated belle époque building is stunning, with high ceilings, feature columns and stained glass. The facilities are outstanding, with an extensive spa that has everything from a sauna and steam room to a dedicated café serving revitalising shakes. And the dining experience is equally indulgent with a French-Japanese menu at the Palais Royal by David Martin restaurant overseen by the double-Michelin-starred chef.
Occupying an impeccably renovated 19th-century townhouse a stone's throw from the Royal Palace, the 20-room Faubourg 21 is a design hotel that blends modern styling and yesteryear aristocratic elegance. Original features such as marble fireplaces and elaborately carved panelling are complemented by understated, round-cornered contemporary tables and vibrant floral wallpaper (the floral theme runs throughout the property). Noisette serves a decent light lunch or brunch, and there's a fine-dining restaurant and spa too.
Even eye-rolling teenagers will grudgingly admit that the JAM has a lot going for it, once you get beyond its concrete-box exterior. In a former art school, it's relentlessly hip, from the coolly industrial styling to the sliver of a rooftop pool. There are Brompton bikes, skateboards and scooters to borrow, and a spa with a difference: a low-lit, Japanese-style bathhouse, with ten cocooning wooden tubs to soak in. The largest rooms sleep six, if you're willing to share, and the Ultra rooms are great for younger kids, with a lofty, ladder-accessed secret bed.
You could book this place solely on its central location: a cobbled medieval street just off the Grand Place, by the turret-topped Hotel de Ville. Beyond that, though, this Rocco Forte-run five-star delivers on every front, from its solicitous staff to its self-assured Italianate restaurant. Its spacious rooms have Carrara marble bathrooms, while the top-floor, terraced Blaton Suite is a honeymooner's dream. If you're staying with kids, everything's taken care of, from bath-time rubber ducks and scaled-down robes to the sweetest turndown service in town. If you're not, head straight to the candlelit bar for a barrel-aged negroni.
The clue's in the name at this elegant four-star hotel, in a handsome 17th-century pile, four minutes' walk from the Grand Place. More modern additions include a tranquil garden annexe, but for gilded grandeur and period charm, bag a room in the main building. Its parquet-floored suites are kitted out with Persian rugs and artfully arranged antiques, from swagged four-posters to Chinese ginger jars. Pen a postcard at your leather-topped desk, then descend the sweeping staircase to the candlelit breakfast room.
This sleek, 75-room hotel is both photogenic and tactile, whether you're cocktail-in-hand at the brass-accented bar or lolling in bed against a velvety headboard. Its art deco-inspired, petrol-blue rooms and suites are enormous fun: think vintage-style phones and slyly subversive floral prints. Downstairs, the restaurant is just as ready for its close-up, with its emerald-green fireplace, boisterous open kitchen and Middle Eastern menu. Claim a curving banquette and keep the sharing plates coming -- think grilled octopus and warm Khubz bread, slathered with baba ghanoush.
Everything runs like clockwork at this self-assured grande dame, from the moment an obliging bellboy whisks your luggage away. Beyond its grand frontage, this is a bastion of old-school luxury, from the quietly elegant rooms and suites to the chandelier-lit lobby. Its Loui restaurant offers a sleek and charismatic backdrop for some excellent cuisine, from truffle ravioli to guinea fowl with a caramel-mustard sauce. And if you're in the mood for some pampering, there's a standalone spa that can be directly accessed from the hotel (not included in the room rate).
Though it might seem geared towards laptop-tapping Eurocrats, this sleek European Quarter address is remarkably family-friendly. Extra beds and cots are cheerfully rustled up, along with tepees, and connecting family rooms are available, with a hefty discount on the second room. The city centre is an easy Metro ride away, and there's plenty to do in walking distance, including visiting the dinosaurs at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. What's in it for weary parents? Post-bedtime room service, heavenly beds, hot-stone massages in the spa, and cocktails with panoramic views at the rooftop bar.
There's nothing understated about this decadent five-star, in an imposing, column-clad mansion overlooking Place des Martyrs. There's decorative excess at every turn, whether it's a chunk of rare Brazilian blue marble or a showstopping work of art -- Cleopatra and the asp, perhaps, in a floor-to-ceiling mural. Its 43 rooms and suites vary in style, though the details are exquisite, from oriental wallpaper to embroidered bed linen, scented with the hotel's fig-led fragrance. Downstairs, its spa is small but sumptuous, while the low-lit cocktail bar and frescoed restaurant call to mind The Great Gatsby.
Occupying a dignified townhouse, two blocks back from Avenue Louise, this family-run hotel charms all comers. It's elegant but irreverent, with a dash of Belgian eccentricity, from the bold wallpapers to the courtyard's super-sized chess board. Staff are delightful and its eco-credentials are impressive (it holds the Green Key label for its sustainability efforts). If you weren't already smitten, breakfast seals the deal, with a spread that runs from pancakes and fruit salad to cold cuts, eggs and cheeses, via artisan jams, waffles and pastries. Don't worry if you find yourself returning for thirds; you won't be the only one. A sister hotel -- Made in Catherine -- opened recently in the city centre.
Live like a well-heeled local with a weekend in the Sablon quarter -- a delightful ensemble of cafés, antiques shops and statue-dotted squares. This neighbourhood hotel is equally charming, with cocooning rooms and suites with capacious beds that demand leisurely lie-ins (luckily, the excellent breakfast is served until almost noon). Room service is 24/7 and there's a polished tapas restaurant for cosying up over a glass of oloroso and plate of Iberico ham. Best of all, though, are the unhurried Sunday check-out times: sign up for the loyalty programme, book direct, and you can linger as late as 5pm (subject to availability).
Less is more at this quietly stylish address. Behind its gabled exterior, on historic Rue des Bouchers, it's beautifully pared back, with 30 or so white-painted rooms and suites arranged across four floors. Rugs, cushions and prints add texture and colour, while bathrooms feature bespoke, elegantly geometric tiles. The ground-floor bistro, meanwhile, has the same understated charm, with its cobbled courtyard, airy dining room and short but thoughtful menu. It's a miraculous hideaway from the tourist throngs outside heading for the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, which happen to be right next door.
Built in the late 1960s as a Hilton, this landmark high-rise towers above the boutique-lined Boulevard de Waterloo. Its rooms are dressed in timeless neutrals, with chairs or sofas below the windows, which -- the higher you get -- frame increasingly far-reaching views. Go for one of the grander Panorama rooms, on the highest levels, for access to the 24th-floor lounge with its free drinks, snacks and stash of glossy magazines. On the floor above, take in the cityscape from the handsome spa, or visit the 23rd floor to rack up the miles on a treadmill with a view.
This eight-room boutique hotel is really geared towards grown-ups. In a discreetly signed 1920s mansion, it has a members' club vibe, with its tasselled keys, grey and black palette, and seductively low lighting (expect to squint over the menus, possibly even at breakfast). Champagne spritzes are the tipple of choice at the bar, while the restaurant is darkly decadent, with a French menu that runs from terrine of foie gras confit to vanilla millefeuille. Its rooms, meanwhile, are masterfully understated, with slate-grey walls, Guerlain toiletries and extraordinary Italian-marble baths.
Kitsch is the word at this colourful address, where even the room keys feature miniature Rubik's Cubes. Elsewhere, there's an irreverent mix of vintage finds, from plastic-fantastic Eero Aarnio chairs to antique gumball machines. The bedrooms are slightly more restrained, though still with retro leanings: think shaggy, deep-pile carpets, candy-coloured lamps, and psychedelic wallpaper. Parked up in the front courtyard, meanwhile, is its most unusual room -- an aluminium-clad, 1950s Airstream travel trailer that's now a bijou bolt hole for two.
There's nothing staid and stuffy at this family-friendly address, whose upbeat interiors take a playful, pop-art tack. Walls and wardrobes might be pasted with giant comic strips; tiled bowler hats (a nod to the Belgian artist Magritte) are inlaid in the gleaming, white-tiled showers. Decorative quirks aside, it has everything you need, from spacious, light-filled rooms and copious breakfasts to fast, free wi-fi. With all that in mind, its rooms are a steal, especially at weekends, with a sneaky extra discount if you sign up for the rewards scheme.
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