5 luxury hotels for sophisticated travellers in Brussels

Located in a former mediaeval monastery, the Dominican was once home to the French artist Jacques-Louis David. Now a sophisticated hotel with an interior designed by the Amsterdam firm FG Stijl, it strikes a calm note in the city centre with its airy cloister, rich fabrics and countless orchids.

Built for the Brussels Expo in 1958, the Amigo Hotel looks much older. It is a comfortable, elegant hotel in a prime location oGrand-Place, making it a favourite with Europe’s national leaders when they are in town for a summit. The presidential suite has a terrace with a spectacular view of the Gothic town hall.

This small luxury hotel opened in 2021 on a forgotten square dedicated to the heroes of the Belgian revolution. Discreetly hidden behind a neoclassical façade, the 43-room hotel has been shaped by Italian designer Eugenio Manzoni to create a sublime urban retreat. The elegant guest rooms come with unique touches, including painted wallpaper, frescoes and paintings from the owner’s private collection. The swimming pool in the basement adds a further touch of luxury.

This beautiful, rambling 17th-century mansion close to Grand-Place once belonged to the Spanish ambassador. It is now a stylish hotel with large, luxurious rooms.

This grand hotel with marble floors and chandeliers was built in 1930 in the style of the Georges V in Paris. It closed down in the 1970s but reopened in 1995 after a costly renovation. It has the grandest lobby in town, along with spacious bedrooms and a curious Moorish theatre. The neighbourhood sadly still has a few old porn cinemas that refuse to budge.