hotel café pacific bed and brussels hotel bloom

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SHOP TILL YOU DROP
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It’snotUNUSUAL
Get a set of traditional and modern when you stay at these places which are central to much
of the splendid attractions the city has to offer
ppearances in this ancient city can be deceptive. For all its
grand squares and seemingly conservative demeanour,
there’s a wonderful undercurrent of wackiness in Brussels. Small though it is, the
city does a fine line in eccentric sights, unexpected entertainment venues, and
funky bars and restaurants.
Take Brussels’ famous
Mannekin Pis, for example,
the small sculpture of a nude
peeing boy which stands on
Rue de l’Etuve at the site of
one of the oldest fountains –
A
once a vital source of fresh
water. Although naked most
of the time, he has an entire
wardrobe housed in the city
museum on the Grand Place.
At the Musée de la Ville de
Bruxelles (closed Mondays
otherwise open 10am-5pm)
you can marvel at his Elvis
outfit, his Moroccan costume
with tiny fez and more. Not to
be outdone by his popularity,
feminists in the 1980s ensured
that a female equivalent was
created. Part of a fountain,
Janneke Pis squats in a passageway called Impasse de la
Fidelité off busy Rue de
Bouchers. And there’s more.
In 2000 the statue of a peeing
dog was installed in the StGéry area. Zinneke Pis, a mongrel with his leg cocked, is on
Rue des Chartreaux and is
much loved locally.
For a more ethereal experience, hum your way around
the remarkable Musical Instrument Museum at Rue
Montagne de la Cour 2
(www.mim.fgov.be; closed
Mondays otherwise open
weekdays from 9.30am to
5pm and weekends from
10am to 5pm). There’s an extensive collection here, from
harpsichords to electric guitars, and thanks to ingenious
technology as you approach
many of the instruments you’ll
hear the sound of them being
played. This captivating museum is stunningly housed in
a superb Art Nouveau building that was originally the Old
England department store.
Over to the north of the
city centre is the gracious
Botanique, ornamental gardens with parterres and
fountains and a magnificent
palace of a greenhouse. This
used to be the nation’s botanical gardens – which are now
located at Meise about 12km
north of Brussels. Today the
striking 19th-century ironand-glass greenhouse functions as a cultural centre and
is a venue for quirky rock
concerts, and cutting-edge
films and exhibitions
(www.botanique.be).
Meanwhile for great jazz
and more head to Archiduc
(www.archiduc.net), which
has to be the coolest bar in the
city. You ring the doorbell at
Rue Dansaert 6 and then enter
through a steel swing door to
find yourself in Art Deco heaven. Order a cocktail and take
a seat on the half-moon balcony for the best views of the
décor and, on weekends, the
musical proceedings.
Then for dinner join the
locals at one of the most highly rated fish restaurants in
the city. But don’t expect
sleek looks. La Marée
(www.lamaree-sa.com), at
Rue de Flandres 99 in the
Ste-Catherine area, looks
like a basic café and has
wooden tables and plastic
flowers. Yet it has served
politicians, actors, chefs and
more. The sole meuniere is
near legendary.
Whether you’re in search of
the finest of Belgian chocolates, hunting for bargains in
outdoor markets or wanting
the very coolest new offerings of the designer world,
Brussels is a great city for
shopping. What’s more, the
city is compact enough to get
around quickly and it offers
plenty of relaxing cafés where
you can stop for a coffee and
a well-deserved rest.
Set near the Grand Place,
the elegant Galeries St Hubert
are the city’s finest shopping
arcades. Splendidly ornate
andcovered with arched glass
ceilings, the galleries were
opened with much ceremony
in 1847. Head to Neuhaus at
Galerie de la Reine 25 for exceptional chocolates – it was
in a back room here that
chocolates as we know them
were first devised back in the
early 1900s. For more chocolate choice make for Place du
Grand Sablon, one of the city’s
loveliest squares. Here you’ll
find Wittamers, Godiva and
another outlet of Neuhaus
nestling among antique shops
andartgalleries. Meanwhile,
among other foodie riches in
the Ste-Catherine neighbourhood, Frederic Blondeel
Chocolatier at Quai aux
Briques 24 has an exquisite
selection of handmade pralines. Take in the aromas as
you order a coffee in the adjoining café.
For bargains don’t miss the
open-air market at Place du
Jeu de Balle. This takes place
daily between 7am and about
2pm and here you’ll find anything from antiques to vintage
clothes and books. Meantime
you’ll come across wonderfully funky shops filled with brica-brac and more retro bargains along Rue Haute and
Rue Blaes. There’s a great
choice of cafés around these
streets, too. At the start of December, Brussels’ magical
Christmas Market opens at
the Grand Place, with hundreds of stalls around the side
streets offering crafts and food
specialities, the air filled with
tempting smells.
For fashion and accessories
you’re in for a treat. Rue Antoine Dansaert just northwest of the Grand Place is
where you’ll find up and coming Belgian designers: Nicolas Woit (at number 80), Olivier Strelli (at number 44),
while super-stylish Stijl (at
number 74) stocks collections
by Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester and more. To
the south, graceful Avenue
Louise is lined with some of
the city’s most prestigious
shops: international brands
such as Longchamps and
Hugo Boss; the flagship store
for dreamy Belgian chain
Chine (at 82-84) where you’ll
find silks and floaty dresses;
the large department Innovation (Inno). Nearby Boulevard de Waterloo has a slick
mix of Italian and French
high-end stores from Gucci
to Chanel. Further south is
the very much up and coming Châtelain district (around
Place du Châtelain). Here, in
particular, Rue du Bailli is
lined with small boutiques –
such as DOD at no 64 selling
designer skirts, shirts and
more at 50 per cent off the
normal retail price.
HOTEL CAFÉ PACIFIC
Hip and cute, this boutique hotel opened in the summer of
2007. It is wonderfully set right in the heart of Brussels’ most
happening designer shopping area, with lively cafés and
restaurants right on the doorstep. Behind the building’s original, elegant 1890s stained-glass entrance the decor is contemporary-chic, with clean lines, a bright smooth look and well thought out detail. There
are just 12 bedrooms and one duplex suite, each decorated individually and all designed to
provide a relaxing atmosphere with clever lighting and comforting colours while much
careful attention has been paid to the neat bathrooms. The ground-floor bar and café has
retained the original wood panelling on its walls and evokes both past and present with a
modern yet nostalgic look. It is open all day – head here for particularly lively evenings.
READER OFFER
Weekend in cutting edge designers district at one of Brussels best boutique hotels for ¤179
• 1 night in a double Deluxe room • breakfast included • bottle of Champagne at arrival
Subject to hotel availability, from September to December 2008.
Please quote The Independent when booking your stay at the hotel by phone or by email.
Hotel Café Pacific, Rue Antoine Dansaert 57 (00 32 2 213 0080;
www.hotelcafepacific.com). Standard double rooms cost from ¤189
BED AND BRUSSELS
HOTEL BLOOM!
SILKEN BERLAYMONT HOTEL
Get a sense of local colour – and a warm welcome. For a great perspective on Brussels stay in
a B&B. Bed & Brussels has been operating since
1995 and has more than 100 carefully selected
guesthouses on it books. In each of them you
can get right away from traditional tourist
haunts and immerse yourself in the real life of
the city. Rooms are spread across the city – from
the outskirts to the very centre – and are graded
according to style and quality, with furnishings
ranging from Art Nouveau antiques to cool minimalism. The host families, meantime, are
strictly vetted to ensure that guests get a good introduction to Brussels. You can stay
for one night, one month or even longer, with prices starting at ¤55 per night for a
double room. Special rates are available for children.
Funky, bright, refreshing, Hotel Bloom has been wowing
local residents as well as guests since it opened in September 2007. This truly modern design hotel is located right
next door to Brussels’ old botanical gardens – hence the
name. It offers 306 generously sized bedrooms, many individually decorated with murals by European art students. Enormous leaves float across the
walls of one room and there’s an octopus in another. Downstairs, ultra-healthy breakfasts
are served in the sleek OO! dining room. And, SmoodS is an expansive chill-out living area
divided into seven mood zones, like ‘passion’, ‘flower power’ and ‘bling-bling’.
This modern and fashionable hotel is in the heart of the European Quarter. Richly designed, with clever, ambient lighting it has 214 sleek and
stylish rooms, a luxury mosaic-tiled spa with Turkish bath, a bright and
funky coffee house, a chic bar and a highly respected restaurant, L’Objectif, offering a brasserie menu and gastronomic specialities. The hotel also functions as a modern photographic art gallery, its walls adorned with a striking collection of more than 450 contemporary works by photo-artists from countries across Europe. In 2001, it opened a dedicated
exhibition space, the Zoom Gallery, which is situated off the lobby. Here temporary shows are
dedicated to individual artists, changing every four months. The hotel’s annual photographic
awards, open to all European photographers, take place in January.
For more information visit www.bnb-brussels.be or call 00 32 2 646 0737
READER OFFER
SmoodS Dining – Exclusive dining in our recently opened restaurant SmoodS
• 1 night in a unique “fresco” room including a large buffet breakfast • Free use of fitness centre and free wireless internet • 3 course diner “a la carte“ at SmoodS.
Exceptional price of ¤87,00 per person. Offer is valid for stays until 28 December 2008 –
Subject to arrivals on Friday-Saturday. Hotel Bloom! Rue Royale 250 (00 32 2 220 6611;
www.hotelbloom.com). Double rooms start at ¤90 per night
READER OFFER
4* ¤95€ per per son, ¤190€ f or the weekend in a double
• 2 nights stay in a double room • Full American Buffet Breakfast • Bike at your disposal
• “Art Nouveau” Cycling tour on Saturday • 2 days free metro pass
Hoteles Silken Berlaymont, Boulevard Charlemagne 11-19 (00 32 2 231 0909;
www.hoteles-silken.com). Standard double rooms cost from ¤155 per night.
RADISSON
Brussels luxuriates in two five-star Radisson hotels, each offering its own intrinsic
character in very different parts of the city. The Radisson SAS EU Hotel features
beautifully devised contemporary design. The hotel is set in the European Quarter
just behind the European parliament and is also within walking distance of the lively
shopping area around Avenue Louise. There are 149 bedrooms including 15 very stylish suites designed by the acclaimed Italian interior designer Matteo Thun. As with the
Radisson SAS Royal (below), all rooms have
free high-speed internet access. Willards Bar
and Restaurant is a cool place for cocktails followed by an excellent dinner with a menu offering a great range of international cuisine.
Radisson SAS EU Hotel, Rue d'Idalie 35
(00 32 2 626 8111; www.brussels.eu.radissonsas.com).
Standard double rooms cost from ¤159
The Radisson SAS Royal Hotel is a strikingly
good looking building with an Art Deco façade
by the Belgian architect Michael Jaspers. It is
well located right in the heart of Brussels, close
to the Grand Place and the Central Station. The
281 rooms are furnished in soothing colours
and are set over four floors which each have a
distinctive theme: Art Deco; maritime; oriental;
and “at home”. Facilities include the well regarded Sea Grill restaurant; the light, bright
Atrium restaurant serving Belgian and modern European cuisine; the Bar Dessiné,
decorated with a backdrop of comic strip artworks; and a fitness and leisure centre.
Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, Rue du Fossé-aux-Loups 47, Wolvengracht 47 (00
32 2 219 28 28; www.royal.brussels.radissonsas.com).
Standard double rooms cost from ¤189
READER OFFER
5* From ¤214, in a very central Art Deco Hotel – valid until 31 December 2008
This includes:
Welcome cocktail at the Bar Dessiné (on Friday or Saturday evening)
Relishing 3 course dinner in the Atrium restautant, including 2 glasses of wine
1 night in a Design room
Buffet breakfast served in the Pebble Wood Corner
¤169 for a single room, ¤150 per room for each additional night
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HOTEL PRESIDENT HUSA
Set in an impressive and stately five-storey building, the Husa President Park was
extensively and stylishly renovated this year. This four-star hotel offers excellent
value and is located in the new business and ministries district of Brussels, about three blocks away
from the Gare du Nord and a five-minute or so taxi
ride from the Grand Place and the nearby shopping
opportunities. There are 297 spacious and airy bedrooms, each sleekly fitted with wooden floors and
decorated in restful colours that are uplifted by bright
cushions and throws. Particular care has been taken
in choosing especially comfortable beds. Meanwhile
wi-fi is available throughout the hotel.
There is an enormous private garden here, a real
green haven in the bustling city. You gaze out at this
oasis of green and calm from Les Jardins de St Roch
restaurant, where breakfast is available from
6.30am. Lunch and dinner are served at Le Grill
restaurant where the chef’s menu varies according to
the freshest of local produce. The small and chic bar, meantime, offers a wide range
of Belgian beers and on warm sunny days has access to the garden terrace. On the
top floor, with great views of the city, is the hotel’s fitness area, which also has a
sauna Jacuzzi and hammam. The Husa President Park is owned and run by the
Husa Spanish chain which also has hotels in Marrakech, Cairo, Barcelona, Madrid
and more.
READER OFFER
4* “2 days of visits, 2 executive stays” ¤132 pp for 2 nights (valid until 27 December
2008) includes:
2 nights in a modern and renovated executive room
1 aperitif in the cosy and renovated “Park bar”
Full American breakfast buffet
1 Brussels Card valid 48h including free entry to over 25 main museums, free access public transport, 25 per cent discount on main cultural institutions and on
many attractions & guided tours
Discounts on fashion designers shops, typical shops, bars & restaurant
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Husa President Park Hotel, Blvd du Roi Albert II 44 (00 32 2 203 2020;
www.husapresidentpark.com). Standard double rooms cost from ¤90