The Best Hotels to Book in Ghent, Belgium, for Every Traveller

Set in the most fabulous, showstopping building – the town’s former post office, built in 1898 – this hip hotel’s rooms are named after postal paraphernalia, so you can book the Stamp, the Envelope, the Letter and so on. With historical walls and windows serving as backdrops, the textured rugs, headboards, marble bathrooms and raw woods give this boutique hotel a thoroughly modern feel, and there’s a slick cocktail bar, the Cobbler, serving martinis and snacks.

Within a beautiful, historic white mansion, this luxury hotel’s communal areas are exquisite, with marbled walls, domed frescoes, polished herringbone floors and a palatial staircase, all in aristocratic shades of gold, cream and mahogany. Rooms are slightly more muted, though light-filled, in smart black, white and beige, with the odd accent chair. The Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof also has one of the best restaurants in town, LOF, as well as a cosy lounge with tan leather sofas and a flickering fireplace.

This sweet, stone-clad, wood-beamed B&B is run by a friendly couple, Kay and Christian, who are full of local recommendations. Within a historic building in the city’s medieval centre, De Waterzooi’s rooms are decorated simply, but in modern, earthy hues, with cosy touches such as snuggly rugs and fireplaces. There’s a delicious breakfast laid out each morning. Also, your hosts own a boat, so you can go skimming along the canals with an aperitif come afternoon.

This affordable, pocket-size guesthouse has just five rooms, each with a different theme – from a matcha-green Japanese room to a classic European number with a four-poster bed and fireplace. Some are incredibly spacious with living areas and mezzanine levels. Guesthouse PPP also has parking for road-trippers and bike rentals for exploring the city. You’re just a short bike ride to the main sights, and staff are incredibly welcoming and helpful.

The Hide is a sharply designed boutique hotel with individual-feeling rooms, complete with Scandi-minimalist decor, splashy murals, vintage-tiled feature walls and even the odd bed suspended above the floor. Right in the city centre, close to Ghent University (with the associated social scene all around), it has seven studios and apartments as well as a shared lounge and garden. With speedy wifi and helpful, plugged-in staff, it’s a great base for busy millennials.

A pair of interior designers styled this former count’s mansion – and it shows. The heavy golden drapes, rococo furniture, sunken marble bathtubs and gleaming parquet flooring – everything is easy on the eye. The friendly owners will talk you through local sights and restaurants, and you’ll feel right at home in the sunny breakfast room and the tropical-like garden, where you can pause for a drink among pretty palms and water features.

Right in the Patershol District, with its medieval cobbled streets packed with glowing restaurants and traditional pubs, Hotel Harmony has a rare outdoor heated swimming pool and a relaxed monochrome wine bar. Rooms are a lovely mix of modern, smart and historical elements. Most are in crisp black, whites and navy, but with the odd wooden beam or slanting ceiling to add character. Several also have stunning old-town views, and you’re a short walk to Gravensteen Castle and St Bavo’s Cathedral.

Design fans love this stylish little B&B for its rustic, earthy colour palette, touches of exposed brick and distressed wood, unusual ceramics and a secluded fairytale garden. With just three rooms and hands-on owners, it’s an intimate hangout where you’ll feel part of an exclusive club, and the location is brilliant for first-timers – in the historic centre, around the corner from the Great St Elizabeth Beguinage.

Right on the pretty waterfront beside the Leie River, the Ghent Marriott Hotel is just as popular with tourists as it is with business travellers. Rooms are simple and smart, bright and modern, with wood panelling, brightly coloured headboards and polished desks. The perks here are what you’d expect from a large-scale business hotel, including a 24-hour gym and a reception team available round the clock.

Door 10 is hip little B&B stuffed with quirky design touches and built around a red-brick courtyard, creating a charming country-cottage feel. Of the three individual rooms, Ego is the showstopper – a loft space with hefty wooden beams, a free-standing bathtub, potted plants and armchairs that you could easily move into. The B&B offers a generous breakfast spread that changes day to day and bike rentals to explore the city.

With just eight rooms, this 18th-century guesthouse has magazine-worthy interiors and a pretty, geranium-dotted courtyard in which to sip coffee. It’s a great spot for those who want a bit of space. One lovely touch is that the owners have chosen Belgian designers and artists for the interiors; another is the wholesome breakfast of fruits, yoghurt, granola and cheeses, served on quirky china. It’s close to central sights such as Saint Jacobs Church and the city’s must-see Friday Market.

This former baron’s mansion is a slick operation – the sort of place where you’re given a welcome drink on arrival, can slip out to the terrace for a coffee or have a nightcap in front of the lounge fireplace. It’s also a design dream, with plenty of historical gravitas, including ornate vintage bed frames, chandeliers and heavy velvet drapes. It’s a 25-minute walk to the town centre, but you feel pleasantly removed from the tourist crush in these spacious, peaceful rooms.