THE STORY: Hiding behind a discreet porte-cochère doorway, Hôtel Julien is a luxury boutique hotel designed as the polar opposite to its five-star counterparts. Centered around a lush green courtyard, its 21 bedrooms spread out over two traditional 16th-century houses appeal to those who embrace quiet luxury and bespoke premium services. Boasting a sumptuous rooftop terrace with panoramic views of Antwerp’s Notre-Dame cathedral and a hotel bar inspired by one of the most beautiful in the world (the Fasano in Rio de Janeiro), this spot with dizzyingly high ceilings offers a place to crash from which you never want to leave. The private spa housed in the building’s basement cellars, which hands-down rivals its luxury competitors, only makes check-out seem more impossible! Fortunately, its perfect location, a stone’s throw from the crème de la crème of Antwerp’s tourists attractions, is enough to distract us away. Rooms starting at €179 a night. // Jeanne Jaco
TOILETRIES: Aesop toiletries.
WI-FI: Free.
BREAKFAST: €28 for a buffet breakfast, with local and seasonal produce.
MINIBAR: Classic minibar selection.
LITTLE LUXURY: The Egyptian cotton percale bed linen.
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