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.