Hotel Riga

THE STORY? Despite what the name might say, Hôtel Riga provides a proper Flemish welcome, i.e. a very warm one! Inside what used to be a suitcase shop with the emblematic sign reading Alles voor de reis – Koffers voor Afrika (“Everything for your journey – Suitcases for Africa”) dating from the 1930s, this spot has been carefully restored to lovingly preserve the building’s unique history and to create new adventures for travelers, no matter how big or small. So, what’s behind the original storefront? A dozen rooms, each more bright and comfy than the last, ranging from the Classic (ocher curtains, white marble bathroom, light hardwood floors) to the Deluxe (a lounge area with a red velvet sofa, sloping ceilings, a freestanding bathtub), which comes with huge floor-to-ceiling windows opening out on to a roomy terrace overlooking the city’s rooftops. On top of that, there’s an Italian bistro serving slurp-a-licious pasta dishes, where you can also enjoy a drink after a hard day’s visiting. This place has got it in the bag! Double rooms starting at €145 a night. // Eddie Muffin

TOILETRIES: Atelier Rebul soap, shampoo and shower gel.

BREAKFAST: Served at the Italian-style bar, either as the standard, deluxe or royale set menu or à la carte, with options like a ham croissant (€5), blueberry and banana pancakes (€10), eggs any way you want on toast (€9), and a whole lot of hot drinks.

LITTLE LUXURY: Stow away a bottle of homemade limoncello in your suitcase as a little souvenir, made by the hotel restaurant’s chef using a secret recipe (€49). Shhhh!