Sleeping in Bruges
€1 = about $1.10, country code: 32
Most places are located between the train station and the old center, with the most distant (and best) being a few blocks beyond Market Square to the north and east. B&Bs offer the best value (listed after "Hotels"). All include breakfast, are on quiet streets, and (with a few exceptions) keep the same prices throughout the year. Bruges is most crowded Friday and Saturday evenings Easter through October — with July and August weekends being worst.
Bruges is a great place to sleep, with Gothic spires out your window, no traffic noise, and the cheerily out-of-tune carillon heralding each new day at 8:00 sharp. (Thankfully the bell tower is silent from 22:00 to 8:00.)
Hotels
$$$Hotel Heritage offers 24 rooms in a completely modernized old building. It's tastefully decorated and has all the amenities. It's a great splurge (standard Db-€140, superior Db-€184, deluxe Db-€227, singles take a double for nearly the same cost, extra bed-€40, suites available, breakfast € 15, air-con, non-smoking, elevator, free Internet access, sauna, tanning bed, fitness room, bike rental for €6.50/half day, Niklaas Desparsstraat 11, a block north of Market Square, tel. 050-444-444, fax 050-444-440, www.hotel-heritage.com, info@hotel-heritage.com, run by cheery and hardworking Johan and Isabelle).
$$$Hotel Egmond is quietly located in the middle of the melancholy Minnewater. Its eight 18th-century rooms have all the comforts (Sb-€92, small twin/b€ 112, Db-€120-130, Tb-€150, no CC, for longer stays ask about their apartments a few blocks away (€210-550), Minnewater 15, tel. 050-341-445, fax 050-342-940, www.egmond.be, info@egmond.be).
$$$Crowne Plaza Hotel Brugge is the most modern, comfortable, and central hotel option. It's just like a fancy American hotel, each of its 96 air-conditioned rooms equipped with a magnifying mirror and trouser press (Db-€254–276, prices drop as low as €200 on weekdays and off-season, breakfast € 20.50 elevator, pool, Burg 10, tel. 050-446-844, fax 050-446-868, www.crowneplaza.com).
$$Hotel Adornes is small and classy — a great value. It has 20 comfy rooms with full, modern bathrooms in a 17th-century canalside house, and offers free parking(need to reserve), free loaner bikes, and a cellar lounge with games and videos (Db-€95–120 depending upon size, singles take a double for nearly the same cost, Tb-€135, Qb-€145, elevator, near Van Nevel B&B, mentioned below, and Carmersstraat at St. Annarei 26, tel. 050-341-336, fax 050-342-085, www.adornes.be, hotel.adornes@proximedia.be, Nathalie runs the family business, Britt provides a warm welcome).
$$Hotel Patritius, family-run and centrally located, is a grand circa-1830 neoclassical mansion with 16 stately rooms, a plush lounge and breakfast room, and a courtyard garden (small Db-€85, Db-€90–110, Tb-€130, free parking, Riddersstraat 11, tel. 050-338-454, fax 050-339-634, www.hotelpatritius.be, hotel.patritius@proximedia.be, Garrett and Elvi Spaey).
$$Hotel Botaniek has three stars, nine rooms, and a quiet location a block from Astrid Park (Db-€92, big Db-€96, Tb-€105, Qb-€115, 5% discount for 3 nights, elevator, Waalsestraat 23, tel. 050-341-424, fax 050-345-939, hotel.botaniek@pi.be).
$$ Hotel Groeninghe has 8, old world charme, rooms at a good location, close to Zand square. It is run by friendly Laurence, no elevator, 10% off with this book. (Sb-€70, Db-€85, Tb-€110, Korte Vulderstraat 29, tel. 050-343-255, fax 050-340-769, www.hotelgroeninghe.be, hotelgroeninghe@pandora.be)
In a jam you might try these larger, well-located hotels of lesser value: $$Hotel ter Reien (26 rooms, Sb-€75, Db-€80-120, Langestraat 1, tel. 050-349-100, hotel.ter.reien@online.be) and $$ Hotel Sablon (the "oldest hotel in town" with 36 rooms, Sb-€89, Db-€110-120, Tb-€126, Noordzandstraat 21, tel. 050-333-902, info@sablon.be).
$Hotel Cavalier, which has more stairs than character, rents 8 decent rooms and serves a hearty buffet breakfast in a royal setting (Sb-€50–52, Db-€59–64, Tb-€73–78, Qb-€80–85, 2 lofty "backpackers' doubles" on fourth floor-€42 or €47, Kuipersstraat 25, tel. 050-330-207, fax 050-347-199, hotel.cavalier@skynet.be, run by friendly Viviane de Clerck).
$ Hotel Cordoeanier, a family-run place, rents 22 bright, simple, modern rooms on a quiet street two blocks off Market Square (Sb-€59–69, Db-€65–80, Tb-€75–85, Qb-€88-90, Quint/b-€101, higher prices are for bigger rooms, small groups should ask about holiday house across the street, Internet access, Cordoeanierstraat 16-18, tel. 050-339-051, fax 050-346-111, www.cordoeanier.be, email: info@cordoeanier.be Kris, Veerle, Guy, and family).
$ Hotel de Pauw is tall, skinny, and family-run, with straightforward rooms on a quiet street across from a church (Sb-€60, Db-€65-68, renovated Db-€75, free and easy street parking or pay garage, Sint Gilliskerkhof 8, tel. 050-337-118, fax 050-345-140, www.hoteldepauw.be, info@hoteldepauw.be, Philippe and Hilde).
Near the Train Station: $ Hotel 't Keizershof is a dollhouse of a hotel that lives by its motto, "Spend a night, not a fortune." It's simple and tidy, with seven small, cheery, old-time rooms split between two floors, a shower and toilet on each (S-€25, D-€40, T-€62, Q-€72, no CC, free and easy parking, laundry service-€7.50, Oostmeers 126, a block in front of station, tel. 050-338-728, http://users.belgacom.net/hotel.keizershof, hotel.keizershof@belgacom.net, Stefaan and Hilde).
Bed-and-Breakfasts
These places, run by people who enjoy their work, offer a better value than hotels. Each is central and offers lots of stairs and two or three doubles you'd pay €100 for in a hotel. Parking is generally easy on the street. Risa: this will change: they do not know it right now, it will be paid parking within old centre of Brugge; B&B Marie Rose de Bruyne will keep us informed! Paid parking on the street between 09:00-19:00.
$$ Absoluut Verhulst is a great, modern-feeling B&B in a 400-year-old house, run by friendly Frieda and Benno (Sb-€50, Db-€75, huge and lofty suite-€95 for 2, €115 for 3, and €140 for 4, 1-night stays pay €10 extra per room, no CC, 5-min walk east of Market Square at Verbrand Nieuwland 1, tel. & fax 050-334-515, www.b-bverhulst.com, b-b.verhulst@pandora.be).
$$ B&B Setola, run by Lut and Bruno Setola, offers three modern rooms and a spacious breakfast/living room in their renovated house (Sb-€55, Db-€60, Tb-€80, 1-night stay-€10 extra per room, no CC, non-smoking, 6-min walk from Market Square, Sint Walburgastraat 12, tel. 050-334-977, fax 050-332-551, www.bedandbreakfast-bruges.com, setola@bedandbreakfast-bruges.com).
$ Koen and Annemie Dieltiens are a friendly couple who enjoy getting to know their guests and sharing a wealth of information on Bruges. You'll eat a hearty breakfast around a big table in their bright, comfortable, renovated house (Sb-€55, Db-€60, Tb-€80, 1-night stays pay €10 extra per room, no CC, non-smoking, tea & coffee facilities in room, Waalse Straat 40, 3 blocks southeast of Burg Square, tel. 050-334-294, fax 050-335-230, http://users.skynet.be/dieltiens, koen.dieltiens@skynet.be). The Dieltiens also rent a cozy studio and apartment for 2–6 people in a nearby 17th-century house (2 people pay €375 per week for studio, €455 per week for apartment, prices higher for shorter stays and more people, 20 percent cheaper off-season).
$ Debruyne B&B, run by Marie-Rose and her architect husband, Ronny, offers artsy, original decor (check out the elephant-sized doors — Ronny's design) and genuine warmth. If the Gothic is getting medieval, this is refreshingly modern (Sb-€55, Db-€60, Tb-€80, 1-night stay-€10 extra per room, no CC, non-smoking, free Internet, 7-min walk north of Market Square, Lange Raamstraat 18, tel. 050-347-606, fax 050-340-285, www.bedandbreakfastbruges.com, email:marie.debruyne@advalvas.be).
$ Paul and Roos Gheeraert live on the first floor, while their guests take the second. This neoclassical mansion with big, bright, comfy rooms is another fine value (Sb-€55, Db-€60, Tb-€80, no CC, strictly non-smoking; rooms have coffeemakers, TVs, and fridges; Riddersstraat 9, 4-min walk east of Market Square, tel. 050-335-627, fax 050-345-201, http://users.skynet.be/brugge-gheeraert, gheeraert.brugge@skynet.be). They also rent three modern, fully equipped apartments and a large loft nearby (2 persons € 60-80, third €10, 3-night minimum).
$ Chris Deloof's big, homey rooms are a good bet in the old center. Check out the fun, lofty A-frame room upstairs (Sb-€50, Ds/Db-€55, Tb-€70, pleasant breakfast room and a royal lounge, no CC, non-smoking, Geerwiynstraat 14, tel. 050-340-544, fax 050-343-721, www.sin.be/chrisdeloof, chris.deloof@pi.be). Chris also rents a nearby apartment (Qb-€70–80) and a holiday house for a family or group of up to five (€100–150).
$ The Carmers B&B of the Van Nevel family rents three attractive top-floor rooms with built-in beds in a 16th-century house (D-€50–53, Db-€60, third person pays €17, no CC, non-smoking, 10-min walk from Market Square, or bus #4 or #8 from train station or Market Square to Carmersbridge, Carmersstraat 13, tel. 050-346-860, fax 050-347-616, www.brugesbb.com, robert.vannevel@advalvas.be). Robert, who works at the Memling Museum, enthusiastically shares the culture and history of Bruges with his guests.
$ ArDewolf's B&B is a family-friendly place warmly run by Nicole and Arnold in a stately, quiet neighborhood at the edge of the old town near the windmills and moat (S-€35, D-€40, T-€60, Q-€70, Quint-€80, no CC, Oostproosse 9, tel. 050-338-366, www.ardewolf.be, ardewolf@pi.be). From the train station, take bus #4 to Sasplein. Walk to the path behind the first windmill and turn left on Oostproosse.
$ Royal Stewart B & B, run by Scottish Maggie and her husband Gilbert, has three thoughtfully-decorated rooms in a 17th-century house which was inhabited by nuns until 1953 (S-€35, D/Db-€57, no CC, pleasant breakfast rooms, non-smoking, Genthof 25-27, 5-min walk from Market Square, tel. & fax 050-337-918, r.stewart@pandora.be).
Hostels
Bruges has several good hostels offering beds for around €10–12 in two- to eight-bed rooms (singles go for about €15). Breakfast is about €3 extra. The American-style Charlie Rockets bar and hostel is the liveliest and most central (75 beds, €14.50 per bed, 2–6 per room, no CC, Hoogstraat 19, tel. 050-330-660, fax 050-343-630, www.charlierockets.com). The Snuffel Backpacker Hostel (€13-17, Ezelstraat 47, tel. 050-333-133 www.snuffel.be) and the funky Passage (€12- in 4-7 room, Dweerstraat 26, tel. 050-340-232; its hotel next door rents € 25 singles, €40 doubles, www.passagebruges.com) are both small, loose, and central.