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Made in Louise - my hotel tipp for a weekend in Brussels

Hotel Made in Louise - perfect location in Brussels

I already told you about my many city adventures in Brussels. Just a weekend in this very special city is not enough, but there is always a second time.

Regardless of how long you intend to stay in the capital city of Belgium (and Europe), I strongly recommend the boutique hotel MADE IN LOUISE as your home away from home (literally speaking!).

From the Gare du Midi (where the fast train Thalys stops), it´s just 3 metro stations or approximately 15 minutes by cab (10 EUR as per April 2019) to the Made in Louise.

This „Hôtel de Charme“ (no better expression to describe it) is located in a quiet neighborhood called Louise, with lots of art nouveau buildings and in a comfortable distance to most of the major sites in Brussels. The streetcar stop is just 3 minutes away, the metro station Louise about 10 minutes.

An elegant staircase with an impressive chandelier leads into the art nouveau building of the 20th century. Cool: the main door opens automatically. Welcome to a lovely hideaway with just 48 rooms.

Family-owned

The siblings Mélanie und Martin Duchateau, inseparable, both with a big sense of hospitality and a certificate from the famous hotel school in Lausanne/Switzerland, bought the former hotel Louise in 2011. Together with their mother, an interior designer, they renovated the building, respecting the Brussels style of the 20th century. The result is the charming Made in Louise, probably one of Brussels´nicest boutique hotels – well done!

Friendly staff at Made in Louise

A lovely scent lies in all these rooms with their chic interior. Charming ladies work at the front desk, and they always have the best tips to explore Brussels –no matter what you are looking for. They were my best consultants, so I did not need any guide book.

You can enjoy snacks, a good coffee or the famous Belgian beer in the bright coffee shop. Food and beverage play a major role in Brussels – from the famous mussels with French fries or chocolate and waffles, to excellent gourmet gastronomy, whatever you like.

Brussels is so very international and cosmopolitan, over and above all clichés.

Charming room

The 48 rooms of the Made in Louise are divided into four categories with different sizes. I slept in a „charming room“ with a size of approximately 20 sqm. The interior was really lovely, mostly white and with a nice view into a lovely patio. Guess what - there is a big chess game in the garden, what a cool idea. In my room I slept like a baby, which also might have been due to my endless walks through Brussels. Ah – high-speed WiFi works well and is free of charge in all of the hotel. There is no gym in the Made in Louise, but my room was spacious enough to do some pushups. In any case, I was not into a big workout after all the walking in Brussels. If you want to get some exercise, you can play billard in the hotel or rent an e-bike and explore the city.

Breakfast is served in a bright chic room with staircases leading into the garden. The selection of breakfast goodies is great for a three-star-hotel, allergy sufferers will be ok. In short – a nice place to charge your batteries for your explorations in Brussels.

Cool places close by

Just a short walk from the Made in Louise, you will find the lively Chaussée de Charleroi with many shops (including two organic supermarkets), cafés and restaurants of all kinds.

I had to sip a coffee at Café Hinterland,which had been recommended to me a few times. For some reason, I always end up in somehow flashy places with a rather young crowd. Who cares, this keeps you young. At Hinterland (funny name meaning backcountry) there are tasty snacks and excellent coffee and … pretty cool staff. The friendly barista was covered with tattoes all over his body (as far as I could see at least…). When he took off his cool cap, the tattoo highlight came out – a spider net on his bald head. He told me he only worked at Hinterland on Sundays. I forgot to ask what he is doing during the rest of the week, would be interesting ;-).

Arty Walks and more tips from a local

You will find more tips from a local below. In any case, I strongly recommend doing the „arty walks“ if you are into architecture. Not far from the Made in Louise, you can explore beautiful Art Nouveau and Art Déco buildings close to a little park. Ask for a map at the front desk.

Made in Louise

Rue Veydt 40

Quartier Ixelles

1050 Brüssel - Belgien

+32 2 537 40 33

info@madeinlouise.com - www.madeinlouise.com

Tips from a Local

Sofia Bedonni was born in Geneva, Switzerland, is studying hotel management at the hotel school in Lausanne. For six months, she is working in the sales and marketing department of the Made in Louise. Following are Sofia´s tips for a weekend in Brussels.

Museums and Sites

The very popular BD Museum in Rue des Sables (just a 15-minute walk from the hotel) shows what we call „comic“. Great exhibitions about the history of our world and our civilization and and interesting mix of Art Nouveau and comics.

If you are interested in paintings, don´t miss the Musée Magritte at Place Royal (a 10- minute walk from the Made in Louise).

The Musical Instruments Museum (Musée des Instruments de Musique) is located in one of the most beautiful Art Nouveau buildings on the so-called art mountain (Mont d´Art). Over 7,000 musical instruments are on display here – and enjoy the beautiful view of the city over coffee in the little restaurant on top. The stroll from the Made in Louise will only take about 20 minutes, with lots to see on your way, such as the famous Justice Palace with its golden dome.

The Brussels Town Hall at the ominous Grand-Place is one of the city´s major sites and certainly a must. From time to time there are guided tours about the history of Brussels. You can reach the Grand-Place from the hotel in a 30-minute walk or just take the subway.

Eat, drink, shop …

Do you like beer? If the answer is yes (and who would say no), don´t miss the Brussels Beer Project. Taste the famous Belgian beers in a typical local microbrewery at Rue Dansaert.

The COCO Donuts Café on the Chaussée de Charleroi is very stylish, get your favorite donut and a good coffee.

I love to stroll around Rue de Flandre at Sainte-Catherine – here you will find boutiques of unique Belgian designers.

Here are more tips for Brussels. Enjoy the read and the city of Brussels!

And some more impressions from the MADE IN LOUISE: