Location: Bruges – Belgium
Classification: 4 star hotel
Official website: http://www.prinsenhof.com/

Prinsenhof, a luxurious four star hotel in Bruges, has it all… The most comfortable rooms, accommodating service and an excellent location. No wonder it is rated as one of the best hotels in the city! Let me tell you something more about this hidden gem…

I can’t imagine a better location! Quiet and peaceful but just a few steps away from the most important sights of Bruges! The top notch service starts as soon as you approach the Prinsenhof. No need to park your car yourself, just hand the keys to the reception staff and they will take care of your car. Check-in was very efficient and professional! They gave us all the information we needed to know about the hotel and surrounding areas. The lobby area is cozy and has this boutique style feeling, love it! Actually, it is all about coziness here! Near the lobby area, they recently opened a bar, The Bowler… A trendy lounge bar with cool drinks!

There are only 24 rooms at the Prinsenhof and they offer three categories of rooms: the classic rooms, superior rooms and deluxe rooms. I visited several rooms and can honestly say that they are all wonderfully designed. The difference between the categories are the extra services they provide, such as a delicious fruit plate or bowl in the superior and deluxe rooms and a bottle of water in the deluxe rooms. The room we stayed in (a deluxe room) was gorgeous! It had a soft king sized bed and a very comfortable sitting area with 2 of the most comfy couches I have ever experienced in any hotel! The large bathroom had double sink, a jacuzzi bath tub (all superior and deluxe rooms have jacuzzi bath tubs) and an oversized shower with rain head. Oh, and a separate toilet, always a bonus! Excellent coffee/tea/hot chocolate making facilities, by the way! I also liked the HD television and the heavenly soft bathrobes.

I still had some work to do and needed to print out some documents. I just called the reception and they were friendly enough to bring up the paper work within just a few minutes. They really go out of their way for their clients, assuring that every client will enjoy their stay… For example, they offer turn down service which is pretty uncommon in a four star hotel. At night, we had dinner in a restaurant and the staff explained to us where we had to go… they immediately handed us a map with excellent directions. And although the service is high level, it is not over the top. I felt pretty comfortable walking around in the hotel, it is not that guests/staff are acting pretty snobby here… there is a relaxing atmosphere throughout the hotel which is something I really appreciate!

The next morning we had breakfast and priced at 19 EUR per person, this really is a bargain! The quality of the food at the buffet is fantastic! Plenty of fresh fruit, bread, etc. Fancy an egg? No problem, just ask the staff for the eggs you prefer and they will take care of it. There even was bread pudding and (of course!) some yummie Belgian chocolate. And not to forget: champagne! Honestly, I have been to many five star hotels with far less breakfasts than at the Prinsenhof! Again, service level was excellent, with a smile and very efficient.

We were sad to leave the Prinsenhof, but were heading home with great memories. The Prinsenhof definitely deserves its high reputation as one of the best hotels in Bruges! Highly recommended!