Bruges, BelgiumSteenstraat Quarter
Boutique Hotel Sablon
Art-filled Flemish townhouse
Steenstraat Quarter Bruges, Belgium
Renovated
2019
Price
$$
Rated for
Design Heritage LocalOutside the door
Art-filled Flemish townhouse
The hotel trades traditional formality for playful modern art, running check-in from velvet armchairs in the lounge.
What it’s good at
Notable
Whimsical contemporary art and jewel-toned velvet contrast against the restored nineteenth-century staircase.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
the Sablon’s interiors are shockingly up-to-date — this is a modern boutique hotel, through and through, and the contrast of its interior design with its 16th-century architecture is as striking as any we’ve ever seen.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Cobbled lanes surround the building, and the Markt's Wednesday flower stalls are a five-minute walk away.
The rooms
Rooms have oversized leather headboards and tactile rugs. In the Loft Suite, a freestanding tub looks out over church spires.
The sauna and baths
A slatted timber sauna sits beside hydromassage whirlpool tubs and a softly lit steam shower.
Restaurant
Breakfast Room
The morning buffet serves made-to-order omelettes under a bronze acrobat sculpture, with tall windows facing the courtyard garden.
Bar
The Livingroom
Cocktails created with Knokke speakeasy The Pharmacy share the menu with Belgian jenever, served beside a dark fireplace.
How it began
French poet Paul Verlaine stayed here in 1893, years after his scandalous affair with Arthur Rimbaud.
Bruges
More like this
Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce
“Timbered canalside bolthole”
Hotel Dukes' Palace
“Restored Burgundian palace”
The Notary
“Theatrical notary manor”
Hotel Bonifacius
“Canalside Gothic keepsake”
Boutiquehotel 't Fraeyhuis
“Restored parkside manor”
Hotel Van Cleef
“Maximalist canalside townhouse”
Hotel De Castillion
“A bishop's stepped-gable residence”
Hotel De Orangerie
“Cloistered canal townhouse”
The app
Like this one? There are so many more.
Swipe any city’s hotels and heart the ones you love. The app gets your taste.
Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.