We have concluded our autumn tour of the Continent in Brussels and stayed for two nights in this charming hotel. It appears to be a part of a small group of Brussels hotel all of them called "Manos"-something. This is good to know, since several cab drivers took us to other Manos hotels. The Manos Premier is apparently their flagship hotel and the best rated.
We stayed in a very large room on the first floor with wall-height windows overlooking the hotel back garden. Everything about the room and the public areas was charming and very tasteful. The hotel bar with its dark colonial design is fabulous, but unfortunately we were always the only guests. If/when it get more lively it certainly is a stylish and cosy place to spend an entire evening in, but if you want to experience some action, you might prefer to have a one for the road in the hotel and then head downtown.
There is a sort of library/lounge behind the breakfast restaurant that most guests seem not to be aware of - it's a splendid, cosy room with a fireplace and an ideal place to withdraw to after breakfast and make plans for the day.
That takes me to the most important caveat about this hotel: it's located in a mixed neighbourhood around 20 mins walk from the Louisa-area where you will find the closest banks, shops and cafes etc. From there, it's another 15 mins downhill to the Sablon area (where we have spent most of our time browsing through amazing antique shops) and perhaps 25 mins to the city centre. So unless you are a keen walker, be prepared to spend some money on cabs. Especially returning to the hotel after all-day sightseeing is quite a challenge because you need to go uphill almost all the way from the centre to the hotel.
This wasn't my first trip to Brussels but it was the first time I did not stay in an excellent but impersonal and interchangeable hotel like the Conrad. For a private trip I would definitely recommend the Manos, since it gives you a better and more personal feeling for Brussels and its pre-EU history.
- Manos Premier Brussels
- Hotel Manos Premier
