TL;DR

Historic style – a grand 19th-century Brussels boutique hotel with handsome antiques, jewel tones, and sophisticated character.
Adults-focused – a calm, stylish retreat suited to couples, solo travellers, and families with older children.
Indulgent stay – an excellent restaurant, chic bar, spa, and fitness facilities make it easy to settle in and stay awhile.
Central location – right by upscale Louise, within easy reach of Grand Place, the European Quarter, museums, and Avenue Louise.
Guest favourite – guests particularly praise the exceptional service, beautiful interiors, and unusually high attention to detail.

Faubourg 21, just off Waterloolaan, mixes the intimate scale of a boutique hotel and the chic decor of a design hotel in a grand old building with centuries of history.

It’s adults-only, although the no-children policy applies only to under-12s, so you’ll still find the occasional chic family among the guests, alongside fashionable couples and indulgent solo travellers

It has style, comfort, and a fabulous on-site restaurant and spa, so you’re looking at something very indulgent for absolutely anyone.

The venue is a 19th-century town house. The decor is handsome, with much antique vibes and character.

It’s the vibe of Hercule Poirot with the aesthetic of Pieter Mulier; old meets new in the most sophisticated of senses.

What are the rooms like?

19 rooms – the hotel offers a relatively intimate collection of rooms and suites.
Rich interiors – jewel-toned wood panelling, elegant wallpapers, and velvets.
Spacious rooms – deluxe rooms start at 25 square metres, while the suites offer even more room to spread out.
Distinctive suites – options range from trendy floral designs to historically inspired spaces, with many featuring bathtubs.
Garden views – duplex rooms add a second floor, tiled bathrooms, and views across the garden.
Well equipped – quality linens, Nespresso machines, TV, climate control, and a work or lounge area.
See each room in detail here

Rooms are decked out in well-chosen wallpapers juxtaposed with wood panelling in rich jewel tones.

They’re the kind of spaces that feel rich without feeling pretentious, indulgent without feeling gaudy.

Some of the velvet and dark wood might err on the side of ostentatious, but we think it works.

Faubourg 21 offers both rooms and suites, starting with 25 square metre deluxe rooms that ensure you’ll never feel cramped.

If you’re feeling particularly active, grab a duplex option. We love a second floor, especially with lovely tiled bathrooms and views of the garden.

Suites add on luxuries, no questions. They each have their own special flair, from the trendy floral wallpaper of the Faubourg 21 Suite to the historical inspiration of the Grand Heritage Suite.

Most of these have bathtubs, if that’s a draw, and they’re all notably spacious.

All rooms offer gorgeous linens, Nespresso machines, TVs, climate control, and work/lounge areas.

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

Three venues – choose between the sophisticated Bar 21, casual Noisette bistro, and fine-dining Chaga.
Bar 21 – a cosy, atmospheric lounge serving handcrafted cocktails in an elegant setting.
Noisette – a chic bistro covering breakfast, weekday lunches, and afternoon teas.
Fine dining – Chaga offers an exploratory set menu alongside weekday à la carte options.
Wellness space – Ré Labo de Beauté combines a fitness centre and spa with bespoke treatments and exercise coaching.

The culinary offerings at Faubourg 21 are three-pronged.

We start at Bar 21, the hotel bar and living room to the truly sophisticated.

We’re talking big windows, handcrafted cocktails, one of those bars where you carve out a cosy little space for you and a lover and spend all night whispering to one another.

Noisette is our next most casual, a super-chic bistro serving breakfast delights all week, with lunches and afternoon teas available on weekdays.

The real indulgence is Chaga, the fine dining option with a set menu designed for exploration.

À la carte options are available during the week.

If that’s not enough, head towards the ‘wellness space.’ Doubling as a fitness centre and spa, Ré Labo de Beauté offers bespoke treatments and exercise coaching organised by the hotel concierge.

How is the neighbourhood? Anything interesting nearby?

Luxury address – Waterloolaan and Avenue Louise put high-end shopping, restaurants within easy reach.
Central position – the hotel sits on the edge of downtown, making it easy to explore the historic centre on foot.
European Quarter – Quartier Leopold and the EU Parliament are close by for those interested in Brussels’ political heart.
Museums nearby – the Magritte Museum and Royal Museum of Arts are both on the easy walk towards Grand Place.
Easy transport – Naamsepoort station is just half a block away, connecting you quickly with the rest of Brussels.

The neighbourhood of Louise has the reputation for upscale shopping, but Waterloolaan, the Boulevard de Waterloo, is still the place for luxury in Brussels.

Gucci, Prada, and more sit alongside the bustling street. The charming Parc d’Egmont sits just a bit closer to the centre, a lovely place for a leisurely stroll complete with people watching and sightseeing.

It’s also very close to Quartier Leopold’s also distinctly upscale European-ness, and, of course, the EU Parliament.

20 minutes on foot takes you to Grand Place, past the Magritte Museum, Royal Museum of Arts, and many more.

Same goes for the exciting side streets off Avenue Louise, with the Quartier du Châtelain a half-hour walk at most.

Yep, as long as your plans are in the centre, Faubourg 21 makes it quite easy to get to them.

Anyone wanting to use public transport needs only walk half a block to Naamsepoort station, and they’re good to go.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

“This is the best hotel in Brussels. Hands down. Having stayed at the other solid ones (steinberger wilcher, corinthia, amigo, the dominican etc) in Brussels, this one is in a class of its own. The service was impeccable, the room as well as common areas were beautiful and in everything, the attention to detail was unusually high, even for hotels in this category….”

Some things guests didn’t like:

”The air conditioning was as good as it gets in Brussels, with the room at about 23 degrees, which, by mine (and U.S standards) isn’t cool enough. But that’s more of a continent problem than specific to the venue. No other hotel in town has a better one in my experience….”

Read all guest reviews on Booking.com