3 Best Hotels in Bruges and the Coast, Belgium

Hotel de Orangerie, one of a swarm of boutique hotels that have colonized central Bruges, is family owned---and perhaps the most enchanting of its kind. Perched delicately over the Den Dyver canal, it lies in the beating heart of the city but just far enough removed from the busy main street. What was once a former 15th-century convent has been sensitively renovated. Rooms pitch hardwood floors against soft, flowery drapes, antique furniture, tapestries, and neutral tones. Afternoon teas range from the cream to the Champagne variety and are served daily (2–5) in the conservatory overlooking the water. They are worth a try (€20–€40) even if you're not staying here. While the bar is in essence a simple living room with a fireplace, it oozes stately home elegance—a phrase that accounts for much of the interior.

Set in a 15th-century former residence of the Dukes of Burgundy, it lies off the main drag of one of the city's more upmarket shopping areas---and in terms of sheer grandeur, nothing in Bruges can compete with this. In a city where space comes at an extraordinary cost, possessing a 3,000-square-meter garden is next to sacrilegious. Remnants of the original city walls exist on the grounds, though are sadly confined to a few crumbling bits of stonework. The hotel boasts one of the oldest elevators in the world (a genuine Otis dating from 1882). Rooms are gloriously over the top and recently refurbished, with gold-striped walls and portraits of dukes-gone-by. The spa is equally so: a hammam, sauna, U.V. cabins, and a salt wall complete the experience. Meanwhile, the restaurant and lounge bar are worthy indulgences, with prices that reflect the setting.

Great care has been taken in the conversion of this 18th-century carriage house, and the result is a stylish, romantic hideaway shielded from the throngs of tourists but still just two minutes' walk from the center. In the library, antiques vie for space with old books and Louis Vuitton suitcases, while the bar has the feel of a gentleman's club from the 1930s. Rooms are steeped in Ralph Lauren fabrics and good taste, with four-poster beds and Jacuzzis in the suites. The top-floor rooms in particular offer great views of the city. Downstairs, eggs are cooked to order in the breakfast room, while the patio is as peaceful a spot as you'll find in all of Bruges.