I've never been so relieved to arrive at a hotel.
Not the hotel's fault, but a MAJOR PSA for travelers. The Maps App on the iPhone does not recognize very important things like pedestrian zones while driving. It made navigating to our parking garage a really complicated feat, not being well acquainted with all of the traffic signs. When checking in, the hotel staff recommended Waze and it was so much more helpful on the rest of our journey in Europe.
This hotel has a wonderful location in the historic center of Gent. And once we arrived we could easily navigate the rest of the city on foot or water taxi. The hotel is modern, has air conditioning, and we enjoyed a good night's sleep in our quiet room. Like most in Europe, there is no mini-fridge in the room. Breakfast is available for an additional charge, but we dined elsewhere.
On our floor there was also a central balcony to take in the sights around us and the biggest bonus was a complimentary coffee and water station in the lobby. We could get a coffee fix first thing in the morning and fill up our water bottles on our way out to explore the city.
The staff was particularly helpful and engaging and they provide a list of bar and restaurants they enjoy in town which you access using a QR reader by the check-in counter.
One other crucial thing to note is that the center of Gent is a Low Emission Zone. We didn't know this until the day prior to arrival when the hotel sent us an email requiring us to register our vehicle in advance of our stay. So if you are driving, make sure to check your emails prior to arrival and you will need to have access to a number of details from your vehicle registration in order to fill out the form. Parking is also (relatively) pricey. So I would absolutely visit Gent again, but perhaps next time by train. read more