Gay Brussels Brussels City Guide

Curation by Yasmina Rodríguez, words by Jeff Katcherian

Birthplace of the French fry and the Belgium Waffle, the tiny city of Brussels packs a big punch as the fiercely progressive capital of Europe, inspiring the world with vibrant modern culture, classy cuisine and commendable technocracy. A welcoming hub for creatives and expat communities, Brussels is perhaps the most provincial cosmopolitan city you will ever visit. And while Brussels may seem to lack London’s edge and Barcelona’s warmth, look around and you’ll soon be endeared by its approachable atmosphere and forward-thinking attitudes. As the second nation worldwide to legalize gay marriage, gay travellers can feel truly accepted citywide. To congregate for fun times, head to the extensive Gay Village in Saint Jacques for a ridiculous amount of gay bars and some of Europe’s biggest dance parties. If you have an LGBT+ query, the Rainbow House is your go-to; a bar, information centre and event organizer rolled into one. Looking for a Brussels gay guide? Read on for a rundown of the best Brussels points of interest.

The best hotels in Brussels

Brussels wears its finest hotel addresses close to its historic heart, with the best properties radiating outward from the medieval centre into quieter residential squares. On a cobbled lane steps from the Grand Place, Hotel Amigo — Rocco Forte’s grande dame of the city — channels five-star authority through understated Italianate interiors designed by Olga Polizzi. The building’s former life as a sixteenth-century prison is today recalled only by Flemish tapestries, Magritte lithographs and Pierre Marcolini chocolates in the minibar; 174 rooms range from well-proportioned Classics to the theatrical Tintin and Presidential suites, while Ristorante Bocconi and a piano bar ensure the evening begins long before you leave the building.

Hotel Amigo

A ten-minute walk north, The Hoxton occupies a former IBM brutalist tower above the Botanical Gardens, its 198 rooms stacked across floors thirteen to twenty-one and dressed in a vividly executed seventies palette — velvet sofas, bold stripes, pink pedestal basins and walnut cabinets. The hotel is unapologetically social: Cantina Valentina brings Peruvian cooking to the ground floor, while rooftop bar Tope has swiftly become the most coveted terrace in Brussels, drawing the city’s creative crowd for Mexican small plates and panoramic views that peak at sunset.

Those who prize hushed discretion will find their ideal in the Juliana Hotel, sequestered on the patrician Place des Martyrs a short stroll from the Grand Place. Italian designer Eugenio Manzoni has fashioned a private-residence atmosphere across just over forty rooms, each adorned with pieces from owner Eric Cléton’s remarkable art collection. A glistening indoor pool clad in Brazilian blue marble, sauna, hammam and a restaurant beneath an Egyptian-inspired Art Deco ceiling complete a property that operates at a register of quiet, personal luxury few competitors in the city can match.