Hotel Flora
Bejewelled bouquet
Amid mediaeval marvels
Once the residence of 15th-century merchants, Hotel Flora is largely in keeping with mediaeval Antwerp, except that a new fit-out by interiors maestro (and local gent) Gert Voorjans – although keeping original details such as the Rococo gatehouse – is wholly contemporary. A scheme of sumptuous hues has seemingly been cribbed from Wes Anderson’s Pinterest board, and there are botanical motifs, a Chinese pagoda, wicker seating and Nils Verkaeren artwork – all of which pack a punch more potent than a frothy pint of Duvel.
Facilities
Rooms
Seven suites.
Checkout
12 noon, but a late check-out of 2pm can be arranged for €35. Earliest check-in, 3pm.
More Details
Rates include an à la carte breakfast of only fresh produce, all of it cooked on an AGA, which can be served anywhere in the hotel – fuel up in Hotel Flora’s garden courtyard, where birdsong and the distant gongs of cathedral bells will kickstart the day.
Also
When giving the hotel its visual identity, landscape painter Nils Verkaeren secluded himself in the property for a fortnight, painting on surfaces where he saw fit – which is certainly one way of getting a two-week stay on the house.
Free Internet Access
Room Service
At the Hotel
Library, 24/7 room service, free WiFi. In rooms: Smart TV, minibar, hairdryer, eco-friendly bath products.
Our Favourite Rooms
Hotel Flora’s selection of seven suites is tightly edited, and each option has its own appeal. The accommodations are categorised by colour – amethyst, emerald, terra, aquamarine, sapphire, ruby and agate – to reflect Antwerp’s renown as one the world’s epicentres for precious stones. We have a penchant for agate, appointed with a marble fireplace framed by a Nils Verkaeren mural.
Packing Tips
Curating an on-the-go capsule wardrobe to take to one of Europe’s fashion capitals can be a discouraging task – but blending in with the local scenesters won’t require cutting-edge labels or items of extreme, cartoonish dimensions. Clothes in timeless, neutral colours – black, navy, marl grey – and cut in a slim, but not figure hugging, silhouette go a long way here.
Also
Although this is an adults-only (18+) hotel, children are allowed to stay if you book the entire property.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Hotel Restaurant
Although there's no restaurant at Hotel Flora, there is an à la carte breakfast served daily and room service for drinks is available 24/7.
Hotel Bar
At the salon, which has a lived-in feel thanks to its sultry lighting and a medley of plush and wicker furniture, the choice of drinks include champagnes, wines, and limited-edition rums and whiskeys.
Room Service
24/7 room service is available.
Planes
The nearest airport is Antwerp International, a 20-minute taxi ride away, although Brussels Airport is only a 45-minute drive away. Transfers can be arranged with the hotel; a one-way journey from Brussels Airport is €125.
Trains
Antwerpen-Centraal train station is under 10 minutes away by taxi; transfers from the station can be arranged with the hotel. For those wanting to stretch their legs, it's a 15-minute walk away.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
With Hotel Flora being in the thick of the action, a lazy morning could easily be spent ogling the Cathedral of Our Lady’s gothic splendour or the waterside fortress of Het Steen. It would, however, be remiss to not look beyond the historic core – though a compact port city, Antwerp is known as a creative cauldron that has helped build the country’s main cultural columns. A cradle for fashion designers who have moved the needle for the industry (Dries Van Noten, Martin Margiela, et al.), this is a city reputed for its timeless ‘fits and style: if you’re finally swapping out your frayed, tea-stained WFH sweats, try Graanmarkt 13, an emporium overflowing with more independent labels than you’d find in Anna Wintour’s walk-in wardrobe. Highlights include Sofie D’Hoore, known for her flowing silhouettes; Kassl Editions, which purveys unisex items; and Aeyde, a maker of minimalist footwear. And, of course, skipping out on the Dries Van Noten flagship, set across a 19th-century corner block, would be a sartorial sin. There’s a saying that every Belgian is born with a brick in their stomach. Accordingly, Antwerp, with its patchwork of contrasting buildings, is a calling card for architecture aficionados. Classic forms abound, notably at the 1905 Antwerpen-Centraal whose exterior is done out in the neo-gothic style. But for modern envelope-pushing designs, seek out Zaha Hadid’s love-hate Port House whose 2016 intervention has drawn comparisons with a cantilevered diamond. MAS, which has the look of a Jenga game seconds from collapse, hosts art-and-culture exhibitions across 10 floors. And for something even more leftfield, head south of the city for Happel Cornelisse Verhoeven’s Brandweerpost; its red-brick walls are so refined it appears like a render. And as all the museums and guidebooks will remind you, Peter Paul Rubens is the north star of the country’s arts scene – Rubenshuis, the famous painter's home and studio, features plenty of his baroque masterpieces as well as an unusually small bed (made all the smaller if you're arriving after a night at Hotel Flora). For an exploration beyond the Flemish masters, walk the grounds of the Middelheim Museum sculpture park, with highlights by Auguste Rodin and Alexander Calder, or the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, the city’s incubator for fledgling talent.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
