5 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.

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.

Once a private mansion, this charming 19th-century building has been converted into a sumptuous hotel—even if renovation has robbed the exterior of much of the original patina. Nevertheless, guest rooms are in keeping with the building's heritage—elegant, with chandeliers, reproduction antique furniture, and warm fabrics in reds and golds. Modernity makes its presence known in the form of iPads in every room and Jacuzzis in the suites. It's also well located, just a few minutes' walk from the Markt, and there's even a small sun deck on the top floor. During the evening, the breakfast room becomes part of the hotel's excellent La Mystique restaurant.

This 15th-century mansion is the epitome of Brugian elegance, and each salon is more extravagant than the next: the firelit bar with its cozy tartan wing chairs, the neo-Baroque breakfast salon topped by a coffered ceiling, and the parlor with tufted Victorian chairs and a blazing fireplace. Throughout, genuine antiques, Venetian glass windows, and weathered marble are complemented by mixed-print fabrics and wall coverings in celadon, slate, and cream. Guest rooms range from hyper-romantic to sleek and modern, but whether you want a barley-sugar columned four-poster bed or a Swedish blonde bathroom, you're covered. Note that rooms with canal views receive some traffic noise; courtyard rooms are quieter. The hotel's wellness center includes a sauna, Turkish bath, and pool. When the weather holds, breakfast is served on the terrace.

Situated in one of the most romantic nooks in Bruges, this lovingly and stylishly restored historic pair of houses with half-timbered facades offers enchanting views over the reien. Around 400 years ago these buildings were part of the business district, and the basement still has doors opening onto the water in order for boats to unload stock. Today, it is easily among the more charming hotels in the city. Guest rooms, whether with classic or modern furnishings, have been renovated in a handsomely luxurious fashion, replete with Neoclassical furnishings, grand fireplaces, and plush fabrics. The owner is also something of a collector and tends to deposit his treasures in the hotel. You're as likely to find a €10,000 carpet in your room as you are a sketch by Henri Matisse. The sheer randomness only adds to the charm.