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Bustling Gent's accommodations are often sleek and modern, and there are several stylish hotels in historic buildings. However, hotels generally target weekend and short-term guests. The tourist office can help you make reservations for some of the inns and bed-and-breakfasts in Gent as well as in the surrounding countryside.
If you're walking up from the station into town, you can't miss Grupello; it lingers elegantly on the crossroads like a friendly stranger. Its bustling brasserie is popular with locals and visitors alike. The building is also a work of art. Art Deco stained glass lightens the breakfast room and restaurant, while rooms are likeably simple, with little in the way of fuss. Like most places in town, it caters well to cyclists—you'll even find a puncture repair kit on hand.
This sturdy country house was built by the artist Albert Servaes, who used it as both a home and studio between 1917 and the end of World War II. It has been recently taken over by new owners, who at the time of writing were just beginning to renovate its (currently rather dowdy) 11 rooms, in addition to adding a couple more. What won’t change, however, is the setting, with its stern redbrick facade rising above one of the more bucolic terraces in the region. You come for not only the history, back when this was one of the gathering points for the burgeoning stars of Flemish Expressionism, but the sheer peace and quiet of it all.
That this friendly, simple, family-run hotel with large shuttered windows was once a home won't surprise you once you see the bright rooms, breezily comfortable with cane chairs and tables, colorful bedspreads, and large wooden wardrobes. Public areas are done in warm colors, with wall sconces and accents of polished wood. The place is in a tidy but somewhat bland residential area near train and tram stations.
This riverside inn, in one of the area's prettiest settings, lies on a calm bend of the Leie and boasts a fine brasserie with a terrace that lingers on the water's edge, its grassy lawns scattered with colorful modern art. The magnificent view, over the river and across to the flowering meadows, is the main lure. A handful of its rooms face the water and are highly prized. The hotel even has its own jetty, and boat excursions can be arranged for trips along the Leie.
Sitting across from the 19th-century church of Sint-Aldergondis, on the cobbles of Duerle's tiny main street, its five bedrooms have a rustic gentility and make a fine base for those exploring the trails and museums of the area. It's a quiet spot, with little to do but eat and drink in the evening. Downstairs, the brasserie (open Thursday–Monday) does a fine line in classic Belgian fare, from eel in green sauce to stoofvlees (stew) with a side of mashed apples.
This small B&B with just three guests rooms and a studio is instantly recognizable from the street thanks to its bright, colorful exterior; things are more subtly finished on the inside, while the studio comes with a small balcony and modern kitchen. The owners are happy to help arrange a number of day trips. There's even storage for bikes; handy given what a cycling mecca this is.
There aren't many places to stay in Dendermonde, which makes this B&B on the banks of the Dender something of a precious rarity. Large rooms with bay windows and views over the water are accompanied by big breakfasts, walk-in showers, and a helpful owner.
Lying on the banks of the Leie, Hostel Uppelink is cheap, cozy, and surprisingly storied. It occupies one of the oldest buildings in Ghent, dating from the early 13th century, and was once home to a Spanish king, though like the rest of the Korenlei this step-gabled canal house got a retro-medieval overhaul in time for the 1913 World Fair. It's also a meeting point for both the free city walking tour (10:30, 1, and 6 daily; booking required) and Kayaks Korenlei (€29 for three hours) if you want to paddle the canal. The dorms are surprisingly large; the private rooms are neat and clean, with views out over the canal. The best panorama is from the breakfast room, though, as you tuck into your morning repast (€6.90).
A tidy, elegant boutique stay in the center of the city. There's little that makes Leopold Hotel spectacular, but all the little things add up: clean, simple rooms, storage space for bicycles, free parking at the front, bountiful breakfasts, a bar with a likeable terrace. The overall orderliness and efficiency mean it's hard to find any fault, which is an achievement in itself.
