Hotel NH Collection Brussels Grand Sablon Review

Located on one of Brussel’s prettiest squares, lies the NH Collection Brussels Grand Sablon. Part of NH Hotels Collection of contemporary properties, a brand which we first experienced earlier in the year when we visited the newly launched NH Collection Flower Market in Amsterdam, We were kindly invited back to discover more about the NH Collections brand, this time to Brussels to experience this fantastic city centre property and explore the capital of Belgium on a weekend break. Read on to discover more.

Background and Concept

The NH Collection Brussels Grand Sablon is part of NH Hotels, NH Collection which are hotels that are all housed in iconic and unique landmark buildings across the world, with a strong focus on Europe and Latin America. The brand’s ethos for properties is to maintain their local authenticity, be a source of inspiration for guests who stay and to exceed guests’ expectations. There are currently 80 NH Collection hotels operating in 52 key cities of 15 different countries.

NH Collection Brussels Grand Sablon is tucked in between a row of Art dealerships on Grand Sablon square, which is famous for its weekend antiques market, antiques shops and art dealers, cafés, and chocolate shops and the square looked incredibly beautiful the weekend we were stayed.

Once inside the hotel, the style is chic and contemporary, the large lobby offers a relaxing place to unwind after exploring Brussels and in the morning it becomes the hotel’s breakfast area.

Location

You really have the best of both worlds at this hotel. You are centrally located in Brussels, being a short 400 meters walk to Brussels Central Station which will connect you with the airport and the rest of Brussels and beyond to key cities in Europe. The Grand-Place de Bruxelles square, the heart of the city is a 15 minute walk away, as is Brussel’s bustling shopping district which delights with every brand you can think of.

The real beauty of this hotel is that while you are close to everything that is happening in Brussels you are also removed from the crowds as Sablon works at a more gentle pace and the chic bars and restaurants in the area offer some excellent dining and drinking opportunities.

Check In and Welcome

Guest relations is seamless at the hotel and this is something NH Collection hotels work hard to excel at. Before I stayed the team had got in touch with  Chrystal and Andrew and had organised a special welcome surprise in my room.

Rooms and Suites

The elegant guest rooms reflect the hotel’s position on beautiful Sablon square, sophisticated and stylish. Rooms come in the usual spread of room categories, with the Premium rooms and Suites facing the front and looking over the square. All rooms have a contemporary and spacious feel with a fresh neutral colour scheme.

During my stay I was in a Premium Room With View looking out to the square. The room was double window length so had plenty of space and a small mini lounge area next to the second window. Whilst it was facing out into the square it was actually very quiet at night, so there was no issues about not having a good nights sleep.

The usual minibar essentials are on hand and a Nespresso machine is there to start the day off with a proper coffee!

The bathroom was finished in floor to ceiling tiles and a walk in rain shower. A lovely tiled presentation plate of bathroom amenities is presented at the sink area.

Food and Drink

Breakfast

For me, breakfast is one of the defining moments in any hotel stay as the quality of breakfast says a lot about the hotel, and thankfully this hotel’s breakfast hit the spot! Breakfast is served in the extended lobby area and offers a wide range of buffet-style options, which features a choice of fresh bread and pastries, alongside cereals, cold cuts and cheeses, yoghurts, fruits as well as hot buffet dishes and a selection of additional dishes can be cooked to order in the kitchen.

Hispania Brasserie

The hotel’s restaurant is called Hispania Brasserie by Marcos Moran. It offers one of the best selections of Spanish dishes and tapas in Brussels as well as local specialities and its bar offers a great variety of drinks from Champagnes to wines. The menu has been created by Marcos Moran, their Michelin Star Chef, offering Spanish classics such as ham croquettes, octopus carpaccio with paprika potatoes and the famous “fabada” from Asturias (a unique bean stew with chorizo and black pudding), Salmorejo (tomato soup mixed with bread, dry tuna and grapes) and black rice with cuttlefish and prawns. Their wine list includes wines from the most renowned vineyards in the most traditional wine areas in Spain.

Lazy Sundays

One great feature of the hotel which is quite unique is their Lazy Sunday which is available to NH collection reward members. Breakfast is open until noon and complimentary late check out is on offer, we were able to hold our room to 3pm, making it ideal if you are having a long weekend in the city.

Final Thoughts

I have been to Brussels before only on work trips so never really explored the city properly and on this trip I was really surprised at what a good city break designation Brussel is. It has it all; great bars and restaurants, excellent shopping and a wealth of cultural experiences to keep you busy. The NH Collection Brussels Grand Sablon is an excellent choice for a city break hotel and we have included the hotel in our guide to the best luxury hotels in Brussels.