Hotel Review: The Hotel Stanhope Brussels Via Hotel Tonight
Last week, TPG Creative Director Adam Daniel Weiss stayed at the The Stanhope in Brussels. The following is his review of his experience at the property.
My first night in Brussels was a good one at the Dominican, and as much as I would have liked to have stayed an additional night, it was not available on Hotel Tonight for the following evening. After starting my morning by visiting the beautiful city of Bruges (site of the humorous Colin Farrell movie 'In Bruges'), I fired up HotelTonight again to look for a new place. I had used the TPG discount code the night before (new users can enter the code BKELLY99 for a $25 credit), so I couldn't re-enter it, but there seemed to be some reasonable options available for this night. After consulting with my friend Martijn about which ones he would recommend, I chose the Hotel Stanhope, a 5-star property (part of the Norwegian Thon Hotels chain) located near the Parc Royal and the Palais de Bruxelles, not far from the EU headquarters.
The room rate was listed at $361 (as it was categorized as a "Luxe" property), which was a bit more than I had wanted to pay. However, the other options available were far from the city and close to the airport, so I stayed away from those.
The hotel listed itself as a 5-star property with full amenities - sounded great, right? However, upon arrival at their side street main entrance, I found zero bellmen or door staff to assist me with my luggage, and the entrance did not have a ramp so I had to lug everything up stairs. Turning the corner, I found a very nice lobby - very European in flair and style ,replete with ceramic busts, marble floors and Old World grandeur.
At check-in, I was offered either a garden or street view, and given that I needed to get up early to make it to the airport, I opted for the garden view room so as to not be kept up by street noise. I took a claustrophobically petite elevator that was decorated with wall-to-wall with faux books (including such titles as "Rambo Saves The Day", "How To Cope With Staff Losses" and other quirky tomes) straight up to my room on the 5th floor.
Each room was named after former ruling kings and queens as well as aristocratic dynasties, so I had the "Windsor Room", #501 which was right by the elevator (which I usually prefer to be away from). It was still quiet enough that it was not an issue, though. The hallways were clean and bright and had a nice clubby feel to them with green, gray and gold accents.
I opened the door to find a very nice and light room around 250 square feet in size overlooking the central courtyard of the property, and although the view was not spectacular per se, it was very light and the windows opened to give some fresh air to the room.
Although there was nothing particularly outstanding about this room, it suited my needs for the night, and was pleasantly appointed. The queen-sized bed had older trim and pillows which looked dated, but it was still comfortable nonetheless. WiFi was not included in the Hotel Tonight deal, but I asked if it could be thrown in since I had just booked and needed it badly...a wink and a smile can get you far sometimes!
A small desk with pull out bench as well as an armoire with a luggage stand completed the room. One odd quirk was that the door to the room did not close automatically, so when you shut it, you needed to make sure that it closed completely. Not a huge deal, but something to note.
The bathroom was very nice and warm, and had amenities by Green Park, a hotel-specific division by British brand Molton Brown, and all products were in the refreshing Neroli and Cedar collection.
I called the front desk to ask for a wake-up call and the next morning before the call came in, my television turned itself on to wake me up, then I got the call from the front desk within a minute. It was a bit jarring to wake up to the news a la Poltergeist, but it did the trick.
Unfortunately, due to my time constraints, I was unable to eat breakfast at the hotel in the morning, but the restaurant looked nice, and the courtyard outside that my room had overlooked had some tables available to dine at as well.
All in all, even though it seemed a bit dated and the service was not quite as deluxe as Hotel Tonight would have you believe, the property was nice and worth a stay. It's not the hippest or most happening property, but it suited my needs and I would recommend it to others - though perhaps only if you can snag a better deal than I did. Have you visited the Hotel Stanhope, and if so, what was your experience like?
[card card-name='Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express' card-id='22034416' type='javascript' bullet-id='1']
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.