Friday 5 June 2009

My weekend in a hotel in Kortrijk



Recently I stayed with a few colleagues in a very nice hotel in Kortrijk, the city where I really learned know. Unknown makes unloved, and it was many years ago that I still had one foot in Kortrijk put. For clarity, Kortrijk lies in the province of West Flanders, near the border with France, and has about 75,000 inhabitants. The city lies on the Leie a point where that river is split away and comes back together. This has created an island, the Buda Island.

Kortrijk and surroundings were long known as a center of the flax cultivation. National Flax Museum recalls still on. The museum is housed in an old farmhouse where flax in 26 scenes flax cultivation and development of flax processing are shown. All these things I came to know by the evening in my hotel hotel Kortrijk especially a lot to read (colleagues were quite boring and went to bed early ...).



Nowadays you can find that many historic buildings in Kortrijk by war or fire, and were then rebuilt. The Beguinage to only one to mention dates originally from the 13th century but was destroyed three times, the last time in 1684. It is an oasis of calm and there are beautiful baroque houses from the 17th century. My Kortrijk Hotel was a stone's throw from here, just beautiful.

For art lovers: Kortrijk is to be awake! The city has the Buda Island into an artistic center. The brewery tower Tack got a new purpose as an artistic production and cinema complex Pentascoop has multifunctional rooms, where space for performing arts.

Also, we plan to during our stay in one of the hotels in Kortrijk a few museums to do. The Broelmuseum to Broelkaai at Buda Island shows works by artists who lived in Antwerp and worked, including Roeland Savery, Kerstiaen The Keuninck and Louis Robbe.

Close to that museum is also famous Broeltorens on both sides of the Lys. The two medieval towers are identical, but are not. The south tower (the Spey Tower) dates from the 13th century, the north tower (the Ingelburgtoren) was built in the 15th century. The bridge between the two towers is a picture of Nepomucemus, patron saint of overboard.

Thursday 14 May 2009

Wonderful holiday in a hotel in Hasselt


I just returned home from a wonderful weekend in Limburg, particularly in a hotel in Hasselt. Imagine a region where you can endlessly cycling through the beautiful natural, safe, away from cars on wide roads, with no holes or bumps. Where people on your kindly greeting. Where on a sunny terrace to enjoy a nice refreshment or a delicious local dish. If you walk in Limburg than you will enjoy. Plenty. From the walk itself. Of the environment. From the pedestrian areas. And of the many hidden places which are accessible only to hikers. Rippling streams, natural ponds full of life, stiltegebieden, carpets dew in the morning, empty roads, scenic beauty, pleasant villages, beautiful city centers ...

The cultural offer in Limburg is very extensive, so much during my stay in a hotel in Hasselt clear. Several museums to learn more about the past, present and future. In Hasselt you can write to the National Gin Museum and the Fashion Museum, in the Gallo-Roman Museum Tongersestraat learn everything about the history of the oldest city in Belgium, there is the Museum of the Flemish Minor in Sint-Truiden, the oldest private pharmacy in the country is in the Maaseik Museactron ... And let us certainly not forget Open Bokrijk where Flanders anno 1850 alive. But not only museums provide the extensive cultural offerings in Limburg. You can also visit castles and mills, cultural events, there is no shortage, and if you want the typical Limburgse streekcultuur breathing you be sure to visit Limburgs a craft business.

Hasselt is an important trade center in Belgium and a shopping paradise for tourism. So who is addicted to shopping, have a weekend in one of the many excellent Hasselt hotels super good. The city has its charming traffic free shopping, colorful terraces and stylish shopping malls. Hasselt enjoy international fame through his extensive and exclusive fashion range, enhanced by the Modemuserum and a special mode circuit. In addition, the Hasselt jenerverstad par excellence. The Manneke Drink and the National Jenervermuseum have become the symbols of Belgium's capital jenever. Many hotels Hasselt to play this very well from tourism assets!


The history of the county Loon comes to life in the abbey and the house of refuge Herck Red. Art can be found in Hasselt in many places: in the Cathedral and the Virga-Jesse Basilica, in the museums, the Begijnhof and the numerous art galleries, parks and streets and on the Green Boulevard. Hasselt, the beating heart of the green Limburg, the city with the largest Japanese Garden of Europe, the city of Grenslandhallen, Kinepolis, Pukkelpop, Indoor Plopsaland the Jenerverfeesten, delicious spiced Hasseltse so on. During my stay in that Hasselt hotel I have several of my thumbs and fingers have to lick , so it was tasty!

Tuesday 28 April 2009

From Ghent to Ostend


I just got back from some very nice couple of days in a one of the best hotels in Ostend, the one and only coastal city in Belgium, luring thousands of tourists to its shores each year. Ostend is a Belgian city located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. In earlier times, Ostend was a small village built on the east-end of an island (originally called Testerep) between the North Sea and a beach lake. The village rose to the status of "city" around 1265 when the a market hall was built. With wind never in short supply, modern Ostend has become a destination for kite surfers as well as an important port.

Nowadays, Ostend is a very popular seaside resort, famous for its sea-side esplanade, pier and fine beaches. It has six beaches around the city. No wonder so many people, whether they are business travellers, single or have families with children, decide to stay a weekend or longer (sometimes even an entire summer) in a hotel in Oostende. Famous tourist attractions Ostend has to offer include the James Ensor museum, showing where the artist lived from 1917 to 1949. The Mercator, a tall ship of the Belgian merchant fleet that has been converted into a maritime museum. And Fort Napoleon is a tourist attraction. But all tourists go mainly for the beaches!

A visit to Ostend is always exciting and spending your holiday in one of the many fine hotels Oostende is absolutely a great idea! Ostend is a great place with something for everyone. I have stayed in Brugge before and think it is better to stay in Ostend and visit Brugge on the train for the day. Brugge is lovely, but I feel you can easily see all there is in one day. It is only 15 mins on the train. Ostend is a fish lovers paradise. You have all the seafood stalls along the quayside.

Checking in in my hotel in Oostende was easy, the staff was very helpful. There was a small swimming pool and some very good breakfasts. Later I heard from a colleague that I chose one of the absolute best hotels in Oostende, I didn't even know so I guess I got very lucky! I was a great Ostend hotels with a balcony and sea view which was excellent this time of year. As for Ostend, simply relaxing to wander around and eat and drink at leisure, was all I did in this luxe hotel in Oostende...