24HoursIn: 24 Hours of Pure Luxury in the Vibrant Centre of Brussels

Have you ever wanted to get away for 24 hours, indulging in your most luxurious travel fantasies? Well my handy little 24HoursIn guides are here to help, save the day, make you larger and generally help you live each of those waking hours as you probably wouldn’t live the next. It’s all about luxury – but just for one day (and perhaps a night).

First up in this never-ending mini-series is a city which has recently been subjected to some very sad tragedies and right now needs all the help it can get in tourism, because it has so much to offer, and so much in the way of luxury. Brussels is the home of the European Union and is also home to some of the best restaurants, shops and hotels which Europe has to offer – not to mention being only a short 2 hours from St Pancras International into Bruxelles Midi on the Eurostar. We set off around 9am, boarding the premier class carriage. With its handy 30 minute check-in, spacious seats and light meal served at your seat – it’s a real bump up from standard seating. The service on-board is always immaculate too. It’s the perfect way to start your 24HoursIn luxury.

Once we arrived in the city we caught a taxi just outside and headed straight to our hotel. The underground network is well-connected, but not particularly glamorous – so taxi is advisable. Indulging for just 24 hours and wanting to be as central as possible we booked into Hotel Metropole, a glamorous art deco hotel in the heart of Brussels on the vibrant Place de Brouckèreand, dating back to 1895. There is so much history here and the best rooms are simply magnificent, all of which are led to by a huge marble staircase. The Royal Suite is the room to book here. It’s absolutely stunning. Don’t forget to take advantage of the 24-hour room service. We’ve stayed at Hotel Metropole countless times and I highly recommend it as a base.

The hotel has even gone to extreme lengths by decorating the breakfast room with the same layout and design as the Akshardham Temple in Delhi, India. Bar “Le 31” is located on-site for a drink, which is a tranquil haven. We enjoyed far too many cocktails between meals listening to the soothing sounds of live piano entertainment. The hotels Café Metropole offers a brasserie atmosphere with a classic Belgium menu and outdoor seating for people watching. In short this hotel has it all. It’s no wonder I keep coming back.

For lunch we got changed into our finest attire and took a taxi south of the city to La Villa in the Sky. An incredible restaurant off Avenue Louise – set 120 metres high at the top of the IT Tower. The space has no more than 10 intimate tables and offers the best views of the city. Chefs cook right in front of you from an open kitchen which is led by the hugely talented, Alexandre Dionisio who has created a multi sensory tasting menu which took us on a journey to never forget – incredible wines were paired with each course too. La Villa in the Sky is in my opinion the best restaurant in Brussels.

One of the perks of our hotel being so centrally located is that you have everything at your doorstop. One site no one should miss when visiting Brussels is its main square at the heart of it all, Grand Place (or Grote Markt). This magnificent central square is surrounded by opulent guildhalls and attracts thousands of tourists each year, making it one of the most important landmarks in Belgium. The square is also included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and some of its nearly forty guildhalls and other surrounding buildings date back to the 14th century. You’ll find a wealth of gold gilding, cafes, chocolate shops and restaurants here.

If chocolate is your thing then grab a map and head over to the very pretty Le quai aux briques, passing through the many glamorous arcades on your way. Here you’ll find one of the most beautiful hidden squares in Brussels, lined with family-owned classic Belgium and Flemish restaurants, bars serving traditional Belgium beers and my favourite chocolate shop – Frederic Blondeel. All the chocolate here is made from bean to bar on-site and each process can be seen from the shop floor. Frederic Blondeel is not only Belgium’s finest chocolatier, but a master roaster. The pralines they create are to die for – with prices to match. 

For dinner there is only one place you should be finding yourself, the hottest ticket in town with a currently shiny two Michelin stars, and a there’s been talk of it getting three – SeaGrill. The restaurant is looked after by one of Europe’s most well-known and well-respected chefs, Yves Mattagne who has trained chefs across the globe. The menu focuses on seafood mixed with flavours of the earth. The cooking is very avante-garde and such care and attention is taken with every single dish or mouthful which arrives on your table. A true Brussels experience wouldn’t be the same without visiting SeaGrill. 

With a very early flight the next morning we indulged into our chocolate purchases back in our room, tucked away into our bed and called room service for a night-cap. Brussels is such an exciting city and is still very much overlooked. It has so much to offer and if you’re living in Europe it’s so easy to get to from all corners of the EU. 24HoursIn Brussels is of course never going to be enough time explore this city’s rich culture – but it’s enough time for a little snapshot of how incredible it really all is.