sleep
FLYTO
brussels
frommorethan50europeandestinations;
seville
threetimesweekly.
brusselsairlines.com
AtlasHotel
RueduVieuxMarchéaux
Grains30, Brussels
+32 (0)25026006,
atlas-hotel.be
words
EmmaBeddington
There’sadearthof goodhotels in thecentre
ofBrusselsandparticularly in the fashion
anddesign-focusedDansaert quarter.Thank
goodness for theAtlas,whichhasbeenon
theultrastylishRueduVieuxMarchéaux
Grainssince 1992.This family-owned
stalwart has just hada thoughtful renovation
fromdesignduoMichel PennemanandOlivierHannaert, tying itmoreclosely to the
buzzingcreativehub it occupies.The imposing 18th-centuryexterior isunchanged
but the lobbyhashadasober andappealingmake-under insoft greyandbrass,
withvertical panelsdisplaying informationabout thehotel’s fashionanddesign
neighbours.This themecontinues in the rooms: eachhasa light boxmoodboard
display, exploringacreator or designer’sworkand inspirations.Amap indicates
where in thesurroundingstreetsguestscango to takea lookat theirwork for real.
Therearenewandethereallycomfortablebeds,which theowner andmanysatisfied
customersdeclare the“best inBelgium”.Better even than thebeds, though, is the
location: stepoutsideandyou’re just oppositeBrussels’hippest concept store,
SiblingFactory, seconds fromDansaert’sbrilliant shoppingandbar hoppingand
barely fiveminutes’walk to theGrandPlace.Doubles fromavery reasonable€99.
This isacharmingboutiquehotel built in
thehousewhere,according to legend,
poet-kingAl-Mutamid fell in lovewith
beautiful slave-girlRumaykiyya.Alcoba
comes fromanoldMoorishword
meaning ‘meetingplace for lovers’,andas
soonasyoustep into thepatio,with its
elaboratelycarvedceiling,you feel you’ve
tapped into the romanticessenceof
Seville.Thisancientbuildingsurvived
many lives. ItwasbothaMoorishnoble-
houseandaslumbeforebecominga
hotel nineyearsago.The roomsareall
namedafterheroesofSeville–kings,
poets,philosophers, feistyslave-girls–
and thewelcomingstaff canclueyou in
on local legends.But this isnostuffy
museum.Soft lightingdrifts fromkaleidoscopicMoroccan lanternsand the furniture–
from thestalwartoakwardrobes to the filigreedcedar-woodheadboards– lendsa rural
Andalusian tone. In thisageofpredictablebranding it’s refreshing to findahotelwith
character.The rooftop terraceoffersaviewbeyond thehistoricMacarenaquarter,
across theOldTown to thecathedral.There’snoneed toheadouteven for souvenirs:
everything from thecedarheadboard to theembroidered leathercouch inyour room
is for sale in this (quite literally foronce) ‘hotel boutique’.Doubles from€120.
newdestination
AlcobadelRey
deSevilla
CalleBecquer9,Seville
+34954915800,
alcobadelrey.com
words
markeveleigh
MARKEVELEIGH
