Hotel Gulden Vlies Bruges

This lovely boutique hotel was a great find. I only stayed one night while in transit and found check-in easy and stress free. The hotel is easy to find by car with parking outside the door for unloading the car and optional private parking just across the road. Fleur was just a phone call away and arrived in 2 minutes to welcome me. When you’ve just been driving all day this is such a relief. I was travelling alone so stayed in the budget room which was surprisingly spacious, comfortable and spotlessly clean with a strong WiFi signal. With an abundant continental breakfast, downstairs area with free coffee and tea area plus honesty bar a lot of thought has gone into making guests feel comfortable. In terms of price, it was the cheapest hotel in central Bruges with parking - you can’t do better. Fleur is charming and never more than 2 minutes away. I will now make the Gulden Vlies my go to hotel whenever I’m in Bruges.

Small boutique hotel. Well positioned, a comfortable walk to the city square. Fleur was a charming hostess, very helpful with touring & dining tips. A cosy atmosphere for a generous & tasty breakfast. Although a little on the pricey side I think this is in keeping with accommodation costs generally in Bruges. Would stay again without hesitation.

What a great little hotel this is! Despite some of the other comments saying this hotel was pricey; we have just returned from our four night stay and it worked out at just under £90 per night which given the location and quality of the hotel I would say is very reasonable indeed!! We booked the property online through a travel site and not direct but had the confirmation from the hotel straight away and this prompt service never stopped at any point. Before we travelled. I knew beforehand that parking in Bruges is both expensive and difficult to find in the centre of the city. You can park near the station etc, but then have to factor in taxis or a 10 minute walk dragging your case behind you!!! So I contacted the hotel via Whatsapp to ask if they could recommend parking. Within minutes the hotel replied and offered secure parking in a facility literally across the road from the hotel. This is charged at €10 per 24 hrs and has to be pre-booked with the hotel but is paid locally in cash on departure. - BIG TIP: take up this option! You can come and go in your car at any time of the day or night and the fee doesn't change. It's easy to transfer your luggage across to the hotel and no long walk. The hotel owner also messaged us before we arrived to confirm time of arrival so that she could have everything ready for us and also answered other last minute questions we had. On arrival. We arrived late on a Sunday evening, long after the hotel reception closed at 5pm. This was not an issue at all. We were able to call Fleur (the hotel owner) when we were at the property and she was able to then let us in remotely. She had already left the keys to the room and the hotel front door for us to pick up along with the keys for the parking facility and perfect "idiot proof" instructions on how to operate the garage door. She gave us the free wifi password and then video called us to go through all other details with us for eg breakfast times etc. This was a service with a very personal touch from the owner and we couldn't have felt more welcome so late on in the evening. Hotel location. The hotel is perfectly located in Bruges on the inner ring road. This made it easy to find when arriving by car and being on the outer edge of the main tourist area made it quiet enough for a good night's sleep; however just a 5 to 10 minute stroll and you are back in the main square with all of the attractions, restaurants, shops and bars...not to mention the myriad of chocolate houses!! Hotel Room. We stayed in room 2 which was on the first floor at the front of the property. Very spacious, clean and comfy. Despite overlooking the main road, you didn't notice any traffic noise and there was no traffic fumes when we opened the massive windows either. The was a large king size bed that was extremely comfy and a spacious seating area with double sofa, arm chair and coffee table and flat screen tv. Large wardrobes with full length mirrors, a side board with tea/coffee facilities. The bathroom was en suite with WC, basin, bath and shower (mixer taps) and there was always plenty of hot water which was good. The room was very airy and cleaned daily with fresh linen. Breakfast. Breakfast was served between 8.30am and 10.30 m and was cold buffet style. There was a good selection of croissants and pastries, toast making facilities, hot beverages and cold juices, cereals, yoghurts, fruits, selection of meats and cheeses and smaller confectioneries and cakes. The food was always fresh, tasty and eat as much as you like. Breakfast really did set you up for the day and Fleur was always around with a friendly smile and good chat. Hotel in general. The hotel is very much a boutique hotel - small and intimate, that said the breakfast room is big enough to cope with the number of rooms without people falling over each other. The tables are also far enough apart to let you have your own provacy whilst eating. The hotel is very clean throughout and has an old world charm with lots of curiosities to provide interest - although as to be expected, some of these may need a bit of a dust!! The front of the breakfast room also has a seating area where Fleur has very thoughtfully provided packs containing information on the best places in town for great food and service. There is also an area providing a selection of chilled bottled beers, wines, water and soft drinks as well as a good selection of ice creams. The prices are very reasonable and this facility operates on an "honesty box" basis where you can pay in cash there and then or pop your name in the book to add it to the bill on departure. Check Out. This was fuss free and very quick. Check out was before 11am but I did note that if you were needing to leave you luggage whilst you did a last bit of shopping or sight-seeing then the hotel was happy to accommodate this at no extra charge. Summary I cannot rate this hotel high enough and also cannot wait to return...it definitely ticked all the boxes without charging the earth. The biggest plus though has to be Fleur (the owner). Never have I met such a lovely lady who goes out of her way to help, be of service but to provide a very warm and friendly welcome...Hotel Gulden Vlies really is a home-from-home and despite the reception closing at 5pm and the staff not being present through the night, we always felt safe and sound and Fleur was always just a phone call (or whatsapp message) away.

Due to its location the proprietor is able to charge £160 a night plus an extra charge for parking. The location isn't a 10 min, as advertised, walk into the centre but more relaxed 20 mins. Nonetheless it gives you more time to look up and enjoy the surroundings. Each visit into town we noticed something new and photogenic. On our first night we arrived late so we had a welcome printed note along with our key, plus a Bruges visitors guide. Despite 3 floors up with various cases it was easily managed but less able bodied people might find it hard. The room had adequate space with furniture in keeping with the properties age. Another minor grip were the two clothes hangers, for 3 guests. Yes, I could have asked for more but I made do but attention to detail is important. I was somewhat disappointed, at breakfast, that the lady tidying up which I assumed was the owner never introduced herself, welcomed us or explained the running of the hotel. The breakfast was a typical continental one which I suppose went towards the overall cost of the room rate, but nothing overly special on offer. Due to an exessive heatwave, >40*, I asked for another fan for the room which wasn't delivered and owing to the lateness of the hour I wasn't going to ring to remind her. Nonetheless my children enjoyed the stay, due to its location but overall I still feel it was overpriced although price wise I'm sure I'll be told fits in with Bruges. A somewhat sombre review but one which comes from a wealth of worldly travels along with its different price ranges.

I am a bit uncertain whether I should give it 3 or 4. I value it a strong 3. It is a bit pricy, but it seems like all Hotels in Brugge is a bit expensive during summer. Room was clean, beds were comfy, WiFi good and breakfast fine. Its a great atmosphere in the Hotel. Service was perfect. We parked our car in a backyard on the opposite side of the road. We paid 10 euro a day which was a good deal.