Antwerp Guesthouse

Historical Urban Escapes, Updated

Created in nostalgic tribute to the owner’s first major interior design find—an antique shopkeeper’s cabinet of 400+ drawers for holding buttons—this pair of renovated guesthouse studios mixes modern styling with a touch of vintage flair, where new high ceilings meet original exposed beams and herringbone and patinaed wood floors are topped with clean-lined, contemporary furnishings.

Located in the heart of Antwerp’s old city center, this pair of modern studios occupies a historical building located among art galleries, fashion and design shops, theaters, bars, and gastropubs, in a pedestrian-friendly urban enclave. The building’s heritage doesn’t include an elevator; so plan on taking the stairs.

AROUND

Belgium’s largest city and the capital of its Flemish-speaking population, Antwerp is a medieval port on the River Scheldt. Known as the world’s diamond capital, the centuries-old buildings that make up the Diamond District still house traders, gemologists, cutters and polishers. The city’s wealth is revealed in its glittering mix of old world glamour and industrial-turned-chic. The late architect Zaha Hadid created Antwerp’s standout Havenhuis, a diamond-inspired structure atop a disused firehouse in the port area, but the heart of the city is known for its classic cobbled streets lined with Flemish townhouses and café-dotted squares. 

The Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady displays a Rubens triptych, and the artist’s palazzo dating from 1610 houses a vast collection of his works. Antwerp’s port and commercial harbor is a world unto itself, at once rusting and post-industrial and ultra-contemporary and cutting edge. Art Deco era architecture is also an Antwerp signature, including the not-to-be-missed Grand Hall of the city’s central train station and the De Roma Auditorium. Grote Markt is the city’s main square, with the 16th-century City Hall building, a fountain at its center and ornate Guild Houses surrounding it, along with cafes, breweries, and restaurants. A short walk from the square is Het Steen Castle, Antwerp’s oldest building (dating from the 13th century) overlooking the river. It houses a history museum, shop and panoramic roof terrace. It also has a ferris wheel as its closest neighbor and a riverboat launch pier nearby for ferrying around the city’s harbor and urban banks.

LOCATION

Antwerp, Belgium. Nearest airport: Antwerp (5km from downtown); Brussels (40km)

BEST TIME TO VISIT: May to September