Anselmus Hotel

Situated in a quiet area of central Bruges, the Anselmus has an authentic Bruges feel. Once the home of Anselmus de Boodt, a Flemish aristocrat responsible for establishing modern mineralogy, the hotel's 17th-century gabled building features a grand entrance and interiors with elements like stained glass, hand-carved chairs, and antique cabinets with porcelain plates. The hotel tends to draw tourists who want a traditional-style hotel in a central location near the sights. Guests gather in the cozy lobby and elegant breakfast room with sky-lit conservatory, and on the landscaped patio in warm weather. The hotel has the warm and intimate atmosphere of a bed-and-breakfast style inn, and service is friendly and attentive. 

The Anselmus Hotel is situated on a quiet residential street in central Bruges, within walking distance of several restaurants. Brugge Sint-Jansplein bus stop is a two-minute walk north, and Bruges train station is within a five-minute drive, a 10-minute bus ride, or a 25-minute walk south of the hotel. Basilica of the Holy Blood is a three-minute walk southwest and Market Square and the Belfort medieval tower are a five-minute walk west of the hotel. The Choco-Story chocolate museum is a three-minute walk northwest. The Groeninge Museum with Flemish decorative arts is a nine-minute walk southwest, and the Beguinage convent and de Halve Maan brewery are a 15-minute walk southwest of the hotel. The Anselmus is a 35-minute drive east of Ostend-Bruges International Airport.

The 16 non-smoking rooms at the Anselmus are housed on two floors of a three-story building. There is no elevator, and stairs are steep, but some rooms are at the back with a back door for easier access. Rooms are clean and quiet, and come in Twin, Single, Double, Triple, and Quadruple configurations. Sizes start at 220 square feet, so none are terribly small. Rooms, while not especially well-decorated, have a fair amount of charm and dashes of color -- royal blue, red, and light gold in most spaces. Art is mostly reproductions of Flemish master paintings. Some rooms are in A-frame style with wood support beams exposed. Bedding is simple white cotton, and some double beds are two single beds pushed together, which is common in Europe. Rooms include phones, hairdryers, in-room safes (not large enough for most laptops), free Wi-Fi, and satellite TV, with more than 30 international channels. Television sets are small and tube-style and many are mounted in the corner of the rooms so they may be hard for some guests to view from the beds. Coffee/tea makers are available only upon request. Rooms do not have air-conditioning, but fans are provided. Bathrooms are clean, well-lighted, and have counter space and large mirrors. Some rooms have make-up mirrors. Bathrooms have both tubs and showers, but the showers are the European-style hand-held models. Since the glass shower doors only cover the front of the tub, there's the possibility of water spraying onto the bathroom floor. 

The Anselmus lays out a free breakfast buffet with items like cold cuts, cheeses, hard-boiled eggs, cereals, toast, fresh pastries, yogurt, fresh fruit, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. The hotel puts thought into the breakfast, serving it in an elegant room with bright red walls, parquet floors, chandeliers, and tables with white tablecloths and brass coffee pots. There's also a sky-lit conservatory dining section, and in summer, breakfast can be taken on the outdoor patio amid landscaping, topiary, statuary, and flowers. The hotel also has a public computer with Internet, a 24-hour front desk with concierge services, and nearby secured garage parking for a fee. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.