Hotel Le Plaza

A revolving glass door takes guests into the large, grand lobby of this 1930s hotel, where polished marble floors and crystal chandeliers provide an impressive welcome. There’s a large, comfortable seating area and a fireplace near the oak reception desk. Tasteful, classical furniture has been chosen to complement the hotel’s original features, including an ornate ceiling and archways and a sweeping marble staircase. The lobby is quiet and feels welcoming, but formal. The elaborate decor continues throughout the property –- the breakfast room has a gold and red color scheme with heavy brocade drapes and chandeliers, while there’s a large domed ceiling painted to look like the sky in the L'Esterel restaurant. 

The hotel is situated on Boulevard Adolphe Maxlaan, one of the major roads that runs through the center of Brussels. It’s a popular area with both locals and tourists as it’s right by the Rue Neuve shopping district. The hotel is ideal for business travelers, too, as the financial district is just a few minutes’ walk away. There are lots of cafes and restaurants in the surrounding streets and the hotel is just a 10-minute walk to the Grand Place, the city's main square. The Rogier Metro Station is a five-minute walk away. The airport is half an hour away by car while the Gare de Bruxelles-Midi -- the city's main train station, where guests can catch the Eurostar to London or the TGV (high-speed train) to Paris and Amsterdam -- is a 10-minute drive away (or  guests can walk five minutes to the Gare de Bruxelles-Congres stop). 

The guest rooms feel plain in comparison to the opulent common areas of the hotel, but are nevertheless spacious and elegant. The Classic and Deluxe rooms have plain white bed linen, polished wooden furniture, and dark-red carpets. Bathrooms are white, spacious, and spotless. The rooms have all the amenities one would expect from a luxury hotel, including 24-hour room service, soundproofing, air-conditioning, minibars, high-end toiletries, hairdryers, small flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, free Wi-Fi, free newspapers, safes, bathrobes, and slippers. The Classic rooms don’t have tea- and coffee-making facilities, but higher category rooms do. Some rooms have a balcony or small terrace, and many have great city views. For those who really want to stay in style and have the cash to do so, there’s a vast and decadent Presidential Suite complete with an office, a kitchen, a living room, and a dining room. 

The Hotel Le Plaza offers an American-style buffet breakfast (for a fee) in the luxurious breakfast room. The food is excellent, but better value for money could be found outside the hotel at one of the nearby cafes. For lunches and dinners, L'Esterel restaurant offers delicious continental cuisine and a broad wine and cocktail list. There’s also a cozy bar area for evening drinks. The fitness center is small and basic, with limited equipment but great city views. The hotel also offers an airport shuttle service and valet parking for a surcharge. Hotel Le Plaza also features comprehensive business facilities, including free high-speed Wi-Fi, video conferencing, a technology help desk, and extensive meeting and conference space (converted from a 1930s meeting hall) that can accommodate up to 800 people. Despite being renovated over the years, it still has many original features, including sculpted wall ornaments and columns.