As many of you know, living in Brussels for six years was a big part of my life. Ever since I left in 2012, I travel back once or twice a year. Recently I had the pleasure of traveling to Brussels and stay at a very special place. Made in Louise is a charming boutique hotel located on a quiet side street off of Avenue Louise. The owners, a Bruxellois brother and sister team have created a beautifully quaint space that will immediately make you feel at home. Our little familia stayed for a three day séjour . Here are our impressions:
Location, Location, Location!
Let me preface this section by disclosing that I may be a bit biased. My first apartment in Brussels was located a few blocks from Made in Louise, which brought back great memories. The hotel is located off of Avenue Louise, known for its beautiful row homes and luxury shops. What I love about this neighborhood is the access to great restaurants, shops, and bars. The famous Place Chatelain (where I met my Dutchman) is a 10-minute walk from the hotel. You can walk to the city center of Brussels in less than 30 minutes. There is also quick access to bus, tram, and metro from the hotel. For more tips on what to do in this neighborhood, check out our Ixelles Guide. I love that you have the residential feeling without the touristy vibes.
Local Vibes
The Duchateau siblings who own Made in Louise are Bruxellois (native of Brussels) through and through. You can see this upon entering the property with all the little personalized details that invoke Brussels. The hotel is quite small and there’s not proper bar. However, they have an extensive collection of Belgian beers you can purchase at the in the lobby area that you can enjoy in the lobby or courtyard. Martin, one of the owners collaborates with small breweries to feature local beers. We enjoyed a cold Chimay in their beautiful courtyard which is an oasis in the busy city. We saw a varied selection of guests from young European businessmen to a multi-generational American family.
The Rooms
Our room at Made in Louise was clean, spacious, and nicely decorated. It had a minimalist decor with a pop of color with its orange wallpaper. We were happy to see that our piccola’s crib was all set up upon our arrival. The bathroom was a bit small but it made up with the Clarins toiletries. The only thing I would’ve liked was a coffee maker or tea kettle in our room. However, the lobby has tea and coffee service 24/7. Although there was no minibar fridge in the room, the staff was very accommodating in storing the baby’s food and all of our Dutch cheese in their fridge.
The Food
There’s no restaurant at Made in Louise, therefore I can only talk about their breakfast service. I love European boutique hotel breakfast service and Made in Louise lived up to that reputation. First of all, they have a selection of local ingredients such as granola, waffles, and preserves. The buffet has warm and cold choices and a nice selection of breads, cheese, and cold cuts. Also, I highly advise to go to their courtyard for a beer or glass of wine for an impromptu happy hour. They serve complimentary olives and cheese with your drink purchase.
Made in Louise: The Experience
If you’re looking for a quaint, boutique hotel in Brussels with superb service, head to Made in Louise. I’ll be frank: Brussels is city that does not have the best reputation when it comes to service. Places like Made in Louise are trying to change that. This property goes above and beyond to make you feel welcome. It’s like staying at the amazing house of a very cool friend.
Need more Brussels tips? Check our Brussels Weekend Trip Guide.
Made in Louise, Rue Veydt 40, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium, Website
Disclaimer: I was hosted by Made in Louise, however, opinions are my own. We really, really loved this place. There’s a reason why they are #1 on TripAdvisor!
This looks like a very nice place to stay. I much prefer smaller boutique hotels than big chains. How nice that they serve waffles for breakfast and give you olives and cheese with any drink purchase. The room look really nice too. Sounds like a great choice to me.
They had me at the olives and cheese!
Love the decor but the wallpaper behind the bed seems to put me off. They should have left it white. Everything else seems perfect to me.
It actually looks much better in person!
It looks absolutely lovely! That’s interesting about the service. It’s nice that they’re making an effort at this place!
Yes, Brussels doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to customer service so it’s nice when you run into these gems.
Oh gosh the hotel is so beautiful and modern. And the waffles looks so yummy. I love to stay there too
Don’t you just love it when you find a place that strikes a chord with you and makes you feel at home? It sounds like Made in Louise is like that! This is the kind of place I always look for wherever I’m traveling…
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