Hotel Bloom

At 250 on Rue Royale, adjacent to the Botanical Gardens and 656 ft from Rue Neuve (shopping). Botanique underground station is 164 ft from the hotel. The Grand-Place is a 20-minute walk away. Underground journey time to reach Bruxelles Midi station (arrival and departure of Thalys trains): 15 minutes from Botanique station (direct line).

The hotel is completely non-smoking (including the bedrooms).
The rooms on the 1st floor, devoid of frescoes, hold temporary exhibitions.
Have a drink at the Bloom, even if you do not stay there. Come in the evening from 7pm, preferably in the middle of the week, to see the trendy side of Brussels.
Accommodation advice
Choose the room which best suits your tastes on the hotel's website. Actually, the frescoes differ considerably from each other by their colours, size, and the general feeling they give to the room.
Rates and reservations at www.hotelbloom.com.

The Bloom illustrates the new trend for the "art hotel", where the living areas and bedrooms do not just display works of art, but are arranged for living in symbiosis with the creations on offer. This is evident when going to bed, having a meal, a drink, or simply crossing the reception hall. You can therefore freely appreciate the works of art (you are not obliged, as in museums, to rave about or try to understand them). Arrival in a lobby with post-modern decor: light, volumes, simplicity of lines and colours. To one side you will find two Eero Arnio bubble chairs (still as futuristic as ever, despite their date of creation: 1968). To the other side, the bar and restaurant area is located beyond the reception. It is sub-divided into 7 distinctly decorated open areas: keeps your eyes open! As far as fitness and leisure are concerned, a fitness room allows guests to stay in shape. On the other hand, there is no spa, sauna, or whirlpool bath. For the time being...

The idea was worrying for purists (art in the bedroom) and aesthetes (European Fine Arts students being given carte blanche). Fortunately, it has been successful. Due to the talent of the students chosen and the furnishing of the rooms (306 in total): in an identical and refined style, with a preference for moss green and light beige. These spring colours reflect the hotel's name, and also soften the visual impact of some frescoes in strong colours. The art work in each room (apart from those on the 1st floor) consists of a fresco painted on the wall behind the bed. Some frescoes cover the entire wall whereas others only partially cover it; the motifs are stylised (rooms 206 and 301), monochrome (room 228), minimalist (room 303), or expressionist (rooms 326, 225 and 343). If you are an artist yourself, choose the room with your eyes closed. Otherwise, take your time to choose your favourite frescoes on the hotel's website: even if the other walls are bare, the one bearing the fresco completely transforms the atmosphere of the room. As far as size is concerned, the rooms are classified as L, XL, and XXL. The first category covers at least 323 sq ft and the others are even more spacious. Given the originality inside the room, you are hardly concerned about the view (the window overlooks ancient and modern buildings in the area). However, some of the rooms on the higher floors (the are 8 in total) have a view of the Atomium in the distance. Facilities provided: air-conditioning, telephone, refrigerator (empty), espresso machine and flat screen television. Bathrooms have a bathtub, 30ml hospitality products bearing the name of the hotel and a hair-dryer.

A lounge bar and restaurant, the Smoods (contraction of "smooth moods"), provides 7 distinctly decorated areas in one single place, each section merging into the other with no partitions. Depending on your tastes and also what you order (drink or meal), you can relax in an African, oriental, spring (like the rooms) or neo-seventies atmosphere, amongst other types of decor. It is original, trendy and very chic in the evening, when the subdued lighting creates a special atmosphere. Treat yourself (if dining) to dishes served in small (£8) or large (£13) portions. Gastronomy combines with nouvelle cuisine in tasty interpretations such as 'gold leaf foie gras' and pigeon bruschetta with white pudding. The kitchen is open-plan, so that you can see the chef in action. On the bar side, the place becomes ultra trendy in the evening when a DJ provides the music for a glamorous evening London or New York-style.