The view from our hotel window.Lois Alter Mark One of the main reasons my husband and I chose the Northern Europe itinerary for the MSC cruise we did over the holidays was so we could spend a few days in Bruges afterwards. We became enchanted with the quaint, medieval city after watching In Bruges, Martin McDonagh’s brilliant black comedy, years ago and we genuinely fell in love with it after spending three glorious days exploring and eating our way through it. As we approached the city, our driver said quietly, “I think Bruges is one of the most beautiful places in the world.” It didn’t take us long to agree. We didn’t know what to expect when he pulled up to what looked like a non-descript white building and knocked on the door. But we were warmly greeted by Hotel Van Cleef owner Frederik Vanhaecke and warmly welcomed into a totally different world that immediately made us feel at home. Welcome to Hotel Van Cleef.Lois Alter Mark There are so many unique and lovely places to stay in Bruges, most – like this one – hidden away behind mysterious doors. I had chosen the award-winning Hotel Van Cleef partly for its location on the canal and partly because it just looked stunning. The photos don’t begin to do it justice. Hotel Van Cleef was originally a private mansion belonging to the Van Cleef family and, centuries later, it is still a family affair, thanks to the Vanhaeckes. Frederik’s wife, Pascale,… Click below to read the full story from Forbes
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