The Notary

Oh my goodness, what can I say? This hotel is spectacular while still staying cosy and comfortable. The staff are extremely friendly and the room was so unique. The location was excellent too. Totally enjoyed our stay in this beautiful hotel in this gorgeous city.

The Notary is simply the most original hotel I have stayed at… Ever. My fiancée and I took a 3 night stay here in late January and I can honestly say, this is a true gem in the beautiful city of Bruges. The decor of this quiet boutique hotel is elegant, classy, extremely quirky and a pure delight to experience. We received a guided tour on arrival from the lovely girl on reception (apologies for not getting your name), who was obviously proud of the hotel. Through the reception room, the drawing room and the exquisite gardens then into the palm room. This hotel is stunning. It is a feast for the senses as the fragrances, soft classical background music and various textiles used, just make for a sensory feast throughout every single part of the hotel. But at the same time it remains a cosy haven of tranquility. Our room was fabulous with a view of the street. A big emperor sized canopy bed welcomed us and as we put the keycard in, romantic lighting, soft music and a log fire all came to life. This is the Wow Factor you want on a special stay and it delivered in a big way!!! The room was full of antique furniture but it had a contemporary and modern feel to it which oozed luxury out of every angle. A beautiful velvet sofa at the foot of the bed in front of the fire made for a lovely place to relax whilst getting ready at night. The seperate bathroom guarded by a full size statue of a cheetah (whom we named Charlie!) and the toiletries provided were so nice and the rainfall shower provided a gorgeous hot luxurious shower experience. We ate at the hotel on one of the three nights and met Kurt the chef, who talked to us about the fresh produce he had got that day and as the hotel was slightly quieter, gave us some bespoke choices. It was like having a private chef! The kitchen is open to all and maintains the stunning decor of the hotel. He cooked pig cheek stew for me and Albondigas for my better half and it was fantastic. Authentic cooked food and it really made for a special arrival night. All the staff at this hotel are exceptionally friendly, knowledgeable and professional and can’t do enough for you. They really exemplify the overall class and quality of the hotel. I could not dream of a better place to stay and we will look to return later this year when the weather is a little more gracious to us. See you soon. Aaron & Stella.

The Notary was such a warm welcome to Bruges and the lady on reception (Alise) was just wonderful. We had a really pleasant stay, if only we could have stayed more than one night that would have been perfect but it was a really nice treat for the one off experience. Thank you so much, Cara & Adam x

We had 5 nights in this wonderful hotel and were made to feel like royalty, nothing was too much to ask for! The room was incredible, every detail thought about and no expense spared. The two front of house ladies were exceptional and made us feel very welcome, particularly Els Pylyse, our stay would not have been the same without her! All the food was fantastic, although the bar and evening menu could have been slightly more diverse. The drinks menu was equally as good especially the cocktails but being in Bruges I would expect to see a few more beers on the menu. We will be returning

A difficult review to write. The hotel itself is stunning with beautifully designed rooms, and a great location. However, my stay was significantly marred by an experience with some members of staff that left me feeling unsafe. I have a severe nut allergy, which I made explicitly clear to staff. Unfortunately, my concerns were not taken seriously in a way that felt both careless and dangerous. When dining at the hotel’s restaurant for breakfast on the first morning, I was served nuts in two separate dishes, having reminded the staff of my nut allergy when I sat down, and again after I was served nuts in the first dish. The staff member casually advised me to ‘not eat the bit with nuts in’. I spoke to a staff member at Reception that evening about my surprise and concern at what had happened, as we were planning to eat at the hotel’s restaurant the following evening and this had made me incredibly wary. She was apologetic and reassured me that this would not happen again, promising I could speak directly to the chef the following day about my allergy. The chef, to his credit, was thorough and attentive, and my dinner that night went smoothly, with no issues. Breakfast the next morning was fine, and I felt reassured as the staff seemed to take my allergy seriously. However, on the third morning, the situation repeated itself. Despite reminding the staff once again about my nut allergy, I was served a charcuterie board covered in cashew nuts and walnut bread alongside my eggs. This was not only alarming but unacceptable. It’s hard to understand how such a basic request could be overlooked twice, especially after having already raised my concerns. While the hotel’s physical attributes are exceptional, the failure to properly handle a basic health concern has left a lasting negative impression. I sincerely hope the management takes this feedback seriously and works to ensure that future guests with allergies are given the care and attention they deserve.

Stunning small hotel with amazing attention to detail. Felt like an oasis of luxury. Good service and lovely meal on the evening. Catered for me being vegetarian at short notice. Hotel looked especially lovely with all the Xmas decorations. Highly recommend and loved Bruges too. We’ll be back