Hotel Barsey by Warwick

The Warwick Barsey is an upscale hotel loaded with personality that's popular with tourists and business travelers alike. The hotel is housed in a simple stone-and-glass structure that is unlike the quirky charm within. The entryway walls are papered with Renaissance-style nature illustrations, with a rhinoceros sculpture on one side and a gold velour divan on the other. The lobby is equally flamboyant mixing brass accents, wall friezes, and Grecian statues. The bar and restaurant incorporate some of these same elements yet seem more streamlined, with more gold velour seating inside dark walls offset by gold-leaf coffered ceilings and Ionic columns. Floor-to-ceiling windows showing an interior atrium keep the space from feeling claustrophobic, while a fireplace makes it feel downright cozy. The lounge has floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and caryatid-like statues lining the walls, making it feel more like an eccentric library than a hotel bar. However, the overall impression is of whimsy rather than frenzy. 

The hotel is located on Avenue Louise, a high-end shopping street in the Ixelles neighborhood, full of galleries and cafes. The hotel is just 11 minutes on foot from the Bois de la Cambre, a 19th-century park with its own island restaurant. The Horta Museum is around 15 minutes away on foot, as is Place Flagey. It's a bit farther to the city center (about 33 minutes by public transit), while the European Quarter and Embassy Row take about 20 minutes by car. The rest of the city is easily accessible from the Abbaye Metro station, a one-minute walk away from the hotel; there's also a station with Villo! public city bike rentals a four-minute walk away. The Brussels National Airport is just 27 minutes away by car without traffic, while the Brussels South Charleroi Airport is a 51-minute drive. Express buses for both leave from Gare du Midi, 21 minutes away from the hotel by public transit.

The hotel offers a variety of rooms and suites, some with separate living areas. Adjoining family rooms are also available. Decor is eclectic -- with details like red velveteen fringed chairs, striped upholstered headboards, and accents such as wall-mounted brass lamps -- but some furnishings are showing their age a bit. Beds are reportedly comfortable, but some guests have lost sleep from noise due to thin walls. Bathrooms come with hairdryers and have marble-topped vanities and separate tubs and walk-in showers, while suites have jetted tubs. Amenities include flat-screen satellite TVs, coffee- and tea-making facilities, safes, and mini-fridges. Irons and ironing boards are available on request and cribs or rollaway cots can be requested for a fee.

The restaurant here is one of the hotel's biggest selling points and is helmed by a celebrity chef. The menu is decadent, if limited. A continental breakfast buffet with eggs and pastries is available for a fee, but it's outsourced to another provider and is pricey. Better (and cheaper) options abound in the surrounding streets. Other features include self-parking in an underground garage (for a fee), and a small gym with limited equipment including a rowing machine, free weights, and an exercise bike. There are also meeting rooms (with city views) and a conference center, but no public computers. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, and there's free tea and coffee in the lobby. Pets are welcome for a fee.