Hotel Amigo, Rocco Forte's flagship in Brussels, has just raised the stakes for anyone who wants to sleep facing one of Europe's prettiest squares. The hotel, steps from the Grand Place, has created a brand-new suite category — the Grand Place Suites — and given its largest suite, the Blaton, a full redesign.
The Grand Place Suites came out of combining and expanding two existing suites, and their selling point is obvious: uninterrupted views over the Grand Place's guildhalls and Gothic skyline. Rather than compete with the view, the design frames it — big windows with quiet finishes around them. Rocco Forte's Olga Polizzi, working with Lucy Savanis and DO Design Studio, drew on Victor Horta's organic Art Nouveau forms, so expect abstract leaf motifs, sculptural shapes and repurposed timber alongside linen wall coverings, Belgian timber floors and layered wool, cotton and velvet. The colour story is soft yellows, ochres and earthy browns with greens mixed in, and much of the furniture, rugs and art comes from local makers, antique dealers and galleries.
The Blaton Suite goes a different way. Named for the family that built the hotel in the 1950s (it opened in 1958), it's the hotel's biggest suite and has just gained a redesigned bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and a seriously equipped new master bathroom: central bathtub, double vanity, walk-in shower, separate WC and its own steam room. Where the Grand Place Suites keep things earthy and understated, this one turns opulent — jewel tones, rich velvets, sculptural lighting, bespoke furniture and antiques. The standout detail is a set of stained-glass door panels by Belgian studio Le Château de Verre, the same outfit behind the glass at the hotel's Bar Magritte, in textured ochre, yellow, deep green and aqua.
Armand Blaton, grandson of the suite's namesake, noted the hotel has been part of his family's story since it opened — a reminder that this is one of Brussels' genuinely heritage-rich addresses, not a generic luxury box.
Why it matters: if Brussels is on your list — and it works brilliantly as a weekend city break — this gives you a reason to book the top end of the range. The Grand Place Suites put you in what amounts to a private viewing box over the square, which is at its most atmospheric during the evening light-up and at the biennial flower carpet. The design-forward approach means the rooms themselves are part of the Belgian experience, from Horta references to locally made pieces, rather than somewhere you merely sleep between museum visits.
