Brussels: Hôtel La Vieille Lanterne (1 Star Hotel)

Address: 29 rue des grands carmes , Brussels 1000, Belgium
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Lonely Planet Review

Above a lace and trinket shop which doubles as the hotel's reception, all six cute-as-a-button rooms at the tiny Hôtel La Vieille Lanterne have views of Brussels's most photographed but - let's be honest - underwhelming fountain, Manneken Pis. The solid gold location is matched only by the delightful owners.

Since Brussels hosted the World Expo in 1958, Hugette Goedleven (whose name in Flemish means 'good life'), together with her daughter, Mireille, who was born and grew up in the building, have welcomed guests to this unique little slice of inner-city Brussels, and sharing their local knowledge is second nature. Squeeze your suitcases up the mountain-steep, narrow marble staircase to three levels of quaint rooms (two per floor) framed by leadlight windows and sparsely but charmingly furnished with timber furniture, rich red bedspreads and curtains and little writing desks. Rooms have TVs but no phones; breakfast (bread rolls, croissants, jam, OJ and hot chocolate, tea or coffee) is served in the rooms. The spick-and-span bathrooms are surprisingly spacious and the wardrobes have full-length mirrors. Come here to experience authentic Belgian life and be part of the city's fabric.