Dukes’ Academie – By Dukes’ Hotel Collection

“Newly renovated hotel in central location”

Newly renovated hotel in a central location. Charming bar and foyer with a good buffet breakfast served from 7.30-10.30am. The room was clean with a very large and comfortable bed and good powerful shower. Staff were all friendly and accommodating. Not a boutique hotel but perfect for a weekend vis… more

Newly renovated hotel in a central location. Charming bar and foyer with a good buffet breakfast served from 7.30-10.30am. The room was clean with a very large and comfortable bed and good powerful shower. Staff were all friendly and accommodating. Not a boutique hotel but perfect for a weekend visit. If you are visiting Bruges though please don’t pay for a carriage ride as those poor horses lead miserable lives!

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“A lovely boutique hotel”

We had a lovely stay here for two nights in December. The hotel is sleek and stylish, and the rooms clean, modern and tidy. It was also exquisitely decorated for the festive season. Breakfast was tasty and varied. Staff were at all times friendly, professional and courteous. The only drawback for m… more

We had a lovely stay here for two nights in December. The hotel is sleek and stylish, and the rooms clean, modern and tidy. It was also exquisitely decorated for the festive season. Breakfast was tasty and varied. Staff were at all times friendly, professional and courteous. The only drawback for me was the pillows. I woke the first morning with a back and neck ache because the pillows had no shape. I asked for different ones, but there were none available, so I was destined for the same on the second morning. A small thing, but it would have made my stay significantly more comfortable.

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“Nice and Cosy but Noisy”

All staff that we encountered were courteous and extremely friendly. The rooms we stayed in (see later why more than one) were very clean, spacious and comfortable. Nice wide variety of breakfast choice - English fry up, selection of pastries, fruit, yoghurt, cereal and cold meats and salmon (I’m s… more

All staff that we encountered were courteous and extremely friendly. The rooms we stayed in (see later why more than one) were very clean, spacious and comfortable. Nice wide variety of breakfast choice - English fry up, selection of pastries, fruit, yoghurt, cereal and cold meats and salmon (I’m sure there’s others that I’ve missed). Great location close to Markt and Simon Stevinplein where the Christmas markets were when we visited, as well as close walking distance from the train station. The hotel is also situated one street from apparently what is known as “Chocolate Street” (at least that was what I overheard a tour guide refer to it as) where there are a load of chocolate shops perfect for gifts. If the review ended here, I’d be giving the hotel 4, maybe even 5, stars but unfortunately due to the noise (and therefore lack of sleep quality which, ultimately in my opinion is how a hotel should mainly be judged on) it drags the rating down. As a few others have commented, the walls and floor/ceiling are really thin with really poor soundproofing. We stayed only two nights which is just as well because I don’t think we could’ve lasted any longer. First night we were on the ground floor with a window facing the street. There was outside noise but that was to be expected so wasn’t too bothered about that but for most of the night we could clearly hear the next door guests’ TV to the point we could actually hear the dialogue. I wouldn’t blame the guests because it probably was just at a normal volume but I can only guess it was mounted on the shared wall so that’s why we could hear it so clearly. My wife also got woken at 3am by fairly loud talking from upstairs. So next morning we enquired if it was possible to switch rooms. The girl on reception was really understanding, profusely apologising and immediately found us another room this time on the 2nd floor. We went to this second room and this time was not flanked either side by another room so immediately we hoped this would be better. Unfortunately when night-time came, again we could clearly hear the guests above. Not TV this time but talking, doors/wardrobe shutting and walking. It sounded more like stomping but I’d like to think they were not and it was just normal walking. The second night was marginally better only because the noise was not for as long and constant like with the TV and there was no outside noise this time because the window faced an internal courtyard rather than the street. The noise factor is a real shame because everything else was lovely but I just can’t get past the noise and therefore the lack of a quality night’s rest and sleep that brings.

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