Hotel Bloom!

Brussels

The cosmopolitan, multilingual and multi-cultural capital of Belgium has only recently become a popular tourist destination. At the crossroads of numerous foreign cultural influences including Dutch, French and German, Brussels is a pluralist, vibrant and effervescent city which continues to inspire artists and poets. The city that native son, Jacques Brel sang the praises of, possesses a rich artistic heritage where art nouveau structures stand side by side with the medieval and classical facades of Brussels’ historical center around the famous Place Royale. The city is also the historical center for comic strip books featuring internationally known characters such as Gaston Lagaffe, Tin Tin and Lucky Luke.

Not a place for conformists

In the heart of the royal quarter, adjacent to the Brussels Park, a former game reserve for the dukes of Brabant and reconverted into a French style park in the late 18^th century, the Hotel Bloom opens its doors to aesthetic non-conformists in the areas of art and comfort. Entirely renovated in 2008, the hotel pays tribute to contemporary European art in all its forms. Albert Schapaphok, the designer in charge of the renovation, explained the basics of his project as it was being carried out in 2007. “The 306 rooms contain wall frescoes measuring 40 by 2.5 meters created by young artists, students of the finest art schools in Europe.” The only requirement for the frescoes was for the artists to reflect their vision or personal interpretation of the word, “bloom.” To select the 287 participants for the project, the hotel directors appealed to the European League of Art Institutes, an organization that represents 350 institutes in 47 countries and which practices diverse creative art forms. The unusual and unique concept of the hotel can be summed up in a few words: “Distance yourself from the ordinary.”

The hotel’s bar also accentuates non-conformity with its different little islets each with its own atmosphere including luxurious, library like, bazaar, flower power, safari, passion and the spring season.

Several times a year, the hotel organizes an important artistic event. Art’n Bloom enables young artists and creators to present their work.