Brussels office block turned buzzing design hotel with rich 70s look

Hoxton / Brussels / Belgium

I love contrasts! When you are utterly surprised when moving from one space to another and what you are expecting to see is upturned completely. Or when you approach a building thinking that the interior will match the exterior and you almost fall backwards when entering the building. This was totally the case for me when staying at the buzzing Hoxton Brussels.

When you approach the hotel it almost feels like you are heading to your corporate job. The hotel is located in the business are of North Brussels in a building that was built in the 70s as an office for IBM. The exterior is brutalist-looking with straight lines of concrete and glass, basically a generic office building. And then you walk through the doors and the interior is anything but generic. In the lobby you are treated to a space filled with warm, lively colors, dark wood, graphic rugs, plush sofas and a lot of green plants. There are no straight lines in site. The space looks and feels very 70s.

There are a total of 198 rooms and the design has the same kind of vibe as that of the lobby area with a clear air of the 70s. My room was on the 13th floor with uninterrupted views of the Belgian capital. It had a rich use of dark wood, a large velvet sofa and graphic rugs. I also liked the mock-vintage telephone and radio which felt true to the design scheme. But I must say, my favorite design of the room was the bathroom, with a soft, pastel-y color scheme. And I especially like the pink wash basin and the multi colored terracotta floors. So many bathrooms look bland and sterile. This one feels warm and cozy, just like you want the space where you spend most of your time naked to feel.

The hotel is super popular among the locals who come to hang in the bar and eat at Peruvian Cantina Valentina on the ground floor. But the main draw is the Taqueria Tope with the adjoining roof top terrace where you have the city at your feet. It is a great way to end your Brussels day, with a drink as the sun slowly sets. This hotel really manages to infuse some much needed color, fun and life into the bureaucratic capital of Europe.

This brutalist structure used to be the HQ for IBM when it was built back in the 70s. In April 2023 the Hoxton moved in.

Although the exterior is strict and linear, the interior is nothing but. The lobby is overflowing of color, prints and shapes.

There is a clear 70s vibe in the design with the dark wood and rich colors.

One level down from the reception you’ll find the bar. It is usually super busy but I managed to snap a photo when it wasn’t.

All checked in and ready to enter my room.

The design scheme is similar to downstairs, with the same kind of alluring 70s richness.

…and radios to stay true to the design scheme.

Huge fan of this large, red velvet sofa in my room. Next to the graphic rug it looks extra appealing.

The pink colored washbasin next to the multicolored terrazzo floors was my favorite design combo of my room. Wish my bathroom at home looked like this.

On the top floor you’ll find relaxed taqueria Tope.

Back downstairs, I found this space leading up to the meeting space floor.

This kitchen… So good with the green tiles and the yellow SMEG fridge.

You can’t go to Brussels and not have fries.

Back up in my room as the sun is setting.

Breakfast is served in ground floor Peruvian restaurant Cantina Valentina.

RG inside info

This place is perfect if you…

…are heading to the Belgian capital and you are looking for a place with a vibe. A hotel that oozes of sleek 70s design, that pull in the local crowds and has a roof top terrace with amazing views. If you like what you’re hearing, you will have a good time at the Hoxton Brussels.

My favorite thing about this place…

…is the elegant 70s vibe. The design team at Hoxton (AIME Studios) has this fingerspitzgefühl when it comes to creating spaces that feel both playful and elegant at the same time and their Brussels outpost is a masterclass on the subject. I also really love hotels that manage to attract the locals. It makes an urban hotel come alive.

What not to miss when staying here…

…is to enjoy a drink on the roof top terrace as the sun sets over Brussels.

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