The Notary

A difficult review to write. The hotel itself is stunning with beautifully designed rooms, and a great location. However, my stay was significantly marred by an experience with some members of staff that left me feeling unsafe. I have a severe nut allergy, which I made explicitly clear to staff. Unfortunately, my concerns were not taken seriously in a way that felt both careless and dangerous. When dining at the hotel’s restaurant for breakfast on the first morning, I was served nuts in two separate dishes, having reminded the staff of my nut allergy when I sat down, and again after I was served nuts in the first dish. The staff member casually advised me to ‘not eat the bit with nuts in’. I spoke to a staff member at Reception that evening about my surprise and concern at what had happened, as we were planning to eat at the hotel’s restaurant the following evening and this had made me incredibly wary. She was apologetic and reassured me that this would not happen again, promising I could speak directly to the chef the following day about my allergy. The chef, to his credit, was thorough and attentive, and my dinner that night went smoothly, with no issues. Breakfast the next morning was fine, and I felt reassured as the staff seemed to take my allergy seriously. However, on the third morning, the situation repeated itself. Despite reminding the staff once again about my nut allergy, I was served a charcuterie board covered in cashew nuts and walnut bread alongside my eggs. This was not only alarming but unacceptable. It’s hard to understand how such a basic request could be overlooked twice, especially after having already raised my concerns. While the hotel’s physical attributes are exceptional, the failure to properly handle a basic health concern has left a lasting negative impression. I sincerely hope the management takes this feedback seriously and works to ensure that future guests with allergies are given the care and attention they deserve.

This is a very difficult review to write. I take great care picking my hotels and most of the ones I pick are great. Writing good reviews is easy. This one is not. First the pros: the property is beautiful. The backyard is gorgeous and the canal behind the property is charming. The common areas are also quite beautiful. Now the cons. Our room, although beautifully decorated overall, was a bit of sensory overload. There were too many objects in it filling in most of the space. A bit too dark for my taste, especially the bathroom. It was very difficult to put makeup on, because it was so dark. I was told that mirrors with built-in lights were on order and will be soon installed. We didn't have breakfast at the hotel because I felt it was overpriced for what it was. Personally, I feel they should charge a bit more for the room and include breakfast. In most small boutique hotels we stayed at, breakfast was always included. The worst part happened after we left. I checked my credit card and saw that we were charged 100 euro we did not authorize. We called to ask what the charge was for. We were told that a book was missing from the room and they charged us for that. I was stunned. Nobody contacted us to politely inquire if we accidentally took the book, and nobody contacted us to let us know we were being charged. The cleaning person reported that a book was missing and they charged us! We told them, we didn't take any books. Incidentally, the room was so dark and so filled with objects that I didn't even notice that there were books in the room. After the staff talked to the manager, we were refunded the 100 euro and told that they were going to try and find out what happened to their book. That made me feel as if they were still accusing us. In the end they apologized profusely and refunded us but this incident left a very bad taste in our mouths. .

This hotel is stunning. It's more than just a hotel. It's an experience. The hotel is beautifully kept, everything is done with care and precision. We were in two minds whether to go to Bruges or a countryside escape. But this felt like both. The garden is a haven of peace and the natural swimming pool very refreshing. We took the champagne brunch, which was enjoyable and they catered for intolerances, but it was a bit expensive. However, overall, while the hotel is pricey, it is worth every penny. We will certainly come back.