Canal View Hotel Ter Brughe

Canal View Hotel Ter Brughe, now part of the CW Hotel Collection, is the place to stay if you want to wake up to the water. It stands on Oost-Gistelhof, beside a canal in the Sint-Gillis quarter north of the Markt, an area of quiet quays, small bridges and residential streets that feels far from the day-tripper crowds, yet the Markt is only about six minutes away on foot. The building is genuinely old, with beams, brick and old-world character, and several room types, including Standard and Deluxe Doubles and a Deluxe Triple, look out over the canal. Breakfast, charged separately, is served in a room with canal views. The hotel also has a small gym, a bar, a terrace and a garden, a 24-hour front desk and luggage storage. Rooms come with minibars, espresso makers and flat-screen TVs. It is a romantic, good-value choice for travellers who prefer atmosphere and calm to big-hotel facilities.

Location and getting around: Sint-Gillis is one of the most attractive residential quarters of Bruges, with the Langerei and Spiegelrei canals and Jan van Eyck Square nearby. The Markt is about a six-minute walk, the Burg and the Basilica of the Holy Blood around ten, and evening walks back along the quays are a highlight. The station is about a 25-minute walk or a short taxi ride, so a taxi makes sense on arrival.

The rooms: book a canal-view category, because that is the point of staying here. Superior rooms look onto the street or the terrace instead. Rooms vary in shape and size, as you would expect in a historic building.

Who it suits: couples and photographers who want canal views and quiet nights, and repeat visitors who want to explore beyond the busiest streets. Families can book the Deluxe Triple.

Good to know: breakfast is extra, parking costs a daily fee and spaces are limited, so reserve one in advance if you drive. Check-in starts in mid-afternoon and check-out is in late morning.