Embracing its unique position at the crossroads between northern and southern Europe, Belgium has always been tacitly progressive — blending the innovation and purity of its Nordic neighbors with the cosmopolitan élan of France. Antwerp, a port city on Belgium’s River Scheldt is at the center of the country’s creative lifeblood, being the birthplace of design legends like fashion designer Dries Van Noten and art dealer, designer, and curator Axel Vervoordt. Others, such as renowned Belgian architect and interior designer Vincent Van Duysen, moved to the city in the ‘80s, captivated by its vibrant energy and thriving community of talented creatives, which still quietly persists here. Van Duysen deems Antwerp “a big cosmopolitan village with an international allure” — a particularly curious assertion given that Antwerp has remained blithely under wraps among international travelers, with its own Belgian tourists representing the majority of travelers who visit each year.
But Van Duysen’s not wrong. Antwerp is a big cosmopolitan village with an international allure, masterfully straddling the worlds of fashion, design, food and culture, but its talented artists, craftsmen and chefs don’t seek the spotlight with grand gestures; rather their skills are revealed through quiet humility, more akin to their Scandinavian neighbors than their southern counterparts known for doing everything with a sort of blustering bravado. This understated approach may be why global tourism has remained somewhat distant: Antwerp isn’t focused on “marketing” or spectacle; its focus has always been and continues to remain on quality and craft.
Over the past decade, an alchemy of new hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants and new agey neo bistros, is finally casting Antwerp into the spotlight. The art and culture scene has also been evolving, recently unveiling freshly restored museums and cultural centers, as well as hosting events like Art Antwerp, the three-day contemporary art fair organized by Art Brussels, which returned to Antwerp Expo for its 4th edition this month.
“As a city, there has been a lot of urban development north and south of the city center, a lot of green area has been added over the years making it a city very conscious about the quality of life,” muses Van Duysen. “The city planners have made it more pleasant — so much so that a lot of expats today live in Antwerp due to its vibrant fashion, art, food, design, and theater scenes.” He adds that new cultural hubs are beginning to form within the city extending beyond the center. “There has been an extraordinary architectural development in Nieuw Zuid, a new area in the south of Antwerp with art galleries, residential towers, restaurants. A number of renowned architects are building or have built there, Peter Zumthor, David Chipperfield, Shigeru Ban, to name a few.”
This quiet surge of innovation brings to the forefront Antwerp’s enduring sense of good taste, individuality, and artistry — qualities that have always subtly shaped every aspect of Antwerp’s cultural fulcrum. With high design extending into the buzzy new boutique stays, the city’s first luxury hotel, and the restaurant scene’s proliferation of Michelin-starred boltholes and casual neo bistros remaining steadfast in their standards of purity and quality, Antwerp’s transformation preserves the essence of a city that so effortlessly combines style and substance, edge and élan — bringing its quiet swagger to the surface in such a way that it’s hard not to notice.
HISTORIC BUILDINGS AS MODERN HOTELS
Five years ago, in 2019, when August, a former Augustinian convent re-opened as a modern hotel under the guidance of hotelier Mouche Van Hool (of the more traditional Hotel Julien) and Van Duysen in his first-ever hotel project, there were no major hotels in Antwerp. “The location is outstanding, an old Augustinian convent and a listed building which made it a bit challenging to refurbish and turn it around,” explains Van Duysen, who has been living in Antwerp since 1987. “Today, August functions as a must-see destination in Antwerp — not only for international travelers but also for locals who want to have a great meal in the restaurant.” The inauguration of August served as a harbinger of the Belgian port city’s hotel renaissance, with Vincent infusing his chic, elevated minimalist ethos to this unassuming corner in Antwerp’s Green District, all while still preserving the building’s neoclassical features. The hotel quickly became a trendy gateway for stylish crowds who frequent its restaurant and bar for business lunches and afterwork drinks.
A few short years later, in 2022, Antwerp welcomed its first 5 star hotel with the arrival of Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp, a sprawling urban sanctuary located in an untouched, heritage building in the heart of Antwerp’s historic center that has already set a high standard for the high end hotels that follow. With its impressive offerings — five restaurants (three of which hold Michelin Stars), a destination spa housed in the hotel's sole newly constructed building, as well as a botanical garden, apothecary, and a 15th century chapel that have been preserved from the building’s former life as a medieval monastery and hospital, Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp has become a true destination hotel. More akin to a retreat you might find in the countryside, it seamlessly blends the building’s rich historical legacy with contemporary luxury. The result is a stunning celebration of Antwerp’s culinary, design, and cultural scene. Henry’s Bar, which is the only restaurant on property open seven days a week has become a popular port of call for locals. Despite its grand scale and village-like atmosphere, there remains an intimate touch throughout, with pieces from the owner’s private art collection displayed in each of the 108 rooms on the property.
