The 7 Best Hotels
in Ghent
Ghent is the Belgian city that refuses to be a museum. Half as touristed as Bruges and with a real student population, it keeps its medieval skyline — the three towers of Saint Bavo's, the belfry, and Saint Nicholas — while its ground-floor life hums with young restaurants, craft bars, and enough design studios to push back against any purely medieval reading of the place.
The hotels cluster along two spines: the Graslei–Korenlei quays where the guild houses face each other across the Leie, and the Patershol, the small medieval quarter behind the Gravensteen castle. Below are seven picks across three price tiers, chosen for location, canal aspect, and staff cultures that consistently get named in reviews.
1898 The Post
The former post office on Graslei, turned into Ghent's most distinctive hotel: thirty-eight rooms above the signature cocktail bar The Cobbler, directly on the quay that everyone photographs. Rooms feel thoughtfully put together rather than decorated, with personalised notes on arrival and cocktails in the minibar. The ground-floor life is part of the stay.
- On Graslei — the defining waterfront row of Ghent
- The Cobbler cocktail bar on the ground floor
- Personalised welcome notes and in-minibar signature cocktails
- Steps from Saint Michael's Bridge and the belfry
Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof
Two connected 18th-century mansions five minutes from Saint Michael's Bridge, refurbished into a grand boutique with a calming contemporary palette of greys, whites, and black. Two restaurants including the Michelin-starred LOF, a proper spa with plunge pool, and a courtyard garden. The scale here is unusual for Ghent — more like a Paris boutique than a Belgian one.
- Michelin-starred LOF restaurant and the casual Olivier bistro
- Spa, plunge pool, and sauna on site
- Signature arrival scent and calm contemporary design
- Five-minute walk to the central canals and cathedral
Hotel Harmony
A small canal-side hotel on Kraanlei, the prettiest street of the Patershol quarter. The rooftop has a small pool (summer only), the breakfast gets singled out in reviews — ask for the Belgian waffles — and the location puts you next door to the Gravensteen castle. Warmly run and often the favourite stay on a Belgian road trip.
- Directly on the Kraanlei canal beside the Patershol quarter
- Small rooftop plunge pool (open in warm months)
- Breakfast repeatedly called out as exceptional in reviews
- Thirty seconds from the Gravensteen castle
Ghent Urbanist Hotel by Harmony
A second property from the Harmony group, this one on a quieter canal about five minutes' walk from Gravensteen. Manager Ann is frequently named in reviews, which tells you most of what you need to know. Rooms are themed and comfortable, the breakfast punches above its size, and the tram stop right outside makes airport transfers painless.
- Quiet canal-side position five minutes from the old centre
- Tram T4 stop directly outside for easy transfers
- Themed rooms with thoughtful personal touches
- Named, attentive staff — Ann at reception often mentioned
Ganda Rooms & Suites Gent
A small design-focused B&B with rooms decorated from the owners' local art gallery — the art is for sale, which gives the whole place the feel of a friend's beautifully curated apartment. There is a roof terrace for evening wine, an honesty fridge stocked with cold Belgian beer, and warm hosts. One of the genuinely distinctive small stays in Ghent.
- Rooms decorated with local art, all available for purchase
- Rooftop terrace for sunset drinks and church bells
- Honesty fridge with Belgian craft beer
- Personal check-in and insider restaurant recommendations
Hostel Uppelink
A historic building on Sint-Michielsplein with some of the best views of Ghent's three towers from its upper-floor rooms — which, for a hostel, is almost absurd. Private rooms are small, dorms are clean, and the communal bar area hits exactly the right note between chilled and social. Book the river-view rooms.
- Panoramic views of Ghent's three towers from upper rooms
- Good mix of dorms and private rooms
- Communal bar and cosy kitchen space
- Steps from Saint Michael's Bridge and Graslei
B&B Hotel Gent Centrum
Part of the European B&B budget chain, but the Ghent property is unusually well-reviewed and sits a five-minute walk from the belfry. Rooms are simple but clean, the lobby offers free hot drinks and water throughout the day, and the breakfast is adequate if not exciting. A dependable budget base in the centre.
- Five-minute walk to the belfry and cathedral
- Free hot drinks and water throughout the day
- Quiet rooms with effective soundproofing
- Easy self-check-in and reliable chain standards
How we chose these hotels
Our filter: 4.6★ minimum across a meaningful review base, with exceptions for small boutique hotels that score higher. All stays are within a ten-minute walk of Saint Michael's Bridge. We prioritised canal-adjacent and Patershol locations, because Ghent rewards guests who can walk home late through the lit-up historic centre.
We left out the larger business-oriented hotels near Gent-Sint-Pieters station — the twenty-minute tram from there to the centre undercuts the point of staying in a city you should be wandering on foot. We also avoided the noisier Overpoort student district.
When to visit Ghent
Ghent is best from late April through September. The Gentse Feesten in mid-July transforms the old town into a ten-day street festival — spectacular if that's your thing, unsuitable if you want quiet. September and early October often offer the best trade-off of weather and atmosphere. Winter is quieter and hotels drop their rates, with Christmas markets adding charm in December.
See our full Ghent destination guide for walking routes, where to find the Van Eyck altarpiece, and Ghent's underrated restaurant scene.