1898 The Post Hotel
Last Christmas, I decided to treat my mother to something really nice – she deserved it! She lives in Brussels so I had the idea of taking her to a beautiful hotel for a night and spending a lovely weekend together.
After trawling through hundreds of hotels in Bruges, Antwerp and Ghent on Booking.com, I fell in love with 1898 The Post. Located in the heart of Ghent, this former post office was recently refurbished and turned into a boutique hotel. The building is actually one of the most beautiful in town and features on many postcards and Instagram shots! Having opened only a few months earlier, the hotel didn’t have many reviews, but photos of the decor won me over.
If you’re thinking of staying at 1898 The Post, here’s my review and many photos to help you decide!
‘The Letter’ Room
We stayed in one of the Letter rooms, a duplex with high ceilings and big windows overlooking Saint Michael’s Church.
We were blown away by the attention to detail that has gone into the decor. Every surface has a quirky vintage trinket or antique book on it. All the home accessories are available to buy, in case you feel the need to take that ‘Nostalgic Scrabble’ with you! Even the mini bar impressed me, with fresh citrus fruit and a tiny homemade bottle of Negroni.
The bed was so comfortable that I decided I had to upgrade my mattress and my pillows at home ASAP, and the green paint on the walls completely changed my mind about having dark bedroom walls.
Not only do all of the rooms at 1898 The Post look beautiful and sophisticated, but everything has been done to a really high spec. My Mum couldn’t believe how thick the curtains are!
The upstairs open bathroom overlooks the bedroom. As with the rest of the hotel, I loved the design of it – marble hexagon shower tiles included. Only tiny complaint would be that the toilet is downstairs but the sink is upstairs! If you want a bathtub you’ll have to book a suite because most rooms only have a (very nice) shower.
The Cobbler
It’s rare for me to want to have a drink at the hotel bar. Usually I’ll go out and find a cool bar elsewhere, somewhere locals hang out. With 1898 The Post, things are different! The Cobbler is the hotel’s very cosy cocktail bar, café and kitchen, and it’s very much in demand on a Saturday night! Luckily when we checked into the hotel we were told to reserve if we wanted to go for a drink there in the evening, so we did. We saw so many people being turned away!
It’s easy to understand why the bar is so popular, with its cosy interior, stunning views of historic Ghent, and impressive cocktail menu. Even if you don’t end up staying at 1898 The Post for the night, I’d recommend going here for a tipple or a hot chocolate. Top tip: don’t order the apple pie cocktail before dinner – it comes with a spoon!
The Honesty Bar
I love this concept: let hotel guests help themselves to drinks, and rely on them to be honest and write down what they’ve taken. The Honesty Bar at 1898 The Post is tucked away in a tower, and only hotel guests have access to it. It provides a nice place to go after dinner, when you’re not quite ready to go to bed but you don’t want to go too far from your bedroom. It really feels like someone’s warm and cosy house, where you can just help yourself to a drink and sit down for a late night chat.
I wish we could have stayed at the hotel more than one night to really make the most of this room!
In all honesty, I could not have designed a better hotel myself. Every detail is perfect, from the decor and the views, to the bar, the breakfast and the location. We loved every minute of being there, and we had to force ourselves to go out and explore the city instead of spending the whole weekend inside the hotel! I’ll admit it wasn’t cheap, but if you want to treat yourself or a loved one to a weekend in Ghent then this is the best hotel you will find. 1898 The Post is one of the best hotels I have ever stayed at!
I paid for the hotel myself and I would 100% do it again!
