Guesthouse Abiente

A generous host and a stunning spot right in the centre make this a great base for exploring historic, picturesque Bruges.

We felt very welcome, thanks to a host who communicated everything clearly. The room was lovely, clean and a great size, and the main square is only minutes away. I’d definitely stay again.

The location is great, but check whether there’s construction in the courtyard below the bedroom window before you book. The owner didn’t tell us about it, and it made for a really bad experience.

We left because the host’s reaction made us feel unwelcome. He was rude and blamed us for shutting the door of his 17th-century house too loudly. A pin on the fridge door in the shared open space was already broken when we arrived. He said it wasn’t normal and that he wasn’t saying we broke it, but we were the only ones there. He didn’t mention that it might have been caused by guests who left that morning, the fridge’s age, or all the beer bottles kept in the door. The pin costs a few euros and is easy to replace. Even if we had caused the damage, that response was out of line for a host. When we arrived, the host was nice. The room was cosy and clean, though it wasn’t ready until after 6 pm. The house itself is nice and has its own charm, very close to the Belfry. The host lives on the ground floor, and the green and grey rental rooms are on the first floor. There’s a shared open space with a kitchenette on the second floor above the grey room, so you’ll hear people in the kitchen.