B&B The Verhaegen

It felt like exploring an art museum in spring, with the atmosphere of a Mediterranean mansion. The place gave my partner and me a sense of peace, resourcefulness and art. The hosts were lovely and welcoming, with a real passion for art and decoration. I was struck by the elegant design, the attention to detail, and the skill in how the interiors and exteriors were put together. The textures and combinations of materials showed wonderful taste. We’re looking forward to another chance to visit.

Breakfast was my favourite part. It was served in a beautiful room, and we could read books about the hotel’s history. The building and furnishings are stunning, and Jan & Marc were so welcoming. We only stayed one night and wished we could have stayed longer. Loved it!

We stayed at the Verhaegen for four nights at the beginning of December and absolutely loved it. Our cosy room was beautiful, and the property and gardens were gorgeous. Every detail felt carefully considered, from the decor and lighting to the furnishings. Having candlelit breakfast in the stunning dining room, with its linens and tableware, was a real highlight. It was a pleasure to stay in this beautiful 17th-century property in the heart of Ghent and learn about its history. The experience felt meaningful and authentic. It’s a short walk to the tram for central station, and also an easy walk into town. We’ll certainly return. Thank you, Marc & Jan.

The building is impressive, but we found the staff awful. We booked a suite for more than €1,400 for three nights. It had a damaged bathroom door and fragile stairs. There was also a kitchen, and on a day over 32 degrees we ate our home-cooked meal in the garden. When we arrived on the first day, we were told, “The important thing is that you feel comfortable,” and that the private garden was ours to use as we liked, along with the kitchen. After dinner we cleared the table, went upstairs briefly, and came back to find the wine we’d bought gone. One of the owners said he’d thrown it away. He said it was his house and compared bringing our own wine to taking your own food to a Michelin-starred restaurant. But this wasn’t a restaurant, it was a garden where we’d been told we could spend time. It’s our choice what to drink, especially if the minibar wine doesn’t suit our taste. If guests aren’t meant to drink their own wine in the garden, that could have been explained politely. Instead, he responded aggressively and very loudly, saying, “I don't have to,” then continued with more loud, confusing arguments. If you want your house to operate by all your own rules and concepts, renting it out this way doesn’t work. We’re not in prison. What’s next, not being allowed to drink supermarket water in our room because there’s expensive water in the minibar? We were yelled at, threatened, and had something we’d paid for thrown away while we were in our room for three minutes. We paid more than €1,400 for three nights, plus €25 per person per day for a modest, overpriced breakfast. Anyone who cooks for themselves knows what I mean. I would praise it if it deserved praise. We’ve travelled extensively and never had such an unprofessional experience. As long as you follow the owners’ concept and they see your money, everything is fine. If you don’t, they get suspicious. Very strange owners, and something about the concept doesn’t add up to me, from a human and psychological point of view. The lobby also smelled like weed the entire time, which bothered and irritated us. We came to Ghent hoping for a nice stay, but ended up feeling uncomfortable, unsafe and threatened. The negative reviews are worth reading.