The Notary

Finest Hotel Experience we have ever had. We've had very nice Hotel experiences, from New York City's finest, to some of America's most iconic independent hotels like the Broadmoor in Colorado. This experience takes the cake and tops them all. A wonderful experience in every aspect.

The Notary is undoubtedly a beautiful property, but at 760euros a night, we felt it did not offer a 5-star experience. The staff is small and seemed inexperienced. The concierge Patrick was grumpy and everytime we asked him for anything, he behaved like he was doing us a favor, making us feel uncomfortable. Upon arrival, our fireplace was not working, nor was the iPad that controls mostly everything in the room. The decor throughout the hotel is beautiful, but also very abundant - in our room we had to move decorative items to make space for our belongings and there was not enough space to hang our clothes. No waste bin in the bathroom, which was not provided until the next day and a shower that leaked onto the floor. Extremely small toilet room. Service at the bar/restaurant goes from slow to non existent. One evening, we were the only ones, but had to go to the kitchen to ask if we could see the menu ! Breakfast is average, expensive and slow. Would not return - The Notary offers absolutely no value for money.

The Notary is simply the most original hotel I have stayed at… Ever. My fiancée and I took a 3 night stay here in late January and I can honestly say, this is a true gem in the beautiful city of Bruges. The decor of this quiet boutique hotel is elegant, classy, extremely quirky and a pure delight to experience. We received a guided tour on arrival from the lovely girl on reception (apologies for not getting your name), who was obviously proud of the hotel. Through the reception room, the drawing room and the exquisite gardens then into the palm room. This hotel is stunning. It is a feast for the senses as the fragrances, soft classical background music and various textiles used, just make for a sensory feast throughout every single part of the hotel. But at the same time it remains a cosy haven of tranquility. Our room was fabulous with a view of the street. A big emperor sized canopy bed welcomed us and as we put the keycard in, romantic lighting, soft music and a log fire all came to life. This is the Wow Factor you want on a special stay and it delivered in a big way!!! The room was full of antique furniture but it had a contemporary and modern feel to it which oozed luxury out of every angle. A beautiful velvet sofa at the foot of the bed in front of the fire made for a lovely place to relax whilst getting ready at night. The seperate bathroom guarded by a full size statue of a cheetah (whom we named Charlie!) and the toiletries provided were so nice and the rainfall shower provided a gorgeous hot luxurious shower experience. We ate at the hotel on one of the three nights and met Kurt the chef, who talked to us about the fresh produce he had got that day and as the hotel was slightly quieter, gave us some bespoke choices. It was like having a private chef! The kitchen is open to all and maintains the stunning decor of the hotel. He cooked pig cheek stew for me and Albondigas for my better half and it was fantastic. Authentic cooked food and it really made for a special arrival night. All the staff at this hotel are exceptionally friendly, knowledgeable and professional and can’t do enough for you. They really exemplify the overall class and quality of the hotel. I could not dream of a better place to stay and we will look to return later this year when the weather is a little more gracious to us. See you soon. Aaron & Stella.