Hotel Recommendation - Ghent, Belgium

 When I travel, I absolutely must have a cute place to stay each night! I know what you're thinking...why bother? You don't even spend that much time in your room when on vacation! 

BUT, I DISAGREE!

I believe having a cozy place to return to after a long day of sightseeing is crucial to staying relaxed and ready to go for the next day without feeling completely out of your element and home sick. This is even more important if you do a lot of solo travel like myself! 

ON MY RECENT TRIP TO BELGIUM & THE NETHERLANDS, I FOUND SUCH AMAZING PLACES TO STAY!

Everyone's budget is different, but I found lodging to be less expensive than in the states by far! For what I spent on most of my stays, you could only get a Hampton Inn or something similar. Nothing as quaint and boutique as what I was able to find. I did splurge on a few nights, but offset it other nights by finding a deal. 

BELOW IS WHERE I LAID MY HEAD MY FIRST NIGHT IN BELGIUM!

I flew into Brussels and hopped on the train straight to Ghent. 1898 The Post was a bit hard to find coming off of the tram as the entrance is on the backside of the building down by the river. But, it was such an incredible hotel for my first night in Belgium! 

Sloped ceilings, old wooden floors, exposed riveted beams, and moody decor and period furniture pay homage to the post office that was housed in this building prior. 

The hotel was opened in 2017. And, has since been voted one of the top 500 hotels in THE WORLD by readers of Travel and Leisure magazine! 

 

With its location in the city center, it is a great central location for walking. Although, I was so tired from my flight that I most appreciated the generous sized fluffy bed and blinds that closed out the light!

I found most restaurants to stop their service around 7pm. So, head out early for dinner. Or, take advantage of the restaurant and bar in the hotel. 

 

Either way, definitely don't miss the breakfast! The most delicious array of waffles, croissants, meats, cheeses, omelettes, and on and on, fresh cooked in front of you! This is an add-on to your room that I would 100% recommend. And if you end up staying at a different hotel, then still come by The Post for breakfast as non-guests are also welcome if there are seats available. 

 

Prices for 1898 The Post can really vary. I stayed in "The Stamp" room, which has a king size bed and was around $175 including the breakfast. However, the same room can be close to $400 for just the room at other times of the year. They also have lofts and suites if you are traveling with others, or just want something a little fancier. Book directly on their site or any major hotel booking site.

STAY TUNED FOR WHERE I STAYED ON THE REST OF MY TRIP!

And, pin this post if you want to remember this hotel while planning a future trip!

WHAT TO WATCH

As if we all weren't already a tribe of "Netflix and Chills," we find ourselves at home more often than not these days so I created a round-up of some of my favorites from Hulu and Netflix, both old and new. TV shows/movies are as personal to people as their choice in music. But, I hope you find a few that strike a chord so much so where you have to keep bypassing the "are you still watching" button.

For a feel good show (and almost clockwork stream of tears each episode), try This Is Us (normally airs on NBC). It follows a family past, present, and future continually building on their stories and characters to relay how they became the people they are and created the relationships they have. This is definitely one you cannot jump in part-way through the series - start at the beginning to truly see how everything comes together.

Doctor Foster has only two seasons so far, but luckily it has been renewed for a third. Not a novel concept of betrayal and cheating, however, the way the writers string the storyline together leave you unable to not continue watching episode after episode to find out what happens next. 

For something completely opposite (a.k.a. fans of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul), the third season of Ozark landed a few weeks ago. It's so easy to binge watch in a weekend (I can attest to from personal experience). So, if you still haven't started watching this series (or the new season), now is the time to get caught up! Sneak peek at some of the locations where it is filmed in Georgia here - It's fun to have been to some of them when I lived in Atlanta including The Silver Skillet and Lake Lanier. 

If you're looking for fast paced series like Breaking Bad and Ozark, but with very powerful woman as the lead actors, try Queen of the South.

And if you like fierce Brits, opt for Peaky Blinders about a gang in 1919 Birmingham, England.

For anyone sad that Game of Thrones has wrapped up, Outlander might be a good stand in. It's a period piece with a little fantasy mixed in. The series is two seasons ahead on Starz so it is difficult to not google what happens in the remaining seasons - I couldn't (and didn't) resist the temptation.

The Bonfire of Destiny has no fantasy, but is still in the same genre with Game of Thrones and Outlander. It is a French series following the path three woman lives take after a fateful day. It is also based on a true story, which makes it all that much more intriguing. 

If you are part of the cult following of Stranger Things then you will love Dark, a German series about a missing child and time travel. I dare you to get to episode six and not start the series all over again just to make sure you caught every detail you should have! If you don't mind reading subtitles, I highly suggest that over the voice overs since they lack any sort of depth or emotion.

Sense 8 might be a stretch for some people - it is about eight people who live very far apart in this world, but who experience what the others are thinking and feeling in real time. It was conceived by the same creators as The Matrix. So, the best plug I can give for it is that it is very well done and worth a watch. Sadly, it was cancelled after two seasons (due to I believe the high cost to shoot it around the world), but Netflix did a good job tying up loose ends in the final episode. 

Only if you can handle Sense 8, I will also suggest 3%, The Rain, Zoo, The 100, Dark Matter, and Black Mirror. 

The Sinner is a somewhat creepy and intriguing storyline based on a series of books and stars Jessica Biel and Bill Pullman. The third season just finished up on the USA Network, but if you want to get caught up the first two seasons are on netflix. 

Bloodline also takes you for a little spin just like The Sinner. Although, do note it has a slow start, then pulls you into a roller coaster ride, and then severely disappoints with the ending. However, it is worth the watch for the meat in the middle. 

I clearly opt for series over movies, but if you're looking for two kind of cutesie movies for a Friday night, Always Be My Maybe and The Perfect Date might fit the bill.  

Have you come across any of your own lately?