Hotel Metropole Brussels

If you ever visit Brussels, check to see if the Hotel Metropole is available. It's the oldest hotel in Brussels and one of the first luxury hotels in the world. In 1890, two microbrewing brothers opened Cafe Metropole in order to sell their beer. It was such a success that five years later, they bought the adjoining bank and turned it into a luxury hotel named Hotel Metropole.

Taking the open-air cage elevator to your room as it soars through the lobby is like stepping back into the Belle Epoque world of the Great Gatsby. This photograph is a detail of the chandelier, moulding and wall paper of our suite.