The Standard, Brussels makes a stylish case for work-life balance

The Brussels Standard is the latest addition to the portfolio of the gastronomy- and design-focused brand, and it is its first launch since parent company Standard International was acquired by Hyatt in October 2024. Located in a renovated tower within Brussels’ lesser-known Northern Quarter, the hotel’s rooms start on the sixth floor, giving all 200 rooms, along with the rooftop restaurant and terrace, spectacular and previously unseen views of this underrated and eclectic European capital. The warm, inviting atmosphere and alluring design by prominent local talent Bernard Dubois create a refreshing change in what used to be an office-dominated area that emptied out in the evening.

Wallpaper* checks in at The Standard, Brussels

What’s on your doorstep?

Brussels’ central business district might not be a part of the town you have visited before. Built amid some controversy in the 1960s and 70s, the area was underutilised and emptied out at night. To reconnect it with the city and diversify its uses, it is now undergoing a major revitalisation project. It serves as an ideal base for exploring both the centre (reachable on foot) and the increasingly vibrant and creative Canal district nearby. A short walk north-west brings you to the sprawling turn-of-the-20th-century former industrial complex Tour & Taxis, now a cultural and exhibition venue with an architecturally striking food hall. To the south-east is the Botanique, a music venue set within the greenhouses of a former 19th-century botanical garden.

Who’s behind the design?

Designed by Bernard Dubois, who worked closely with the savvy in-house team at The Standard, the interiors are a heady blend of rigorous yet playful architectural and design details, along with bespoke, sophisticated furniture pieces (not to mention what must be thousands of metres of curtains in the bedrooms, suites, lobby, and restaurants). There’s a nod to early postmodern Belgian architect André Jacqmain in the soaring lobby, with its arches and playful symmetry, and inspiration from post-war Dutch architect Aldo van Eyck in the layout of the ‘1930s Miami’ rooftop restaurant, with its series of intimate spots created through stepped height changes, circular banquette seating, and salmon-hued see-through curtains.

‘I like to mix, juxtapose, transform, and distort historic references in order to give birth to something new and different,’ explains Dubois. The rooms are quieter (except for the splendid carpets, which reference the quirky seat fabrics of 1980s European cars), but they continue the game of blending proportions and shapes seen elsewhere. Think seductive milled wood finishes, thick, curvaceous, ocean-liner-style lacquered wood tables, and circular motifs – in the bed’s headboard, recessed timber seating areas, and the minibar.

The room to book

Any of the Deluxe Junior Suites (the rooms ending in 17) are worth booking. These corner suites offer expansive views over the tree-lined Avenue du Roi Albert II below and the city centre beyond, including the world-famous Grand Place. Their dreamy, cream-tiled bathrooms feature bathtubs and direct city views. These suites don’t come with TVs by default, but one can be brought to your room on request. The idea is that the city below becomes the ‘screen’ to watch, particularly at night, when the twinkling lights and traffic take on a mesmerising quality.

For a less indulgent stay, try the Standard King. In this and other smaller room types, the curtains running along the wall closest to the window create the clever illusion of a corner room (often, the TV is tucked behind this curtain). A thoughtful touch includes the discreet all-in-one plug and USB-C bedside sockets, as well as the analogue (yet dimmable) white BTicino light switches.

Where to switch off?

Next door to the rooftop terrace is a lush garden, shared with the offices in the building but spacious enough to offer a complete escape from work, people, and the world. The ground-floor ‘greenhouse’ serves partly as an outdoor spill-out terrace for the Double Standard restaurant and partly as a public park during the day, complete with intimate corners and benches. Alternatively, head to the ground-floor bar, which features several cosy nooks. There’s even a table hidden behind the bar, completely out of sight from the rest of the hotel, making it perfect for a rendezvous.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

The food and drink offering is both cosmopolitan and cleverly rooted in local inspiration. California transplant and long-time Belgium resident Alex Joseph, of Michelin-starred Rouge Tomate fame, is the culinary mind behind it all. At the ground-floor Double Standard brasserie-style restaurant, expect a medley of US comfort food and Belgian classics: think Caesar salad and pastrami melt alongside prawn croquettes and mussels with frites.

On the 29th floor, Lila29 celebrates Iberian cuisine in all its forms – grilled, baked, and fried. Try the red mullet with polenta or the grilled octopus with ink aioli. But be sure to leave room for the vegetarian fideuà con socarrat (a paella-style dish made with vermicelli noodles instead of rice, cooked until the bottom turns perfectly crispy). It’s a delightful surprise. Drinks often nod to local flavours or the restaurant’s theme.

The verdict

Despite its very recent opening (which means staffing and menus are still being fine-tuned), The Standard, Brussels is an assured project that exudes energy, a distinctly Belgian sense of approachability, and an appealing dose of levity. The staff are consummately attentive and good-humoured, and the design is effortlessly alluring. There’s a pleasant intergenerational and mixed atmosphere too. Office workers popping in for lunch at the rooftop restaurant or locals trying out the ground-floor brasserie or bar rub shoulders with international guests visiting for both work and leisure. Whether you’re here for a breakfast meeting or a few days’ stay, you’re likely to leave with a smile on your face.

The Standard, Brussels is located at Bd Roi Albert II 30, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.