Picolo recommends · Hotel in Brussels, Belgium
The Dominican
Step in from the lanes behind the opera and the noise drops away under a glass-covered courtyard where breakfast can stretch for hours.
Light falls through tall windows into the courtyard at the heart of The Dominican, and the city seems further away than it is. The hotel stands where Dominican friars once had their monastery, right behind La Monnaie, the Brussels opera house.
Rooms are modern and restful, finished in dark wood and rich, deep tones. The shopping arcades and the restaurants of the old centre are a few minutes away, and the Grand-Place is an easy stroll.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose The Dominican
We chose it for a first trip to Brussels. You are in the middle of everything, yet the hotel has a hush that is hard to find this close to the Grand-Place, which makes it easy to recharge between outings.
Rooms are on the compact side, although cleverly laid out. If you want a big suite or a pool, look elsewhere: this is a place for walking the city and coming back to a quiet room.
What you get
- Restaurant under the covered courtyard
- Long breakfasts in the courtyard
- Modern rooms in dark wood and deep colours
- Built on a former monastery site
- Tall windows that flood the courtyard with light
A day at The Dominican
- Morning
- A slow breakfast under the courtyard roof, whatever the weather.
- Midday
- Browse the glass-roofed Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, a short walk away.
- Afternoon
- Climb to the Mont des Arts for a view back over the old town.
- Evening
- An evening at La Monnaie, just around the corner.
Location
City centre, Brussels, Belgium
Open in MapsQuestions about The Dominican
Is The Dominican close to the Grand-Place?
Yes. It sits behind the La Monnaie opera house in the old centre, and the Grand-Place is a short walk through the shopping streets.
Are the rooms at The Dominican large?
They are not big, but they are well thought out, with calm modern interiors. Travellers who need a lot of space may prefer a larger hotel on Avenue Louise.
Does The Dominican have a restaurant?
Yes, there is a restaurant in the covered courtyard, which is also where breakfast is served, a good refuge on a grey Brussels morning.
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Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
How Picolo chooses
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