Hotel Review: Hilton Antwerp
Hilton Antwerp is one of only few luxury hotels in the „Diamond City“. The hotel could hardly be better located in the immediate center of Antwerp and has a somewhat historic charm. Yet, the property is quite outdated in several regards, but has a lot of potential. Check out our extensive hotel review to learn more about Hilton Antwerp!
Upon arriving at Hilton Antwerp I was surprised by an incredible upgrade. While I’m used to some nice upgrades as a Hilton Diamond member, I never got the best suite available (I hardly get any suites).
- Classification: Five Stars
- Room Category: Royal Sinjoor Suite
- Month of Stay: June
Well, Hilton Antwerp was the phenomenal exception in this regard. The Royal Sinjoor Suite (also known as the Presidential Suite) is what I got for my one night stay.
Welcome Present at Hilton Antwerp
Let’s say the suite was a little too large for my taste, but there are worse things in life 😉
Royal Sinjoor Suite at Hilton Antwerp
After getting such a nice upgrade, I was looking forward to checking out the room.
Entrance Area of the Royal Sinjoor Suite
Located on the Executive Floor, the Royal Sinjoor Suite is located in the corner of the property and is one of the few rooms and suites with a brilliant view of the square and the cathedral.
Bedroom of the Royal Sinjoor Suite
The suite itself is a duplex suite and comes with an extremely large entrance area with the stairs leading up to the living room (which offers an even better view of the cathedral).
Living Room of the Royal Sinjoor Suite
On the ground floor, you can find the main bathroom and the bedroom, which is extremely spacious as well. The bedroom is also where the working desk is located.
Behind the bedroom there is another room, which I would say is something like an extremely large walk-in wardrobe. The suite comes with a traditional interior.
I’m not sure if I should really call it outdated as it somewhat fit into the whole scheme of a historic hotel, but I found parts of the furniture to be quite run down.
The living room with a large couch garniture and the brilliant views of the cathedral is in a somewhat better condition than the bedroom as I especially found the bed to be not that comfortable anymore. Anyway, the Royal Sinjooor Suite is still absolutely stunning and brilliant for the views alone!
Bathrooms of the Royal Sinjoor Suite
As it is the norm for such large suites, the Royal Sinjoor Suite at Hilton Antwerp comes with two bathrooms.
Master Bathroom at Hilton Antwerp
The main bathroom is located on the ground floor and is somewhat too large as the furniture (a large bathtub, a toilet, a double sink and a steam bath) looks kind of lost in the large room.
Sadly, the steam bath was not working (it definitely is past its prime anyway) and there was also no shower, which I found to be relatively disappointing for such a suite.
Second Bathroom
The bathroom was very clean, but once again, it was tough to not see the marks of time. There is also a small bathroom with a sink and a toilet on the upper floor.
Executive Lounge at Hilton Antwerp
The Executive Lounge at Hilton Antwerp is located in the middle of the floor and thus has no direct outside windows. Yet, the lounge has lots of daylight and is a physically nice place.
Executive Lounge at Hilton Antwerp
The design is traditional, but the lounge does not look run down. In contrast, the lounge is actually feeling like a historic library as there are also some books, newspapers and magazines available.
There is also a very nice and spacious terrace, which you can make use of. The food spread is relatively disappointing at the same time. During the day, there are just some fruits and a few snacks available.
In the afternoon, you can also enjoy a cake. The evening spread consists of a few cold cuts, finger sandwiches and some convenience spring rolls and chicken skewers.
Besides that, there is some cheap alcohol available during “happy hour”. The breakfast spread was not any better.
While I’d definitely recommend the Executive Lounge at Hilton Antwerp as a place to spend some time, it is not really a good spot if you want to eat something.
Breakfast at Hilton Antwerp
After I saw the breakfast spread in the lounge, it was an easy decision to head downstairs to check out the breakfast at the restaurant at Hilton Antwerp.
Breakfast in the restaurant of Hilton Antwerp is definitely more recommendable
The physically nice restaurant (which definitely got renovated shortly) was very crowded on this Sunday morning, which was not that problematic as we were immediately helped by a very friendly associate who found a table for us.
He also offered us to bring hot drinks and freshly pressed juice. The good first impression was by no means wrong as the spread available is quite good as well. Several cheeses, cold cuts, breads, pastries, yoghurts, mueslis, salads and even some fish are available on the buffet.
I liked the idea of offering something special at breakfast
You can also find a few hot options. Yet, it might be a better option to make use of the option to order freshly made omelets and other hot dishes.
Gym at Hilton Antwerp
Hilton Antwerp also comes with a gym, which is a little tough to reach as you have to take the elevator down to the lobby, cross it, get up two stairs and walk for another two minutes.
Gym at Hilton Antwerp (the lighting made taking pictures extremly challenging)
After this small workout I found a gym with daylight, a decent view and modern equipment. While not very, the gym has everything you need for a nice workout.
The major issue with the gym is the lack of A/C
Yet, there is one very negative things to say about the gym. There is no air conditioning, which makes any sort of workout extremely strenuous in summer.
Bottom line Hilton Antwerp
It’s tough to really find the right words about Hilton Antwerp. The property is physically not in the best shape anymore and the Executive Lounge is rather disappointing. The fact that the gym does not come with air-conditioning is another negative aspect.
Hilton Antwerp has a brilliant location in the heart of the city center
Nevertheless, I kind of enjoyed my stay at the property due to the incredible upgrade, the incredible view, the friendly staff and the very good breakfast. Not to forget about the great location in the heart of the city center. I hope that the property, which is quite charming from the outside, will undergo some renovations shortly. If it does, Hilton Antwerp will definitely be my first choice for my next stay in the city!
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Anna
Moritz
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