The Hoxton has made its Belgian debut and, this time, it most definitely means business. Putting down roots in Victoria Tower and bordering the botanical gardens, The Hoxton, Brussels is set to bring something entirely new to the capital’s hospitality landscape with its fluid, open-door hospitality, unique dining concepts and striking 1970s brutalism-meets-botany aesthetic.
A lofty double-height lobby complete with retro-style bar welcomes guests into the 198-room hotel, which is home to Peruvian-inspired restaurant Cantina Valentina and Tope, a rooftop bar and taqueria with ALL the views. To top it off, the landmark 22-storey building – the former European headquarters of IBM – will also welcome the newest outpost of Working From, an innovative coworking brand which already has sell-out bases in London and Chicago.
Design
Designed by AIME Studios, the hotel’s interiors reimagine classic 1970s design, underpinned by Brutalist silhouettes and motifs. Polished plaster walls and bold geometric forms offer a striking backdrop to an eclectic collection of vintage furniture sourced predominantly from Belgian brocantes and antique stores. Saturated pops of green, midnight blue and yellow and bespoke murals commissioned from Brussels-based artists Madeleine Schilling and Claire de Quenetain add vibrancy to the layered design narrative, while lush planting throughout references the heritage of the neighbouring Botanical Gardens.
Rooms
Available across three signature Hox room categories – Cosy, Roomy and Biggy – the 198 guestrooms are a riot of retro tones and raw materials with high lacquered finishes, velvet upholstery, pink marble accents, walnut cabinetry and graphic rugs framed by the original concrete window architraves. A sophisticated colour palette of pinks, blues and ochre create a dark, moody vibe, while the bathrooms are a mood in themselves with putty-pink washbasins boldly contrasting deep blue metro tiles and oversized terrazzo flooring.
Lobby
The expansive lobby is home to a retro-inspired coffee bar – that transforms into a cocktail spot by night – and is dotted with vintage-style chairs and sofas creating cosy nooks to work, meet, drink or simply hangout in Brussels’ newest communal living room. The Hox Gallery, a staple of The Hoxton that acts as a platform for local artists and creatives, is located on the lower ground floor and will debut with the works of Bieke Buckinx. A Brussels-based visual artist, Buckinx is known for her colour-popping figurative style, underlined by a touch of playfulness and humour that seeks to find the beauty in the banality of everyday objects and themes. Further artwork across the hotel has been curated in collaboration with NATIONA(A)L, a non-profit association that provides visibility and support to local artists and cultural initiatives.
Cantina Valentina
Cantina Valentina is a Peruvian-inspired restaurant that evokes the atmosphere of a traditional picanteria in a Peruvian village that combines mixed tableware with heirlooms and family photos on the wall, but also showcases Peru's deep-rooted wealth and flamboyant style with artisan glassware, lavish fabrics, and eccentric vases with colourful bouquets.
The Apartment
The Hoxton’s signature events and meeting concept, The Apartment is located on the ground floor and accessed via a dramatic mirrored staircase, bringing new meaning to making an entrance. Set around the central Pantry, the flexible space comprises a Dining Room, Living Room, and Play Room, which can be hired individually for intimate dinners, workshops and meetings, or taken as a whole for epic parties that spill out onto the private terrace.
Working From
Occupying four floors of the tower and set to open in late summer 2023, Working From_Brussels is the third outpost of the hybrid coworking brand. Featuring open desks, studios, breakout spaces, and communal pantries on each floor, and hosting regular events focussed on professional and personal development, Working From is a key pillar in The Hoxton’s ecosystem approach to hospitality.
About The Hoxton
The Hoxton is a series of open house hotels, rooted in culture and community, located in key cities across the UK, Europe and North America. Each hotel is a reflection and extension of its neighbourhood, inspired by the diversity and originality of the streets that surround them. Vibrant, welcoming public spaces and exciting dining concepts mean every Hoxton is as much a destination for the local community as it is for guests.
The Hoxton, Shoreditch opened in 2006, followed by Holborn (2014), Amsterdam (2015), and Paris (2017). Global expansion saw the arrival of The Hoxton in Williamsburg (2018), Portland (2018), Chicago (2019) and Downtown LA (2019), Southwark (2019), Rome (2021), Barcelona and Shepherd’s Bush (2022), and Berlin (2023). The Hoxton is part of Ennismore, a creative hospitality company rooted in culture and community, with a global collective of entrepreneurial and founder-built brands with purpose at their heart.