Hotel FRANQ

Luxury hotels are surprisingly rare in Antwerp, and this one’s sheer opulence makes it one of a kind. Hotel FRANQ is housed in a converted historic bank, its old vaults turned into a modern wine cellar, its name a reference to Belgium’s former currency. Most visually striking is the regal, light-filled atrium encircled by marble pillars on the street level; in this cathedral-like space where bankers once conducted business, guests lounge on velvet sofas, planning excursions on the hotel’s bicycles. Down a staircase, the wine cellar opens onto a stylish gastrobar with seating in a leafy courtyard. Next door is the hotel’s one-MICHELIN-Star restaurant, also called FRANQ.

Upstairs, rooms and suites are sophisticated but understated. The décor is minimalist — pale wood flooring, crisp white linens, stone-tiled bathrooms, French windows, colorful textiles — and the amenities are high-end, from Marshall speakers to Nespresso machines to Clarins bath products. Some have wood-beamed ceilings or views over the courtyard patio, and suites have separate living rooms. All serve as a quiet and fashionable home base to explore one of Europe’s lesser-visited port cities, with many of its key attractions in easy walking or cycling distance, and the hotel’s library is an inviting spot to peruse books on Antwerp’s architecture, history, and culture, over a glass of wine.