Another good sofitel

all the previous reviews are accurate and honest. I stayed in this hotel and found it superb. The layout IS a little unusual but not confusing. If you can afford it, pay the difference for an executive room - the largest and best appointed room I've stayed in for years. I tend to be a little fussy about where I stay - which drives my wife mad - and demand value for money. This hotel did not disappoint. This may be just the roll of the dice but I have never had a bad experience in a sofitel. I save the pennies and pay the difference. To my mind, it's worth it because you work hard all year and deal with life's problems as best you can. For the few days that truly belong to yourself indulgence isn't an extravagance - it's a necessity. Stay a few days and de-stress.

A weekend in bed

We took advantage of the weekend deal of 3 nights for price of two, including breakfast which dissapeared from the computer but was confirmed by telephone. Arriving friday evening was pleased that there was plenty of private parking at hotel, this is a real bonus to have a convenient secure carpark. As No Non smoking rooms available were upgraded to the KAREL V Suite This was a superb set of rooms exteremely spacious, with two loos, tvs, minibars and we could have easily remained in doors in deepest winter with no problem. The Bed was the most comfortable I have encountered. The only drawback was the low backed settee when reading.

The staff were mostly friendly and helpful, room cleaners not that efficient. The porter would park and collect cars from the basement carpark.

Although there was a nightclub next door, open until 4.00am it was barely audible and very little noise by departing youngsters. I would certainly stay here again and would have no hesitation in recommending it, although I have not stayed in a standard room!!!!!!

The location is superb being next to the cathedral and close to many restaurants bars etc. Also close to canal for trips. For those not too mobile an excellent location. Only one drawback Mussels were out of season, but replaced with excellent asparagus

Relaxing well appointed hotel

While it is true that the layout of each floor of the building is strange, that did not detract from our overnight stay here. We found our executive room to be luxuriously furnished with every comfort. The decor is high-tech modern, but in a soothing way. Excellent advice from the front desk about where to have dinner -- our meal at the BelgaQueen restaurant was memorable. Don't miss it if you enjoy inventive cuisine that is stylish without being cute. We were in Ghent on a Monday, when many shops and restaurants are closed, but we felt like we were in the middle of the action at this restaurant.

Nice location, huge room, no wall sockets

I spent a couple of nights at the Sofitel Gent Belfort. Its in the centre of the city. I had a satelite navigation system to guide me there. Driving with a map printed out from the internet might be more difficult.

My room was at the front of the hotel, with a really nice view down the street. It had two balconies, a sitting room area on a lower level, and a dining table and plenty of space. The downside was that the only power sockets in the room were already being used for the lights, TV or stereo, so I had to choose what I wanted not to use! The decor was brown. My room didn't have any wireless internet reception, so I had to connect in the lobby.

The staff were fine. I paid about €120 a night. I'd go there again, but I'd ask them first about how many power sockets that they had!

Really liked it

My husband and I stayed in the Sofitel last March for a few days and we thought it was great. I agree with earlier review, the staff were great about booking restaurants and dispensing general info. We loved it, great pubs, theres a great place for ribs (cant remember the name but well worth a visit, huge slabs of ribs coated in a spicy sauce thrown down on a wooden board in front of you with a tin for the bones, fab!). Loved sitting around eating cubes of cheese with a cocktail stick with a few beers. There is also a great little pub, near the one mentioned earlier and very close to the Sofitel (pretty much everything is) which specialises in serving up tots of a sort of (juniper?) gin infused with different flavours, chocolate, banana, apple, toffee etc. I think there are a couple of hundred different types. Great place but even a short visit is lethal!

We are hoping to go back again soon and stay at the Sofitel. I dont think you could better value for your money on an all round assessment.

Great location - bizarre hotel

As you'll see from the accompanying photograph, the location is great. Parking the car in the excellently secure underground carpark, all of Gent is within quick walking distance. May I echo the reviewer below who recommended the BeerHuis at the bottom of the road (precise directions: turn right outside the hotel, walk straight on, and just before you reach the canal, turn right): they have over 150 beers, including their own (which is very drinkable). Also recommended are the 45-minute boat-trips... at just five euro (that's aout $5) they're very good to see a bit of the city.

The hotel itself: bizarre. We stayed in an executive room, which had a really, REALLY comfortable bed - they're the Sofitel standard MyBed, apparently. The room itself was surprisingly spartan: a sofa, a desk with flat-screen telly, and a bed. Where to hang your clothes? The bathroom, which was about two miles long and doubled as a huge walk-in wardrobe.

The executive room also had a new-fangled coffee machine which uses those funny caplets. One tiny disappointment - if you've booked a room as a couple, it would probably be a good plan to put enough caplets for two coffees - I had to make do with decaf.

For a bit of fun, here are the directions to get to our room from the reception: go to the lift, go to our floor, turn left to get out of the lift, then turn right, walk down the corridor to the end, go down some steps, turn right, go to the end of the corridor, turn left, go to the end of the corridor, turn right, go to the end of the corridor, turn left, go to the end of the corridor, turn right, and there's our room. You might correctly think that the executive rooms are far enough from the lift - and, indeed, the rest of the hotel - to make them nearly require your passports and take a packed lunch. Mind you, the all-pervasive piped music does accompany you on your trek: we heard the 1970s Tomorrow's World theme and the music to Austin Powers. Groovy, baby.

We didn't have breakfast, but did use the bar (a good list of beers there, though rather patchy service).

Finally, if you're interested, the television picks up BBC1, BBC2, CNN and CNBC - BBC World is promised but most of the time it's franco/germanic poncy arts channel 'arte'.

Loved the new rooms

Being more than disappointed on my last stay here (see review "Major

disappointment!"), the hotel offered me as compensation for my complaint

a free night stay in one of those new deluxe rooms which were in the

process of (noisy) construction, that bothered us the last time. The

investment paid off: the room we were given was spacious, had a very

sleek modern decor, nice colour scheme, separate toilet and walk-in

closet. It was absolutely quiet and offered a nice view on those medival

towers Gent is famous for. Even an espresso machine was there. Evening

turndown and a bottle of water were provided without special request.

Considering those new rooms and the top location, I would now rate it a

five star property (but still try to avoid the not yet renovated rooms!)

Friendly hotel, but needs attention

We stayed in this hotel at the end of February 2005. The location is excellent, right in the old town. Staff is very friendly, approachable and helpful. This really made our stay good, as the hotel itself is not particularly memorable. Rooms are a bit basic for what is supposed to be the top brand of Accor, and have no touches that could make the visit all the more special. Our room looked out on an inner courtyard which wasn't great, but at least quiet! Carpet is torn and worn in places, as is wallpaper.

But, as is so often the case, the staff makes the difference and they made up for the lackings in hardware. They will need it with a new Marriott coming up on the prime spot in town, overlooking the famous Graslei!

Nice town nice hotel

This is a great hotel in a great location,in the heart of old Ghent with all the attractions within walking distance.

The hotel itself is bright and modern,with friendly staff and large comfortable rooms.My room had a fantastic view of the belltower and the old town hall[im sure not all the rooms have this view but it was very impressive].

All the facillities for buisness or pleasure that you would expect from a large modern hotel are provided.

I visited for buisness but am considering going back for pleasure,this is a first.

Ghentrification

Love Bruges, but feel overwhelmed by frilly lace frou-frous and an overindulgence of chocolate shops? Ghent could be the answer.

This hotel is within a few steps of some of the best things Ghent has to offer for sightseeing, drinking and eating. The Sofitel has an old facade but modern interior, with spacious rooms, big beds and a slightly louche 70s air. Reception staff are friendly, and it is worth registering with the loyalty card scheme for more assorted ungents and strangly kitsch treats (bears, bamboo, chocolate, slippers and a torch on our last visit...). Plus good rates when you return, as you may find yourself seduced by Ghent.

Take the boat trip if you visit between March and October, and fantasise about owning a house with a dock at the end of the garden, and sunny afternoons messing about on the river. Try to spend at least one evening in the tiny Galganhuis at the bottom of the paved street which leads from the Sofitel down into town. After an evening amongst the assorted hanging dolls (the Galganhuis was used to house prisoners on their way to execution) and sampling the best Belgian beer, it's a gentle meander back to the hotel.