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This Beautiful Boutique Hotel Had Been A Historical Belgian Post Office In The Past

Located in the heart of Ghent, Belgium, a brand new resort has transformed a historic post office into luxury accommodations. 1898 The Post, a part of the Zannier resort group, is a new 38-room hotel that pays homage to the building‘s past while offering a warm, contemporary vibe.

Found in the center of Ghent, finish with a magnificent 177-foot (54-meter) clock tower, it’s sandwiched between the Graslei and Grain Market. After opening its doors in 1909, the post office immediately became a hub of activity, remaining in operation till 2001. Now changed, visitors from all over the world can sleep and float in the middle of history.

There’s even a room that provides a nod to the horse-drawn carriages that after delivered the article, aptly called The Carriage. But maybe the resort’s unique feature may be a night at the clock tower, which is currently an octagonal duplex with 360-degree views of the city. Each space exudes warmth and character, outfitted with nice bits and 20th-century furniture to make you feel as if you have stepped into historical Belgium.

At the same time, the hotel offers all the technology and services that one desires, with Wi-Fi, flat screen televisions, along with an integrated audio system. You can dine in The Kitchen, an opening kitchen experience that intends to serve home cooking in a relaxed setting. Or, you can grab a cocktail in The Cobbler–that the ambiance meant to reflect an old world mentality.

Using a web-based designer and focusing on organic colors and authentic items, Zannier Hotels has created a space that marries the past and the current, breathing new life into the historical building. In fact, their goal is to

“create complete comfort surrounded by elegance and discretion while maintaining the purity of the space. Absorb the moment and glorify the place.”

More info: Website | Facebook | Instagram

Preparing Your Spare Room For A Comfortable Guest Stay

The feeling is common with those of you who describe yourself as “house proud” – that excited anticipation in finally being able to use your guest room and prepare your house to look it’s best. You didn’t buy those Egyptian cotton sheets and Richard Haworth tablecloths for nothing, and it’s finally time to fill every vase in the house with flowers and every candle holder with a tea light. But how do you go that extra mile to ensure that your guest feels at home? Here are few tips on making your guest room the most comfortable experience ever.

Create A Toiletries Crate

There have probably been plenty of times where you have gotten to your destination only to realise you have forgotten multiple things and will have to buy them at the nearest store. Toothbrush, makeup remover, deodorant – all important things that help you to feel ready for the day. Creating a complimentary crate of minis for your guest to ensure they have everything they need will help them to feel relaxed and comfortable straight away. You can even go as far as to buy some special luxury bubble bath and some pampering treats, to offer your guest the ultimate relaxing evening and a perfect night’s sleep. If you know your guest has trouble sleeping in new places, leaving a selection of their favourite films out, your Netflix password and a lavender sleep spray to help them drift off, will help them to keep any anxiety they feel about not being able to sleep at bay.

Leave Extra Blankets and Pillows

Have you ever stayed in a hotel but feared going down to reception to ask for an extra blanket or pillow? It can be the same for guests at your house – no matter how close they are to you, they may hate the idea of waking you to ask for another blanket, and would rather be a little chilly all night than disturb you. If you stayed as a guest in someone’s house before, you might have had a similar feeling. Leaving extra blankets and pillows – even if not needed, will show your guests that you literally have thought of everything they may need.    

Bottled Water and Snacks

How many times have you woken up in the night feeling thirsty or hungry? It is extremely hard to get back to sleep with the tummy rumbles. Your guest may feel comfortable to help themselves in the middle of the night, but depending on who they are and how comfortable they feel in your home, you may want to prepare their bedside table. If you opened a few bottles of wine over dinner, they might be feeling particularly thirsty in the morning, so stock up the room so they can stay hydrated. Likewise, some salty snacks like crisps, or something sweeter like chocolate, will always go down well, helping you to stay in your guest’s favour by offering more than they anticipated they would need.

There you have it – a few tips and tricks to show you are the hostess with the mostess – just try to play it cool when the compliments start rolling in about how accommodating, and comfortable your guest room is. You never know, you may even end up with a long list of people willing to visit you for a weekend, causing you to start taking bookings in advance.

Sweden’s ICEHOTEL Invited 36 Artists from 17 Countries to Design Its Icy Interior

Located in the small village of Jukkasjärvi 200 km north of the Arctic Circle, Sweden’s ICEHOTEL is the world’s largest ice structure, assembled every year from over 4000 tonnes of ice and snow.

With winter now formally underway in the Northern Hemisphere, the 2017-2018 version of this ICEHOTEL is now open. In addition to a brand new permanent segment of the hotel kept cool year around by solar power, for this year’s iteration, the resort invited 36 artists from 17 countries to design the structure’s major spaces and guest rooms, including new surreal “art suites” that genuinely transport visitors in an otherworldly winter wonderland.