This article first appeared in My Travelogue by Bhushavali
MARCHE-EN-FAMENNE HOTELS
I've been twice to Marche-en-Famenne so far, once on a day trip from Brussels and one on a weekend trip. (technically thrice if you include my hospitalization here after I fell off my bike in Hotton). Being the
(unofficial) 'capital of Famenne Ardennes region', Marche-en-Famenne is neither a city nor a village, it is more like a big town. There are 4-5 hotels in the heart of the city. There are a couple of B&Bs and guest houses in the outskirts,
closer to Waha, Fond-des-Vaulx, Marloie etc.
Since I travel with the toddler currently I always prefer to stay in the heart
of the city, to be on a safer side. While looking for Marche-en-Famenne
hotels, I came across this awesome luxury hotel in the centre of
Marche-en-Famenne, housed in a listed heritage building, so obviously that's
where I stayed!
HISTORY OF HOTEL QUARTIER LATIN, MARCHE-EN-FAMENNE
The history of the hotel is as old as 18th C CE. In 1648, King Leopold of
Austria, authorized the Jesuits to form their order in Marche-en-Famenne. In
1731, the Jesuit church was built here. However, by end of 18th C CE, the
Jesuit order was dissolved and the church fell into disuse. From the early
19th C CE, it became a Catholic church. During WWII, when Marloie was bombarded, this church was used as an onsite hospital. After the war, it became a casino and finally, since 1993, this historic Jesuit church has been functioning as Hotel Quartier Latin! The historic part is currently the restaurant and the main wing (most of the lodging area) of the hotel is completely new construction. This was historically the site of the Jesuit college which later became the barracks of the Marche firefighters.
ROOMS OF HOTEL QUARTIER LATIN, MARCHE-EN-FAMENNE
There are a total of 70 rooms. All the rooms are equipped with a minibar,
coffee machine, air cooler, heater, TV etc. The usuals like toiletries,
bathrobes etc were present. All the rooms have included breakfast.
There are 5 categories of rooms - Cosy room (standard room), Business room,
Comfort room, Romance room (deluxe rooms) and Family suite. The Standard rooms
& Business rooms are the basic types of rooms. They come either with a
bathtub or shower. The Comfort Room provides absolute comfort and is the ideal one. It is really spacious, esp., the bathroom. Both a bathtub and a shower are present. The room is well lit by sunlight but also had blackout curtains,
so can be made really dark at night. There's a small 2-person dining table complete with crockery & cutlery. The Suite is really big and has a
separate living room and a bedroom. The bedroom has a double bed while the living room has a sofa bed. There is a nice 4-person dining table in the living room here strategically placed near the window lending a nice view. Of course, they too have the bathroom with both bathtub & shower and blackout curtains. All these rooms are in the modern wing of the hotel.
The historic wing of the hotel has the Romance rooms. These are very charming but have a very modern makeover. They too have a double bed with a spacious bathroom but only with a bathtub.
DINNER AT HOTEL QUARTIER LATIN, MARCHE-EN-FAMENNE
I had ordered an in-room dinner service during my stay at Hotel Quartier Latin and I was absolutely shocked by what I got!!! The dinner was served in a wine crate that looked like a picnic basket! I had already informed that we are vegetarians. The starter was Garlic Bread with salsa & pesto and a bowl of olives and sundried tomatoes. Atyudarini considered this was the main course! She loved it so much and ended up eating it all! The actual main course was a yummy
Tortellini pasta dish. It was delicious and filling. It was mild and the sauces blended with the cheese so beautifully. It was served in a hotbox which actually kept the dish warm till almost midnight. In fact, our leftovers didn't get cold even by the next morning! The dessert was a divine chocolate mousse.
Guess what? I was in the hotel on my birthday and this dinner was just the exact thing that I needed to celebrate my day! Sitting in the comfort of a
soft bathrobe, in my room in a hotel housed in a renovated 18th C Jesuit
church, eating that delicious pasta and yummy chocolate mousse was just
perfection!!!
BREAKFAST BUFFET AT HOTEL QUARTIER LATIN, MARCHE-EN-FAMENNE
Normally, there's a buffet breakfast, but now, we don't know when 'normal'
will be back, if at all it will be. So currently, the buffet breakfast is served on a tray which is to be eaten in the room. The food is handled only by the staff. You just point out what you want and they arrange it all on a tray and give it in your hand. The spread is pretty good with varieties of bread,
cheese, fruits & cold cuts. There was also cake and juices. As usual, as most of the hotels in Europe, vegetarians & vegans would have to fill up on bread & fruits. I would have always loved some mashed potatoes or baked beans or a small salad! Hope they do add a bit more variety for people like me, over time!
INTERIORS OF HOTEL QUARTIER LATIN, MARCHE-EN-FAMENNE
The decor & interiors of the common area are so well done to match with both the historic beauty of the place as well as the natural marvel of the region. In front of the hotel is a beautiful courtyard with a small garden,
seating areas and a couple of fountains. This kind of connects the historic wing of the hotel with the modern wing.
As soon as you enter, the lobby is filled with furniture made of wood in a
very rustic, natural style and everything is in browns & beiges that
blends well with the natural beauty of UNESCO Geopark Famenne Ardennes.
There are also a few blow-up photographs of the animals of the region. Even
the carpeting is browns & beiges.
VACATIONS IN BELGIAN ARDENNES AT MARCHE-EN-FAMENNE
HOLIDAY PACKAGES AT HOTEL QUARTIER LATIN
WELLNESS AT HOTEL QUARTIER LATIN, MARCHE-EN-FAMENNE
There's a very nice temperature-controlled indoor swimming pool in the hotel. The pool also has hydro-massaging jets. There is a sauna, a hammam, and a relaxation space as well. The Wellness area has several services including body massages, facials, mani/pedi,
romantic couple massages etc.
Swimming pool, sauna, hammam rates - €20 (for hotel guests); €25 (for others)
Wellness & Massages -
Check their website Spa du Quartier Latin
Wellness Package for 1 night - €500 onwards (for a
1-night stay, dinner, champagne, private swimming pool, massage, scrub etc
for 2 persons) - Reserve on hotel's website
BIKING IN FAMENNE ARDENNES WITH HOTEL QUARTIER LATIN
The entire Famenne Ardennes is best explored on a bike. Hotel Quartier Latin is a cyclist-friendly hotel. It is possible to safely keep your own bikes here, recharge your e-bikes as well as hike bikes here as well. The hotel rents both mountain bikes as well as e-bikes. Also, they sell various biking
gear including clothes, backpacks, helmets etc.
Mountain bike hire - €15 (half day); €25 (full day)
E-bike hire - €25 (half day); €45 (full day)
Biking in Ardennes 1 night package - €290 onwards (for a 1-night stay, dinner, bike hire inclusive for 2
persons) - Reserve on hotel's website
Biking in Ardennes 2 nights package - €530 onwards (for 2-nights
stay, dinners, packed picnic lunches, bike hire inclusive for 2 persons) -
Reserve on hotel's website
Pic Credit (bikes & car): Hotel Quartier Latin & Reaktion
VINTAGE CARS EXPERIENCE IN FAMENNE ARDENNES WITH HOTEL QUARTIER LATIN
While biking is all adventurous and exciting, there's another very unique way to experience the Famenne Ardennes region - driving a vintage car through the gorgeous countryside & mountainous landscapes! If you have a vintage car the hotel is more than happy to welcome you with an indoor garage car parking.
If not, it is possible to hire the classic MGB sports car of the 1960s-70s!
You should hold a valid license to drive here, though.
Vintage MGB Car hire - €350 per day (They have only 2 cars, so if you want to hire, book early)
Classic Cars 3-nights package - €1320 onwards (for the stay, lunch, dinner, drinks, swimming pool access, guided car rally/tour through the villages of Ardennes (with your own car) for 2
persons) - Reserve on hotel's website - Upcoming dates in 2021: 5th Aug & 16th Sept
WILDLIFE TOURISM IN FAMENNE ARDENNES WITH HOTEL QUARTIER LATIN
Every year, around September the mating season for the deers. So here in the
Famenne Ardennes region, in St.Hubert forest, the stags 'shout' to attract the female. This mating call is called 'Slab'. Here at Hotel Quartier Latin, this
awesome package includes a guided walk inside forest St.Hubert to hear the
Stag Slab!
Stag Slab Stay 1-night package - €330 onwards (for a 1-night stay, dinner, guided tour of St.Hubert forest for
2 persons) - Reserve on hotel's website - Upcoming dates in 2021 - 23 Sept
HOW TO REACH HOTEL QUARTIER LATIN, MARCHE-EN-FAMENNE
On Google Maps:
Hotel Quartier Latin
Nearest railway station: Marche-en-Famenne (750m (8 mins walk) away)
To book online:
Hotel Quartier Latin
Hotel phone no: +32 84 32 17 13
Room rates begin at €144 for double occupancy in standard room
P.S: I was hosted by the hotel to experience it for review purposes,
however, the opinions are my own and this post does not advertise the
product/service
Hotel Quartier Latin looks very comfortable and very conveniently located. It also has some nice amenities. I like to stay in the center of the city too. Not only for safety reasons but also for convenience. So sad that one of the times you stayed here was after a bike fall. Not too much fun! I've never been in the Famenne Ardennes region, so I'm adding this to my bucket list.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love historic hotels and Hotel Quartier Latin looks so comfortable and nice. I am also vegetarien - though I can relate to your enthusiasm about the good food. And it was so lovely served in this basket too. The area also seems to be great for some oudoor time, so I will keep the area in mind for the future!
ReplyDeleteI love hotels that have done modern makeovers to traditional rooms and would probably choose one of the Romance Rooms at Hotel Quartier Latin. I love the creative way they delivered the food. And it all looked yummy. And awesome that they rent both regular and ebikes. But I would be tempted to try a vintage car tour too. Definitely a great spot to stay.
ReplyDeleteA hotel with a rich history is always intrigue me. And Hotel Quartier Latin location is so strategic in the middle of town. The room you stayed in looks nice, and I found putting food in the wine crate was so creative. They look delicious and seem like a lot for just the two of you. Happy belated birthday!
ReplyDeleteHotel Quartier Latin looks like such a centralized location. The food appears to be delicious, too! Would love to stay here when given the opportunity to!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a very nice place and most of all, very clean and cozy. And it always adds some extra when you are staying in some interesting and historic area. I love the way they delivered your dinner, it was quite original. Happy belated birthday!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a very nice place, and most of all, very clean and cozy. And it always adds extra when you get to stay in a historic area. I love the way they delivered your dinner. Very original idea! Happy belated birthday!
ReplyDeleteIf I am able to ever travel to Marche-en-Famenne, I wouldn't settle for anywhere else than Quartier Latin. It's just fabulous. Seems a super luxury hotel with it's fabulous rooms. Great food too. Thanks for bringing to my notice. Love the heritage and the history as like you, I too am a history freak.
ReplyDeleteFrom a church to a hospital to a casino and now a hotel. I think for me the history of this was the most interesting. I like the way they have renovated the place for comfort and luxury. And happy belated bday to you. What a place to celebrate!
ReplyDeleteI really like hotel reviews, especially when they are interesting and well-written. I always have a problem with choosing accommodation, so I like to get to know the opinions of people who have stayed in a given place. The Marche-en-Famenne is beautiful. The pool looks great. I also like the surroundings, and it's great that it is in the city center. And the dishes look extremely appetizing. I hope that one day I will stay in it while traveling around Belgium.
ReplyDeleteI really like hotel reviews, especially when they are interesting and well-written. I always have a problem with choosing accommodation, so I like to get to know the opinions of people who have stayed in a given place. The Marche-en-Famenne is beautiful. The pool looks great. I also like the surroundings, and it's great that it is in the city center. And the dishes look extremely appetizing. I hope that one day I will stay in it while traveling around Belgium.
ReplyDeleteSo interesting to think about the many different businesses that have been housed in the building while staying there. From a hospital to a casino to a hotel, there's so much history inside those walls as well as the surrounding town. Love the picnic basket touch, and the meals look delicious. Would love to visit Hotel Quartier when given the opportunity
ReplyDelete