The Pand Hotel is a small luxury hotel located in the heart of Bruges, Belgium
Being restless and wanting to get away for Christmas I decided to go to Bruges for a long weekend break. I left a cold rainy England and headed into an even colder rainy Northern France. It was not just rainy it was a torrential downpour in Calais to the point of zero visibility.
Drive to Bruges via the Channel tunnel
I drove via the Channel Tunnel (Eurotunnel) on Le Shuttle – did you know that it is quicker to drive to Bruges than it is to Bournemouth? – Once I arrived in France I made my way onto the E40 – the main highway that takes you from Calais to Bruges – and at a ridiculously slow speed for about eight miles in torrential rain and found a Texaco petrol station and decided to wait out the storm over copious amounts of coffee and croissants.
Once cleared I headed to Bruges and the Pand Hotel, arriving in the afternoon – word to the wise – don’t drive in Bruges on Saturday during the street market!
Ralph Lauren room at the Pand Hotel
I was shown to my room – named the Ralph Lauren room due to the style of furnishings – and settled in.  The room is small, cosy and decorated with a personal touch that can be attributed to the women who own it. In some ways, it has a very similar feel to the Langtry Manor Hotel (Or rather how it used to be) in Bournemouth with that romantic and traditional feel. This feeling was emphasised as it was the Christmas period.
I also couldn't help but get the feeling that the hotel seemed dated in areas and in need of a slight overhaul.
Christmas in Europe
I met with my friends for dinner at a nondescript restaurant in Bruges, which I don’t remember much about except that the steak was tough. After a couple of drinks, we went window shopping around Bruges.
There is one thing about mainland Europe at Christmas time, it seems like every shop-front tries to outdo their neighbour with the decoration and glitz, the windows were so colourful and we just stared in awe. The streets were lit up with Christmas decorations and the crowds all seemed to be generally in a festive mood.
Sleeping at the Pand Hotel
After driving and then another 5 hours walking around Bruges (sampling various whiskies), I was more than ready for bed. My friends wanted to stay up and carry on window shopping and see the sights. I went to bed and slept soundly.
The beds at the Pand Hotel in Bruges are very comfortable. They have an old-world feel to them with crisp clean linen.
Morning came with some glorious weather and bells chiming outside the window. I swung the window open for a breath of cool winter air and brilliant sunshine.
Bathroom and amenities
When I stayed here I found that the water took a while to get warm and the bathroom accessories – soap and shampoo needed a refill. I asked the receptionist and was met with a curt “I'll see what I can do this time” – I suppose needy hotel guests can make one bristle a little. Nevertheless, when I arrived in the evening I was greeted with fresh towels and bath accessories.
Breakfast at the Pand Hotel
Breakfast at the Pand Hotel was very typically European with the eggs cooked on an old-fashioned stove with bacon. The usual cheeses, brie, cream cheeses and Laughing Cow were on display with freshly baked croissants and coffee made to wake a hibernating bear.
I recommend the scrambled eggs here – if you go you will see why!
I spent the rest of the day enjoying the sights of this old European city and a little Christmas shopping. I would thoroughly recommend the Pand Hotel for a weekend break if you plan to get away for a few days.
How to find the Pand Hotel
Driving to Bruges from Calais is easy – it's one straight road to Bruges. Once there switch on your GPS as the roads can be a little confusing. The address is:
The Pand Hotel
Pandreitje 16
8000 Bruges
Belgium
Tel: +32 50 340556
W: www.pandhotel.com
Happy travels!
