Bert Vandewaetere, General Manager — The Dominican Brussels © Daniel Bottlaender / European Hotel Awards 2026
BOARD’S CHOICE 2026 — An urban hotel defined by retreat, identity and connection
The European Hotel Awards have named The Dominican in Brussels Urban Sanctuary Hotel of the Year 2026. The distinction recognises the hotel’s ability to remain fully connected to the cultural and professional life of the Belgian capital while creating a markedly different rhythm once guests enter the property.
Represented by General Manager Bert Vandewaetere, The Dominican stands close to the Grand-Place and La Monnaie. Its identity combines historical depth, contemporary interiors, carefully sequenced spaces and a protected inner courtyard that gives the concept of an urban sanctuary a tangible physical expression.
Urban Sanctuary Hotel of the Year 2026
The Dominican — Brussels, Belgium
Represented by Bert Vandewaetere, General Manager
Why the Board selected The Dominican
The Board considered the property as a complete hospitality composition rather than as a design statement. The Award reflects the coherence between location, history, architecture, the courtyard, interior atmosphere and service culture. Each element contributes to the same promise: guests remain in the centre of Brussels, yet are given room to slow down and recover privacy.
The historic associations of the site, linked to the presence of a Dominican monastery, provide depth without turning the hotel into a reconstruction. The past is present as atmosphere and memory, while the operational experience remains contemporary.
Architectural transitions help create the hotel’s distinctive sense of calm © Courtesy of The Dominican
Sanctuary as a sequence of spaces
The idea of sanctuary is created through transition. Guests move from the street into a darker, more controlled interior world, then through galleries and public spaces towards quieter areas. Lighting, proportion, materials and acoustics work together to change the pace of the experience.
This is especially significant in a dense urban environment. Calm cannot be produced by decoration alone; it depends on how spaces are organised and how the guest is allowed to choose between sociability and withdrawal.
The Dominican’s 150 rooms and suites continue the intimate character established in its public spaces © Courtesy of The Dominican
A hotel that does not isolate itself from Brussels
The Dominican comprises 150 rooms and suites, but its sanctuary character does not require separation from the city. Its restaurant, Lounge Bar and public spaces maintain a relationship with local life, allowing residents and international guests to share the address.
For the Board, this permeability is one of the strengths of the property. The hotel offers retreat without becoming closed. It gives guests a calm base from which to engage with Brussels and, at the same time, allows the city to remain part of the hotel’s social identity.
The protected courtyard gives physical meaning to the idea of an urban sanctuary in central Brussels © Courtesy of The Dominican
The role of service culture
Bert Vandewaetere has served as General Manager since 2021 and brings a strong operational background, including Food & Beverage, to a hotel where public spaces depend on how people actually use them. Architecture establishes the possibility of calm; teams make that atmosphere hospitable.
The Board therefore recognised the human dimension of the property alongside its design. Warmth, discretion and the ability to make shared spaces feel personal are essential to turning the concept of sanctuary into a credible guest experience.
The meaning of Urban Sanctuary Hotel of the Year 2026
Urban Sanctuary Hotel of the Year 2026 distinguishes a hotel that demonstrates how a central city address can offer both connection and retreat. The Dominican succeeds because its history, architecture, courtyard, rooms and teams support one coherent experience rather than competing for attention.
The distinction was presented during the European Hotel Awards ceremony on 28 September 2026 at the Grand Hotel del Mare Resort & Spa in Bordighera, Italy.
Official 2026 laureate film
https://youtu.be/OhZUm5-WizI
The Dominican — Urban Sanctuary Hotel of the Year 2026
The Dominican
Rue Léopold / Leopoldstraat 9
1000 Brussels, Belgium
Tel. +32 (0)2 203 08 08
Internet: www.thedominican.be
Discover the Main Awards dedicated to excellence across European hospitality and visit the Hall of Fame to explore previous laureates.
Tags: Awards Insights, Belgium, Bert Vandewaetere, Brussels, European Hotel Awards, European Hotel Awards 2026, The Dominican, urban hospitality, Urban Sanctuary Hotel of the Year 2026
