Dolce La Hulpe

An eco-certified four-star hotel in the UNESCO-listed Sonian Forest near Brussels, with a full-service spa, heated pool and seasonal restaurants.

For travellers drawn to slow travel and a properly eco-chic base, Dolce La Hulpe is close to a dream ticket. The hotel sits within the ancient, UNESCO-listed Sonian Forest, a short drive from Brussels airport, yet immersed enough in trees and walking trails to feel a continent away.

Its commitment to sustainability is genuine and visible rather than decorative. Energy-saving lamps, bleach-free cleaning products, a solar plant on the roof, a focus on seasonal produce across the two restaurants, Argan and Brasserie 135: it all adds up to a hotel that has earned the Gold Green Star and the Green Key, two of the more respected marks of responsible travel and sustainable hospitality.

None of which has come at the expense of comfort. This is a four-star hotel with the amenities to match: tennis courts, a fitness centre, a heated indoor pool, and a bar opening onto a terrace. The full-service spa is a particular highlight, one of our favourite spas in Belgium, with treatments drawn from beauty rituals around the world.

What makes Dolce La Hulpe work is that the forest setting and the green credentials feel of a piece with the experience, not bolted onto it. The quiet, the trails and the seasonal kitchen are the luxury.

For travellers who want Brussels within easy reach but a forest at the window, this is a considered, regenerative-minded place to stay.