The One Room Hotel: Belgian History Wrapped in Modern Luxury

Every tourist knows, that finding the right accommodation is a key, for an authentic traveling experience. Regardless of the destination, uniquely-designed hotels attract more and more visitors every year, but there’s a fine line between beautiful and odd. The One Room Hotel is a bit of both and that’s exactly what made it so famous.

Located in Antwerp, Belgium, The One Room Hotel looks like a doll house. Built during the 17th century, the strangely thin house is white, three stories high building. Although, it seems tiny on the outside, the area is over 1100 square feet; just enough for visitors to feel comfortable in a unique environment.

Much like its exterior, the One Room Hotel is white on the inside as well. The interior of the hotel is a combination of modern, minimalistic elements and the fascinating charm of the original 17th century structure. In addition to the initial architectural plan, another floor was added, where visitors can find a bedroom and a lounge area. From there, visitors can use a modern staircase to reach a small, but relaxing roof terrace. This spot offers a unique view to the entire old center of the city, allowing tourists to get a better glimpse at the Belgian history, architecture and people.
Today, The One Room Hotel is famous across Europe. But, the project started out as a holiday home for a couple, who fell in love with the city. However, soon new building owners along with the architects at DMVA, saw a great opportunity to turn the 17th century building into a luxurious, yet minimalistic hotel.

According to DMVA co-founder Tom Verschueren, the most challenging part was preserving all the elements of the initial structure and mixing them, with today’s definition of luxury. Luckily, the hotel is surprisingly bigger, than it looks on the outside, so there was plenty of space to work with. The accommodation now has: a kitchen, bedroom, lounge area and a roof terrace and it is all within a 8.2 feet wide facade.

From its great location to intriguing style, The One Room Hotel definitely has, what it takes to attract people all year round. Unique atmosphere creates one of a kind experience in Antwerp.

Photography is by Bart Gosselin.
Address: Venusstraat 28, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium