The Klooster Hotel is a stylish, peaceful upmarket hotel in the heart of the old city centre of the University town of Leuven, filling a needed role in a town which was lacking such a venue for business travellers and the discerning visitor. The hotel is part of the Martin's Hotel group, which runs premier establishments in other locations close to Brussels, such as Genval and Waterloo, as well as in Brugge (Bruges).

HISTORY OF THE HOTEL
The hotel is a former convent near the heart of the old university city of Leuven (I did a review of Leuven a while back, which I shall revise). It is surrounded by university buildings, five minutes walk from the botanical gardens in one direction, and just over the River Dijle from the main civic squares, the Oude Markt and the Grote Markt with the Town Hall and the Cathedral. The building was also the home of Guy Morillon, secretary of Charles V and Prince of Holland (1516 – 1555), and resembles some of the buildings you find in the older parts of Oxbridge colleges, such as the old library of Trinity Hall, Cambridge.

There are 40 rooms, with four different price ranges from140 -330 euros for a room The hotel describes the grades of room as cosy, charming, great and exceptional, with jacuzzis, fireplaces and a salon included in successive categories. There are special rates available 'with seminar packages, in low season, short breaks, corporate rate and long stay'.

There is not a restaurant as such. There is a breakfast room, and you can order room service, but this food is provided from outside. The breakfast buffet is standard Belgian fare - pains au chocolat, croissants and Danish pastries; breads, rolls and toast; various types of cheese and ham; smoked salmon; bacon, sausages (pretty ropey by full English breakfast standards) and scrambled eggs; yoghurts; fruit juice and tea, coffee and hot chocolate. The breakfast room overlooks the garden, and has a gas fire and a decor of teak wood furniture and off-white paint, with a variety of abstract paintings.

One of the delights of this hotel is the garden out the back. Although you see the tall tower of the St Pieter hospital, this is a real oasis of calm. A large green lawn with a magnolia(?) tree runs from the back of reception, alongside the breakfast room and according to the hotel blurb covers 1500 sq m. There is a small car park at the back beyond the garden, which is operated by a number code from the inside, but to gain access you have to buzz through to reception by an intercom.

SERVICE AND OVERALL IMPRESSION
The friendliness and helpfulness of the staff every time my parents have stayed there has been exceptional. Language is not an issue - everyone speaks excellent English as well as Flemish (I've not heard anyone try French as this is in the heart of Flanders, but I'm sure the staff would speak excellent French if need be, as practically all Flemish people do, in my experience). Whenever we wanted to have breakfast at the hotel, bringing my children to see their grandparents, the hotel have been very accommodating, arranging for us to have a large table and making the children feel very welcome.

The only downside we have seen is that if everyone comes down for breakfast at the same time, there could be a shortage of tables. But that is the only criticism I have so far.