Tourist Attractions
Brussels
Some people find Brussels more appealing as a starting point to explore Belgium's historical cities, but you can ofcourse stay in Bruges at night and visit Brussels during the day. You can easily reach the European Capital, starting in Bruges. By train, you're only 1 hour away from this very interesting city.
If you do want to spend the night in Brussels, there are many hotels in Brussels that will satisfy all your needs. Hotels in Bruges are usually somewhat smaller and more authentic but overall, hotels in Brussels are pretty much the same for most standards. The only big difference with hotels in Bruges is that hotels in Brussels, since the city is at least 5 times bigger than Bruges, can be located further away from the historical city centre.
Interesting fact is that during weekends, hotels in Brussels are a lot cheaper than their counterparts in Bruges.
Ghent
Visiting Ghent is absolutely recommended if you want to stay in a city that offers a lot of possibilities but hasn't lost its peace & quiet. The 2nd largest city in Flanders is only 20min away from Bruges by train.
There are a lot of people who believe that hotels in Ghent don't offer the same charm than hotels in Bruges, but this doesn't necessarily need to be so. Ghent's beautiful historical settings, its high quality hotels in Gent, its absolutely sparkling atmosphere at night are only a few reasons why you should definitely stay in a hotel in Gent.
Ghent has less tourists than Bruges, except perhaps during summer, when the biggest stream of visitors arrive. Combining your stay in a hotel in Gent with the ten day long very vibrant street festival called the "Ghent Fests" (Gentse Feesten in Dutch) is totally it!
Antwerp
Definitely worth a visit is Antwerp, the most important Flemish city in economic terms, since it houses the 4th largest international port in the world. From Bruges, Antwerp is located a little over an hour by train.
Due to the size of the city, hotels in Antwerpen will be more cosmopolitic than hotels in Bruges, but they are equally charming, especially when located in the historical city centre. A stay in a hotel in Antwerpen, the city of diamonds, fashion, and the famous Zoo, will never disappoint.
Biggest advantage is that hotels in Antwerp are often a lot cheaper than their counterparts in Bruges.