And then Mechelen… what a great city it is! So many nice restaurants, shops, specialty shops and beautiful old buildings, I fell head over heels for it. Important though: “don’t spread the word!”

For Local Hideaways, I thought it appropriate to look for a few Belgian city Hideaways off the beaten track. Something a bit different from the usual suspects like Antwerp, Ghent, Brussels, etc. And so I visited two surprisingly fun cities: Hasselt and Mechelen. Both very different… but both guarantee a lovely (weekend) break. And of course you sleep fantastic in the right Local Hideaway… what else?!