A hotel since 1992, the Altas is set in Brussels's fashion district. The designer Michel Penneman—a mover and shaker in the renovation of many of the Belgian capital's hotels—together with interior designer Jade Vijt and architect Olivier Hannaert, took fashion and design as the theme, producing an elegant, business-friendly hotel that uses both polished and matte-finish brass as a major design feature. The guest rooms are done in fashionable white and gray, with textured wallpaper adding a bit of luxury. Many of the tables and lights have been specially designed, and the bathrooms, tiled in gray, are of a good size. There are six duplexes on two of the floors. These come with a sofa bed and are €40 extra; they are especially suitable for families with two children. Each room has been inspired by a different designer: switch the mirror light on and the designer’s work as well as samples and sketches spring to life. (The design shows only when the mirror light is switched on; otherwise you’re looking at yourself.)