Review of Be Manos, by Jill Starley-Grainger

beManos, Brussels' trendiest design hotel, is a short walk from Gare du Midi, so you can be in your cool and moody hotel room within minutes of arriving on Eurostar or the airport train. Brussels' Grand Place, Europe's most stunning square, is a 20-minute walk or five-minute tram-ride away.

The facilities

Revive at beManos's bijou spa, with sauna, aromatic steam room, treatment room and small outdoor relaxation area. At dinner, wear bold colours to stand out in the stark white restaurant, which gives London a run for its money in the style stakes. Delicious fish and meat dominate the modern French and Belgian menu.

Later, settle into a squishy white-leather Bibendum chair in beManos' glam bar, or take your drink to the third-floor black-and-bright lounge, with splashes of vibrant orange and yellow and a Taraxacum light-bulb chandelier. In warm weather, you can wander onto the laid-back roof terrace, with views beyond Brussels.

Breakfast here warrants at least an hour. Expect plenty of breads, pastries, cereals and yogurts, but also eggs, bacon and exotic and seasonal fruit. On our stay, star fruit, prickly pear, watermelon and figs shared the trays with the usual suspects.

The rooms

Had a few too many Belgian beers and can't remember your room number? Simply look for the familiar face on your door. Each door of the 60 rooms (including 25 suites) at Brussels' beManos hotel features a black-and-white life-sized photo of a man or woman in funny, silly or sexy poses.

Black, coffee brown and pearly white give beManos hotel's 30sq m rooms (40-60sq m for suites) a cocoon feel that can make it hard to leave. The décor is modern bachelor-pad, with plush black carpet and dark furnishings in lacquer, wood or smoked glass. Lying on the king-sized bed, you have unobstructed views through clear glass doors to the black-stone-tiled bathroom and the bath/jet shower, where your amour might be lathering up with Korres products. Did someone say naughty weekend?

Thanks to its free WiFi, desk, LCD TV and handy Brussels Eurostar location, the five-star beManos hotel is also popular with business people - but think creative types rather than stuffed shirts. For families, there's a separate floor with less saucy rooms, and some bedrooms have facilities for disabled people.