A family weekend in the heart of the forest at Dolce La Hulpe

Last June, we spent a short stay at the Dolce La Hulpe, a hotel located just a few minutes from Brussels. The ideal setting to recharge your batteries with your family!

My wife and I have duties that can be stressful at times. We needed to get away from it all and let go for a weekend. With our busy schedule, we didn’t have much time to be free. We therefore decided to go green not far from home.

After picking up our son from school on Friday afternoon, we headed for the Dolce La Hulpe, about 20 minutes from Brussels.

The hotel is truly hidden in the famous Soignes Forest. To reach it, you have to take a long private path that immediately plunges you into the heart of nature.

In this bucolic setting, the hotel stands out with its modern architecture and sleek lines.

Throughout our stay, we really felt like we were living in harmony with the forest, and even living in the forest! For all the spaces of the hotel, be it the rooms, the restaurant or the swimming pool, offer large bay windows that open onto the immensity of the majestic beech trees that make up the landscape.

The presence of the vegetation is such that, as soon as we arrived, we were overwhelmed by a pleasant feeling of calm that lasted once we got home. It really was as if the trees had shared their energy with us!

The 5 Mondes spa also helped to calm us down. It was the first time I tried a facial care and I really liked it. This treatment purifies and relaxes you thanks to the cranial and cervical massage. A real moment of tranquility. The spa staff is really professional and very elegant. Very helpful too.

Generally speaking, I appreciated the kindness of all the hotel staff we met. Each one always had a nice smile and always delivered a nice little word to our 5-year-old boy.

We stayed in two rooms connected by an inner door and were able to enjoy a lot – but when I say a lot, it’s really a lot – of space. It was awesome! When we arrived in our room, an original gift was waiting for our son Achille on his bed: juggling balls. He, who loves to imitate clowns, was delighted! Homemade macaroons and organic lemonade had been prepared for him.

Ping pong tables and mini football pitches are set up in several corners of the hotel. An opportunity to have fun as a family!

The sports facilities have everything to please young and old alike: bocce ball court, basketball court, tennis courts… not forgetting the indoor swimming pool, accessible to children every day until 6pm. The evening of our arrival, while we were sharing a drink on the bar terrace, the waiter came and installed a Jokari especially for our son so that he could enjoy himself.

The hotel also has a fleet of bicycles and even a few electric bikes to enjoy the countless trails in the forest.

On Saturday morning, we tested an original application proposed by the hotel which allows you to venture into the forest following the explanations of a guide. This digital treasure hunt was a lot of fun for Achille. As for us, it allowed us to learn a lot about the fauna and flora. During this walk we were able to admire the Hulpe Castle (Chateau de La Hulpe) and we stopped for a drink at the Taverne de l’Homme Bleu next to the Folon Foundation. An enchanting and exotic itinerary that I recommend!

In the afternoon, the whole family exchanged a few balls on one of the two tennis courts. Achille, who takes tennis lessons every Saturday, was happy to be given the opportunity to practice.

The hotel has two restaurants. I loved the Argan, a recently opened restaurant with an exquisite decoration reminiscent of the woods and foliage of the surrounding area. It offers healthy and tasty children’s menus, prepared with local products. To make his wait more comfortable, our son received a colouring book and pencils. I really liked the selection of local beers and the wine list (special mention for the white Burgundy served by the glass!).

The restaurant opens onto a casual terrace where a shipping container has been transformed into an original bar. A very « chill » place where you can relax to the rhythm of lounge music.

To make the most of nature, let yourself be tempted by a picnic! The hotel will provide you with delicious lunch boxes (your choice: meat, fish or veggie) that you can enjoy in the shade of a tree…

A real pleasure!