Martin's Patershof
Mechelen · Belgium · Karmelietenstraat 4
About Martin's Patershof — Luxury Boutique Hotel in Mechelen
Martin's Patershof is an exceptional 4-star hotel in Mechelen, Belgium. Guests enjoy a distinctive experience combining world-class facilities including bar, restaurant, co working, and more with the personalised warmth that defines great boutique hospitality.
Guest Reviews 4.4 / 5
Stayed here during a recent business trip and it was quite an experience. The hotel is set in a beautifully restored old church, which gives it a dramatic and unique ambience. The rooms are modern, clean, and well-equipped—perfect for a business traveler. Staff were warm and professional, and the food, though limited in options, was fresh and satisfying. The only thing to note: the restaurant is set right in the central hall of the former cathedral, which might feel a bit unusual for guests with religious sensitivities. That said, it's a stay to remember—where stained glass meets sleek hospitality. Would recommend for those looking for something different, with comfort and character.
It seems we got the most boring room in the church, and this is the main downside of this hotel that rooms in the same category vary so much – as we learned afterwards you can get a room with beautiful stained glass window that renders light creating a nice calming atmosphere, or you can get a random room like in any other hotel. On top of that the furniture is very worn out. Do not accept a room on a 3rd floor, unless those are ones near elevator or a stairs, though ask if those are noisy.
Very disappointed with my stay at this hotel. I had booked a room several months in advance on the Booking website for my wedding anniversary. The photos of the room convinced me to choose this hotel and that specific room. It was stated on Booking that the room featured “some of the most impressive and remarkable elements of the church: huge stained-glass windows, vaulted arches, church ornaments, and more.” I was really looking forward to it and wanted to surprise my wife. When we arrived at the hotel, the receptionist told us we were lucky to have been upgraded. We got to the room and were immediately disappointed: the room was larger, but it had neither stained-glass windows nor the high ceilings of the room I had originally booked. I went straight back to the front desk to report this and ask to be moved to the room I had reserved months ago. Slightly annoyed, the receptionist told me it wasn’t possible because the rooms were already taken. I asked why I hadn’t been informed, and he replied that the hotel “expected me to be happy with the new, larger room.” I told him I didn’t care about a few extra square meters if the room lacked charm and didn’t match the photos I had seen before booking. According to their standards, the new room might be better, but for me, it was much, much worse and didn’t justify the trip to this city. He then sharply replied that the hotel never guarantees the presence of specific decorations like stained-glass windows, only the presence of “church elements,” and since the hotel was fully booked, he had no solution for me. He added that his manager would be there the next morning if I wanted to discuss it (which was the day of our departure…). Very disappointed by the situation and the unprofessional behavior of the receptionist, I went down to have dinner a bit later in the evening. Out of curiosity, my wife and I went upstairs to see the hotel and the floor where our room should have been. To our surprise, we saw that several rooms matching the one I had originally booked were available, with their doors open. The receptionist’s excuse that the hotel was fully booked was therefore untrue and simply a pretext to cover up another issue with the hotel. In the end, it was a dreadful experience: a room change to one with no charm, hostility at the reception, lies from the front desk staff, and no helpful or proactive attitude from the staff to resolve the issue. This hotel may be suitable for hosting businesses, but for individual travelers, the rooms lack real charm and are focused solely on efficiency. Don’t be fooled by the photos on Booking, as they are not contractual – as the receptionist will be quick to point out upon your arrival!