At the heart of Antwerp’s Jewish Quarter, amongst unsuspecting facades, sits Boulevard Leopold, a marble-entranced time capsule of a building. Built in 1890 by diamond trader Joseph Zimmer, the house has only ever known four owners.
In 1934, when Joseph died, a young couple moved in and filled it with eight children. They must have been happy there, as they stayed as long as physically possible. In 2005, after their deaths, the house was sold. Totally untouched for almost 100 years (the bathroom dates to 1912, with tiled ceiling and art nouveau decadence) a gentle renovation was undertaken and the ‘B&B’ was formed.
Current owner, Martin, brings gifts to the house, fittingly historic and otherworldly, a plethora of silver crosses, taxidermy birds, and lamps, so many lamps! Religious relics and artefacts abound. ‘You should listen to the house’, he says, when I ask him what inspires him to collect.
In the Master Suite we sink into another world, tall ceilings, velvet sofas, lush green palms in the curved glass windows. The light is amazing – diffused and calm, it feels like a memory. There’s a surreal moment where I’m on a top-secret (at the time) call with the Cabinet Office and Adam comes in to say our car has disappeared. Maybe I live in a film now?
As I walk down the stairs I can hear the gentle sounds of Nick Cave playing out from the living room. The candles flicker as I move passed them. Breakfast is gentle, but with strong coffee. Fruits and yoghurt, croissants, and ‘would you like an egg’.
Book your stay in the calm comforts of Boulevard Leopold, take a walk through the Zurenborg neighbourhood, admire the incredible Art Nouveau houses, and pop to Domestic Bakery for the best vanilla cream croissant you will ever meet/eat. Hop on a tram into the city to visit the Notebohm Zaal (wow!) and MoMu museum of fashion, and then head out for dinner at Repasse or Fiera, you can’t go wrong!
I was a guest of Boulevard Leopold and Visit Antwerp.
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