Tourist Attractions
Brussels
Although staying in Bruges and visiting Brussels during the day is always an option, there are people who believe Brussels to be more appealing than Bruges as a starting point to explore Belgium. Brussels is very much worth visiting and has so many interesting things to offer.
Brussels is only 1 hour away by train and if you decide to spend the night in the European Capital, you can choose between a lot of hotels that will be an answer to your needs. You will perhaps notice that hotels in Bruges are usually somewhat smaller and have a more authentic feel to them but overall, hotels in Brussels are pretty much the same for most standards.
The biggest difference with hotels in Bruges is that hotels in Brussels can be located further away from the historical city centre, mainly due to the fact that Brussels is about 5 times the size of Bruges. Remember that hotels in Brussels are a lot cheaper than their counterparts in Bruges, especially during weekends.
Ghent
Ghent, only 20min away from Bruges by train, has less tourists than Bruges, except perhaps during summer, when the biggest stream of visitors arrive. Combining your stay in a hotel in Gent with the ten day long very vibrant street festival called the "Ghent Fests" (Gentse Feesten in Dutch) is a fantastic idea but Gent< is also recommended when you're up for a quiet holiday.
The city, the 2nd largest in Flanders, is very vibrant and cosmopolitan but has managed to largely maintain its peace & quiet. Perhaps hotels in Ghent don't offer the same charms than hotels in Bruges, but this is not always the case. Ghent's beautiful historical settings, its high quality hotels, its absolutely sparkling atmosphere at night are only a few reasons why you should definitely stay in a hotel in Gent.
Antwerp
City of fashion, city of diamonds, city of the 4th largest international port. Antwerp is definitely worth a visit and easily reachable from Bruges. Only a little over an hour by train and you enter a totally different world, compared to Bruges.
Due to the size of the city, hotels in Antwerp will be a lot more cosmopolitic than hotels in Bruges, but they are often equally charming, especially when they are found in the historical city centre, near the Groenplaats or the Grand Market. A stay in a hotel in Antwerpen, whether you book a hotel in the historical centre or in one of the many trendy neighbourhoods (e.g. the Zuid) will almost never disappoint. Most striking advantage is that hotels in Antwerpen are generally cheaper than their counterparts in (often too touristic) Bruges.