A PERFECT WEEKEND AT THE CHATEAU DE LA POSTE
People find it odd when I say that one of the reasons why someone should visit Brussels is that’s so easy to escape from it. Don’t get me wrong, I do love this city but one of the great things about it is that you can easily travel to beautiful destinations within or outside Belgium. With that in mind, I booked a little weekend trip to the Belgian countryside this past summer when the weather was way too hot to stay in town.
The plan was to explore the Ardennes area and spend a couple of days at the Chateau de la Poste which came highly recommended by a dear friend of mine. The drive alone was stunning – fields of flowers, thick trees and charming little villages that felt a world apart from the busy capital. A bit over an hour later we were greeted by the impressive castle proudly standing on small hill above hectares of splendid parkland. We checked in, dropped off our bags and strolled out to explore the grounds.
Thrilled to be out in the countryside, we took a walk around the estate. There are several paths for hiking but we wandered without having a plan really. I was utterly surprised when I came across the Loft Cube, a futuristic room hidden between century-old trees, and the Tree House. I’ve been dreaming of sleeping in actual tree house ever since I was a little girl, so I made a promise right then and there to come back soon.
The castle itself is beautiful too and has a quite interesting story. Constructed back in 1890, it used to be home of Princess Clémentine, King Leopold II’s youngest daughter and later on a holiday centre known as Domaine de Ronchinne for employees of the Poste. Fast forward 50 years later, it was sold to private investors and became what we know today as the Chateau de la Poste. The common spaces are an eclectic mix of classic architecture and modern interior design. I could easily spending a few good hours in front of the fireplace with a good book but since we were lucky with the weather, I did the same sunbathing at the spacious terrace which offered postcard-perfect views across the valley.
I had booked a superior room in the main building overlooking the hill and would highly recommend it. It was spacious and waking up to this view was the best feeling in the world. What put me off though was a smell of sewer that didn’t seem to go away throughout our stay. This and the fact that the service was far too discrete or non-existent at times were a bit disappointing but we had fun anyway. There are many different activities on offer but we reserved bikes and explored the beautiful surroundings. We also skipped the dinner buffet in favour of a walk in Namur and ended up in the amazing Tapasoif.
If you’re looking for a family getaway, a great place to spend a romantic weekend with your better half or simply a place to escape the city, Chateau de la Poste is a really good choice!
| INFO |
| Address: Ronchinne 25, 5330 Maillen, Belgium |
| Telephone: +32 81411405 |
| Website / Facebook page |
