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Tafelrond - The Fourth

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Tafelrond - The Fourth - Selected hotel in Leuven, Belgium

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Hotel Details

Location

Tafelrond - The Fourth · Leuven, Belgium

Expert Review: Tafelrond - The Fourth

Tafelrond - The Fourth in Leuven, Belgium, is a Michelin Key Selected property known for its unique blend of historical grandeur and contemporary design. Housed in a magnificent medieval building that dates back to the 15th century and has served various purposes, including a guild house, theater, and bank, the hotel offers a distinctive stay in the heart of Leuven.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

The general consensus for Tafelrond - The Fourth is largely positive, albeit with some notable reservations. It holds a "Very Good" rating of 8.0/10 based on over 1,385 verified ratings on HotelsCombined. On Google, it scores 4.1 out of 5 from 500 reviews, and 3.5 out of 5 from 279 reviews on Tripadvisor. Guests are often charmed by the historic architecture and central location, but recurring issues with maintenance and service prevent a universally stellar rating.

2. Key Highlights

Guests consistently praise the hotel's gorgeous and very central location directly on the Grote Markt, allowing for easy exploration of Leuven's attractions. The historic building itself is a major draw, offering a unique charm and atmosphere. Many appreciate the stylish rooms with their contemporary design and comfortable beds. The presence of an on-site restaurant and bar is also seen as a highlight.

3. Room Quality

Tafelrond - The Fourth offers 41 to 44 rooms, featuring contemporary design with simple, minimalist furniture and wooden floors. Rooms are equipped with amenities such as flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, mini-fridges, and coffee/tea making facilities. Some rooms include a balcony and a sitting area. Bathrooms typically feature a walk-in shower and a separate toilet, with complimentary toiletries, shower caps, and bath sheets provided. However, some guests have reported maintenance issues, including curtains off their hooks, falling door handles, non-functioning light controls, and peeling paint or broken fixtures. While some rooms offer air conditioning, it's noted that not all rooms have their own.

4. Dining Experience

The hotel features an on-site restaurant named Tafelrond (also referred to as Brasserie Foyer), which serves Belgian cuisine made with high-quality fresh ingredients. The chef's suggestion menu changes monthly. Buffet breakfast is available daily for a fee, typically around EUR 20.00 per person. Some guests have described the breakfast as "delicious" and "very nice". However, the restaurant has received mixed reviews, with criticisms focusing on slow service, poor food quality, and billing discrepancies. There is also a lounge bar available for guests.

5. Service & Staff

Guest feedback on service and staff is varied. Some reviews highlight "outstanding" and "angelic" service, with staff being described as friendly, welcoming, and informative. The hotel also offers a 24-hour front desk and luggage storage. Conversely, a significant number of guests have reported issues such as slow service at the reception, often finding no one present. Housekeeping has also been a point of contention, with complaints about bed linen not being changed over multi-night stays and general lightness of cleaning.

6. Location & Accessibility

Tafelrond - The Fourth boasts an unbeatable central location on the Grote Markt in Leuven. It is merely steps away from major attractions such as the Grand Market Square, Leuven Town Hall (0.1 km), St. Peter's Church (0.2 km), and M-Museum Leuven (0.2 km). The Old Market Square is also within a short walk. The hotel is approximately 13 minutes' walk from Leuven railway station and about 25 km from Zaventem airport. Public parking is available nearby for a fee (around EUR 15 per day), but the hotel itself does not have on-site parking for guests. The hotel is not described as being barrier-free.

7. Value & Pricing

While the hotel offers a luxurious stay in a historic setting, some guests have found the pricing to be "way too expensive for what they are offering". In addition to room rates, guests can expect a city tax of EUR 3.50 per person per night and a buffet breakfast fee of approximately EUR 20.00 per person. HotelsCombined data shows an average nightly rate of $541, which is considerably higher than other hotels in Leuven.

8. Common Complaints

The most frequently cited complaints revolve around:

  • Maintenance issues in rooms, including faulty door handles, curtains, and light controls, as well as general signs of wear like peeling paint.
  • Slow service, particularly at the reception and in the restaurant.
  • Inconsistent housekeeping, with reports of bed linen not being changed and inadequate cleaning.
  • Mixed dining experiences, with some guests finding the restaurant's food quality and service disappointing.
  • Occasional reports of a sewerage smell in bathrooms and rooms being cold despite heating adjustments.

Sources

  1. wanderlog.com
  2. wheree.com
  3. catchysights.com
  4. hotelscombined.com
  5. google.com.jm
  6. thehotelguru.com
  7. hrs.com
  8. hotelleuven.com
  9. 2flanders.com
  10. hotelsinleuven.com
  11. hotelleuven.com
  12. thefourth.be
  13. hotels.nl
  14. michelin.com

Points to Consider

  • The most frequently cited complaints revolve around:
  • Maintenance issues in rooms, including faulty door handles, curtains, and light controls, as well as general signs of wear like peeling paint.
  • Mixed dining experiences, with some guests finding the restaurant's food quality and service disappointing.

Google Reviews

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4.1

499 reviews

Recent Guest Reviews

Stephen Becker

Local Guidea year ago

Had an excellent stay at this hotel. Gorgeous and very central location -- wonderful to walk directly out to Grote Markt which is lovely to see at different times of day. Breakfast was very nice (did not eat any other meals at the restaurant). Nicely appointed small lobby/bar area. The room itself was satisfactory, nothing particularly special.

Anne-Sophie Motte

2 years ago

This hotel is in a magnificent historic building which gives great charm and could make it top notch place to stay. I used to come here often few years ago when it opened and really enjoyed it. This time I have been very disappointed. Rooms despite confortable bed are not well maintained. The curtains were off their hooks when I checked in and the handle of the door is falling each time I open the...

Kristof Van der Haegen

Local GuideEdited 3 years ago

Had a diner here, we were 4 and chose 2 times the suggestion menu and 2 times a la carte. Good was very tasty and looked great, wines were excellent, setting is superb, tables far from each other and good acoustics. Price is quite high and even though the coffee and water was supposed to be included in the menu, it still appeared on the bill (and after double checking we payed 5+3 euro per person ...

Response from the owner

Dear Kristof van der Haegen, <br><br>Thank you for the wonderful review. We appreciate this feedback in order to provide the best service possible. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed dinner in our ...

Jon J.

Local Guide2 years ago

Really really disappointed with this hotel. Way too expensive for what they are offering. Really slow service at the reception, often no people there. Stayed 3 nights and the bed linen was not changed at all! Not even once…When I checked out I was told the invoice would be sent by mail shortly…Took more than 2 weeks after sending them several mails…was told, they are now part of a new chain and no...

David Schmidt

Local Guide2 years ago

Most comfortable hotel beds I have slept in for a long time. Beautiful building and perfect location. The layout of the bathroom is a little bit odd. The water of the shower spills out. Some of the light controls seem not to work.

Wlochowianin 2019

Local Guide2 years ago

Visited the restaurant for a business dinner. The experience started out bad and the turned into terrible. The 1st symptom that should have worried us was that they ran out of water!!! Yes, no bottled water. The service was very, very slow. The food was made to look very fancy but the taste was extremely poor. But the biggest surprise came at the end, when they tried to cheat us with the bill. We ...

Response from the owner

I've read your message carefully. I'd like to correct your review. We registered an official reservation by email from the company TERUMO, to which you belong. The contact person reserved 10 suggested...

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