Antwerp uncommon Bed & Breakfast, Boulevard Léopold
The chicest B&B
When you step into Boulevard Leopold bed & breakfast, your eyes will instinctually be chuffed. This one-of-a-kind Belgian mansion, built in 1890 by a wealthy Jewish man in the diamond industry, has been greeting visitors for more than a decade. The living room, like many other houses in Belgium, is narrow and rather lofty, giving it a very striking attractiveness.
Nestled in the Jewish district, one may anticipate a museum-like atmosphere filled with treasures and rare antiques. Boulevard Leopold never ceases to amaze us, therefore we were intrigued to know about the man behind it.
Martin Willems, the proprietor of Boulevard Leopold, hails from a little town between Brussels and Gand. He fell in love with Antwerp before deciding to make it his permanent home. Antwerp, as he indicated, is one of the most intriguing cities in Belgium, with something to do every week. Martin is a pleasant, invigorating free spirit full of hidden skills, with his distinct vision and ability to enjoy life casually. We met with him at Boulevard Leopold in the morning to learn more about his bed & breakfast and future plans.
In what year did Boulevard Léopold open?
In 2006 Boulevard Léopold opened, but before that, the house belonged to a Belgian family.
Who conceived the idea and vision for Boulevard Léopold in the first place?
My friends, a couple, were the ones who acquired the property and started with airbnb. I traveled here in 2006 to see my friends and to see the mansion. Later on, when they wished to go on vacation, they would ask me to look after the property and the visitors. They eventually approached me and asked if I wanted to buy the house since they were tired of it. Finally, in 2010, I sold my home and purchased Boulevard Léopold, which I have owned since.
Is there a specific reason they abandoned this project after only four years?
They realised they preferred the interior design over the genuine hospitality. When you have guests around, you must be very sociable and friendly. Also, you will have people around your house every day, making it difficult to have moments to yourself. I've learned to live with it, but it's just not for everyone.
It has been 12 years since you started this. Has anything changed since you commenced your journey, or is it just the same?
My friends had to take a lot of their own furniture with them when they moved out of the house. The rooms, however, were deserted since it made no sense for them to preserve them. It appears similar, but I clearly added my own spin to the design and brought my own furnishings.
How did you manage to find all of these unique, one-of-a-kind items?
I'm always on the lookout for items that I feel complement the house. I'm not a complex person, and my approach to life reflects that. It's as simple as that: if I like it, I purchase it. Everything I do is instinctive, and I don't ask myself many questions. I always buy items with the intention of how they will appear in my home. Antwerp is a fantastic destination to acquire antiques and other interior goods, so almost everything you see here is for sale. No one assisted me with the interior design; I simply proceeded with my own taste and what seemed to work.
How many rooms do you have?
Five in total. The master suite and rooftop suite are obviously the largest. The rooftop suite features a tiny patio that is extremely beautiful and appears to be popular with visitors. Our most well-known chamber, however, is unquestionably Room 3.
Can you tell us more about your previous experiences?
I used to be a technical engineer, which has nothing to do with what I'm doing now. I quit my job and began this trip 12 years ago. I used to go to work every day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it felt like a fairly typical existence, but now every day is different. You meet new people while living and working in your own home. Obviously, I don't get many days to myself, but when I do, I try to do something entirely different.
What do you enjoy most about hosting guests?
Speaking with people from various backgrounds from all over the world is an experience. I sometimes have physicians, architects, painters, individuals with an interior design background, really a mix of different countries and backgrounds, which is quite intriguing. I have a lot of fashion industry visitors since this is a fantastic destination for artists. Boulevard Leopold gets a lot of requests for photoshoots for furniture manufacturers, publications, fashion firms, and other businesses. It is, undoubtedly, an ideal site for creating innovative and unique content.
I'd like to know more about you specifically because you appear to be very fascinating and full of surprises. How many languages are you fluent in?
Five in total: French, Dutch, English, Deutsch, and Spanish. I observed that guests love it when I speak their language.
Do you have any future plans or are you content with your current lifestyle?
This is how I prefer it. I occasionally update a room by changing furniture or renovating a portion of it. For example, there were no bathtub tiles in the green room. During the pandemic, this concept struck me, and I decided to pursue it.
So you just... do it all, which is quite impressive but also appears to be extremely natural for you.
You may learn by watching videos or reading!
And you make breakfast for your visitors and, I assume, clean everything when they leave?
Yes, I normally take care of the cleaning jobs after breakfast. My busiest season is generally winter. Except for the summer, we are extremely busy the rest of the year. I occasionally leave Antwerp on vacation and delegate responsibility for the property to someone else. Making breakfast for my clients helps me to build a strong relationship with them, and many of them return to Boulevard Leopold.
Did the pandemic have a good or bad impact?How did you manage to stay alone for so long when you're so used to living with others?
Yes, we fought with it for a year since the place was mostly vacant. As I have said, it provided me some time to repair a portion of the property, but it was unquestionably difficult. I received a few visitors from Brussels and other parts of Belgium, but not many. It seemed strange, especially having this large space to myself. However, it gave me some free time to accomplish things that I normally don't have time for.
I also observed a difference and realised that most people don’t book as much in advance as before - practically everything is booked at the last minute.
What do you want us to remember when we leave Boulevard Léopold?
I want people to fall in love with Antwerp and have a reason to return.I believe they will return to my bed and breakfast if they enjoy the city enough.
Do you intend to launch a new property soon?
Oh no, when I'm done with this place, it's done. I'll finally retire and depart.
So there is a final destination for this project?
Absolutely, and this is why I adore it. I don't become attached to things and can let them go quickly. I could sell this house in two days and pack my belongings. I never look back because I only look forward. It's a lot of effort, and I honestly believe that after 12 years, I've seen it all with this property. I'd want to sell it to someone who loves and understands the place as much as I do. I believe everything will come to an end, and I am relieved. I want to get out there and enjoy life as much as possible. simple!
