Coolhuys

Anne Marie and me, Jan have experienced all kinds of holiday options with our son Thibault, from camping and B&Bs to holiday homes and luxury hotels.
As a family we enjoyed the holiday homes the most for their
- genuine feel of living in a new home abroad.
- unlimited freedom to do whatever we want, whenever we want.
- moments of relaxation in a private city garden after a day full of new discoveries.
- wining and dining in a fully equipped kitchen.
- high-standard king-sized beds and pillows ensuring a good night’s rest in a quiet setting.
- local tips and tricks from the hosts, so we wouldn’t miss any local must-see spots or hidden gems.
These experiences created lifelong sweet memories.

That’s’ why in January 2025 we decided to buy the “coolhuys 84” so YOU could enjoy similar experiences in the most romantic city in Belgium: Bruges with its canals, the Venice of the North.

As a host and a Bruges native, I am delighted to welcome you as guests to the Coolhuys. The name Coolhuys comes from the street Koolkerkse Steenweg and huys means home /maison/ haus/casa .

I was born in Bruges and spent my youth there. Back then, there weren't many tourists. My job drew me to the big cities of Brussels, Ghent and Antwerp.

But the beauty of Bruges called me back when I married Anne-Marie who is from Ostend. We were able to raise our son Thibault there in safety in a warm nest.
This was the best decision of our lives.
Every day we still feel privileged to be able to stroll around Bruges and discover things that may have been there for centuries. Bruges is like an onion : it has so many layers waiting to explore !
That's why we never get tired of Bruges!

The house is authentic ,very spacious and very easily accessible by car or public transport.
When you arrive by train, you take the bus 14 in front of the railway station of Bruges.
It takes 7 minutes and you get off at the bus stop “Sint Jozef”. This bus stop is at 200 m walking distance from the house.
Taxi or Uber is also an option starting in front of the railway station of Bruges .

The most beautiful way to enter Bruges by foot!
You enter the old city of Bruges by crossing the canal, about 5 minutes’ walk and start at the "Dampoort". The Dam Gate was a city gate in the city of Bruges. It was part of the old medieval defensive ring around the city. The name of the gate is still used for the place where it used to be. Just follow the“Langerei”.
The Langerei is a waterway and street leading to the centre of Bruges. It takes a 20 minutes’ walk. This part of Bruges we love the most: it’s so quiet and breathe The Middle Ages.
The watercourse and street ar more or less following the bed of the original River “Reie”. From Roman times to the 15th century, this watercourse was Bruges' main maritime thoroughfare and was connected to the sea.
The river Reie is lined with brick quay walls with bluestone cover plates or iron parapets on top. The old beautiful buildings, predominantly of two or three storeys, had commercial and residential functions for the rithest, and some date from the 15th centuries.
All Bruges’ richness came thanks to this waterway. It’s downfall started when it lost it's connection with the Nordsea because of the siltation of het "Zwin"near Knokke.

Near the “Coolhuys” you will find small supermarkets for your daily needs:
-Carrefour market, Pannebekestraat 99: open every day.
-Proxy Delhaize – Tijl Uilenspiegelstraat 18: open every day; closed om Sunday afternoon.
An excellent bakery you will find across the street. The best one is on the corner right: The Brioche.
A butchery is across the street.