Where to stay in Ghent
Ghent's old center is compact enough that every area in it is within about twenty minutes on foot of the Korenmarkt, so the choice is mostly about what you hear at night and what you walk past on the way home. For a first visit, stay around the Graslei and Korenmarkt, or in Patershol if you want cobbled lanes and quiet. Choose the Vrijdagmarkt for the beer cafes, the Sint-Pieters station area for a lower price and an easy train, and Dampoort for a local feel. The one area to approach with care is Overpoort, which is the student nightlife street.
The short answer
- First trip
- The Graslei and Korenmarkt, by the canal and a short walk from every main sight.
- Couples
- Patershol for cobbled lanes and dinner on the doorstep.
- Families
- Sint-Pieters for larger rooms and Citadelpark, with a tram into the center.
- Tight budget
- Sint-Pieters or Dampoort, a tram or a walk from the center.
- Food and beer
- The Vrijdagmarkt for the beer cafes, Patershol for dinner.
How we judge an area of Ghent: walking time to the sights, noise at night, transport, and price. Nothing on this page is paid for, and the hotels we choose will say who chose them and when they last stayed.
Ghent's neighborhoods, side by side
| Area | Best for | At night | Gravensteen | St Bavo's Cathedral | Gent-Sint-Pieters station | Getting around | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graslei and Korenmarkt | First visits, the middle | Lively, noisy on weekends | 5 min | 5 min | 35 min | On foot; trams 1 and 3 | €€€€ |
| Patershol | Quiet, dinner | Quiet; busy at restaurant times | 5 min | 10 min | 45 min | On foot; tram on the edge | €€€ |
| Vrijdagmarkt and Sint-Jacobs | Beer, a local feel | Lively; market on Friday morning | 5 min | 5 min | 45 min | On foot; trams on Sint-Jacobs | €€€ |
| Sint-Baafs and the Belfry | Sights, shopping | Quiet after shops close | 10 min | 5 min | 35 min | On foot; trams on Korenmarkt | €€€ |
| Sint-Pieters and Citadelpark | Trains, price, space | Quiet; traffic near the station | 35 min | 30 min | 10 min | Station; trams 1 and 3 | €€ |
| Dampoort and the docks | A local feel, price | Quiet | 20 min | 15 min | 55 min | Dampoort station; buses | €€ |
| Overpoort and the student quarter | Budget, nightlife | Loud on term-time nights | 25 min | 20 min | 20 min | Trams; 25 to 30 min walk | € |
Walking times run from the middle of each area: the straight line plus a third for real streets, at an easy pace, rounded to five minutes. The old center is flat, but cobbles and canal bridges slow a walk with a suitcase. Price is our read of a standard double in the same week, from € (cheapest) to €€€€ (dearest), until booking-site prices replace it.
Where the neighborhoods are
The Graslei and the Korenmarkt, for a first visit
The guild houses, the canal and most of the sights within five minutes, and the liveliest evenings in the old center.
This is the middle of old Ghent: the Graslei and Korenlei quays on either side of the canal, the Korenmarkt square just east of them, and St Michael's Bridge with its view. The cathedral, the Belfry and the Gravensteen are all within ten minutes on foot, and the tram stops at the Korenmarkt.
It is also where evenings run longest. The quays have terraces, students walk by, and the square carries noise late on Friday and Saturday. Ask for a room at the back or on an upper floor, and expect to pay more here than anywhere else. Restaurants facing the water charge for the view; walk a few minutes for better value.
Good for
- A first visit of two nights
- Walking everywhere, including to the Altarpiece
- Evenings by the water
Think twice if
- You want silence on a weekend night
- You want cheap restaurants on the doorstep
- You dislike crowds on the quays at dusk
Staying in Graslei and Korenmarkt: nearby sights, food and getting around
Patershol, for quiet evenings and dinner nearby
Cobbled lanes and low houses behind the Gravensteen, with many of the city's restaurants and about ten minutes to the Korenmarkt.
Patershol is a small quarter of narrow lanes north of the Gravensteen, once poor and now home to most of the city's smaller restaurants. It feels old and enclosed, and in the evening you walk to dinner without crossing a main road. The Korenmarkt is about ten minutes' walk.
The lanes are too narrow for big hotels, so the choice is boutique hotels, guesthouses and apartments, and they sell out at weekends. Pavements are uneven, cars are few, and a wheeled bag is slow on the cobbles. The restaurants are busy on Friday and Saturday, so a room facing a lane can hear the tables below.
Good for
- Couples and a quiet-ish evening
- Dinner within a minute or two of the door
- Walking to the castle in two minutes
Think twice if
- You need a lift or a big hotel with services
- Cobbles are hard for you with luggage
- You want a late bar scene: it is dinner, then bed
Staying in Patershol: nearby sights, food and getting around
The Vrijdagmarkt and Sint-Jacobs, for beer and a local feel
An old square of beer cafes, the Friday market and Sint-Jacobs church, about ten minutes from the Korenmarkt.
The Vrijdagmarkt is a wide square with the statue of a medieval leader at its center, the home of the Friday market and some of the oldest beer cafes in the city. Sint-Jacobs, just west of it, is a mix of cafes, shops and the church square, and gets busier on weekends. The Korenmarkt is ten minutes on foot.
It is livelier than Patershol and less polished than the Graslei. Expect noise from the cafes on the square on Friday and Saturday nights, and a market starting early on Friday morning. Prices are lower than on the quays, and you are close to the Dampoort tram and bus lines.
Good for
- Beer cafes and a more local evening
- Friday market mornings
- A mid-range stay close to the middle
Think twice if
- You want quiet on a Friday: the market and the cafes start early and end late
- You want a canal view from your window
Staying in Vrijdagmarkt and Sint-Jacobs: nearby sights, food and getting around
Sint-Baafs and the Belfry, for the cathedral and the shops
The cathedral, the Belfry and the main shopping streets, a few minutes east of the Korenmarkt.
The area around St Bavo's Cathedral, the Belfry and the town hall is the civic center of Ghent. The Altarpiece is here, the Belfry is next door, and the main shopping street, Veldstraat, runs south from the Korenmarkt. Everything is within five to ten minutes' walk, and the Kouter flower square is close.
It is a day-time area. Shops close in the early evening and the streets can feel empty at night, though nothing is far away. Hotels here are mid-sized and a little less expensive than on the quays, and traffic is limited in most streets.
Good for
- The Altarpiece and the Belfry first thing in the morning
- Shopping on foot
- A hotel with a lift, in the middle of town
Think twice if
- You want a quiet evening with restaurants: the streets are emptier after closing
- You want a canal outside your window
Staying in Sint-Baafs and the Belfry: nearby sights, food and getting around
Sint-Pieters and Citadelpark, for trains and a lower price
The main station, Citadelpark and the museums, with larger hotels and a tram or a long walk to the center.
Around Gent-Sint-Pieters station, south of the old center, you find the larger hotels, the Citadelpark with the MSK and S.M.A.K. museums, and quick trains to Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp. Rooms are bigger and cheaper than inside the old center, and a tram runs to the Korenmarkt in five to ten minutes.
It is not the Ghent you came to see. The streets around the station are busy with traffic and commuters, and the walk to the Korenmarkt takes about 35 minutes. It suits a short stay with a train at either end, or a car-free family that wants space and a park.
Good for
- Arriving or leaving by train
- Families and a lower price
- The park and the museums
Think twice if
- You want the old lanes at night
- You dislike a tram ride or a long walk to the center
- You want quiet: the station area has traffic
Staying in Sint-Pieters and Citadelpark: nearby sights, food and getting around
Dampoort and the docks, for a local feel
A residential area east and north of the old center, with a second station, converted docks and a 15 to 25 minute walk.
Dampoort is the area around the second railway station, east of the old center, and the old docks to the north, where warehouses have become cafes and flats. It is residential and mixed, with a few guesthouses and apartments, and a bus or a 15 to 25 minute walk gets you to the Korenmarkt.
There are few sights and few hotels. In return, rooms cost less and evenings are quiet. The streets around the station are functional rather than pretty, so look at the street view before you book and check the walk home at night.
Good for
- A lower price and a quiet bed
- A local, residential feel
- Arriving by train at Dampoort
Think twice if
- You want to walk out into the old lanes
- You want many hotels to choose from
- You dislike a 20 minute walk or a bus
Staying in Dampoort and the docks: nearby sights, food and getting around
Overpoort and the student quarter, for a low price and late nights
The student streets near the university, with cheap rooms and bars, and loud on term-time nights.
Overpoort is the street of student bars south-east of the center, and the streets around it are full of student housing, hostels and a few budget hotels. It is cheaper than anywhere in the old center, and the walk to the Korenmarkt is about 25 to 30 minutes, with tram links nearby.
On Wednesday to Saturday nights in term time it is loud until late, and the streets can be messy the next morning. It makes sense for a younger traveler on a tight budget who wants the night out, and little sense for anyone who wants sleep.
Good for
- Budget travelers who want bars nearby
- A hostel or a cheap room
- Walking to Citadelpark and the museums
Think twice if
- You want sleep on a term-time weekend
- You want the old center on your doorstep
- You are traveling with young children
Staying in Overpoort and the student quarter: nearby sights, food and getting around
Where not to stay in Ghent, and what to do instead
Every booking site lists these places to stay in Ghent. We would skip them, or at least choose with care. Nobody pays a commission on a warning.
- A room above the quays, if you want sleep
Terraces and students keep the Graslei and Korenmarkt lively until late at the weekend. Ask for a back room, or choose Patershol.
- Overpoort, if you want a quiet night
It is the student bar street and loud on term-time evenings. Stay in the Vrijdagmarkt or Patershol instead.
- A hotel by the station for the old-town evenings
The saving is real, but you pay it back in tram rides and a 35 minute walk. Choose it for a short stay or a train at either end, not for atmosphere.
- A room on the Vrijdagmarkt on a Friday morning
The market stalls go up early and the square is noisy. Ask for a room on a side street, or enjoy the market and sleep elsewhere.
- Driving into the center
Much of the center is car-free or restricted. Leave the car at a park-and-ride and take the tram.
Which neighborhood suits you
First time in Ghent
Couples
Families with children
A tight budget
Sint-Pieters, Dampoort or, if you like noise, Overpoort.
Food and beer
The Vrijdagmarkt for beer, Patershol for dinner.
Sights and shopping
Arriving by train
Sint-Pieters, or Dampoort for the second station.
Before you book a room in Ghent
The practical things that decide whether a good hotel in Ghent makes a good stay.
- The city taxGhent charges a tourist tax per person per night, for guests aged 18 and over, for 2026 to 2028. The rate is €3.93 for hotels and for B&Bs and holiday homes where the operator is registered in the city, and €6.61 for holiday homes whose operator is not. Some booking sites add it at the end, so check the final price.
- From Brussels AirportThe airport station is under the terminal, and direct trains run to Ghent in about 45 to 55 minutes. Get off at Gent-Sint-Pieters, then take tram 1 or 3 to the Korenmarkt.
- From Brussels South CharleroiFlibco runs a coach from the airport to Gent-Sint-Pieters station in about 70 minutes, around twelve times a day. Check the timetable before you land.
- The station to the centerGent-Sint-Pieters is about two kilometers south of the Korenmarkt. Tram 1 takes five to ten minutes, and walking takes around 35 minutes.
- Low emission zoneGhent has a low emission zone, and much of the center is closed to cars. If you drive, ask your hotel where to park and check that your vehicle is allowed in.
- Stairs and cobblesMany old houses have steep stairs, and some have no lift. Streets are cobbled, so a wheeled bag is slow. Ask your hotel how to reach the door.
- Gentse Feesten and weekendsThe ten-day Gentse Feesten street festival in July, Friday and Saturday nights, and December are the busiest and dearest times.
Where to stay in Ghent: questions people ask
What's the best area to stay in Ghent for a first visit?
The Graslei and Korenmarkt area. You are within ten minutes' walk of the cathedral, the Belfry and the castle, with trams at the door. Patershol is the quieter alternative.
Is it better to stay in the center of Ghent or near the station?
In the center if you want the old streets in the evening. Near Gent-Sint-Pieters if you want a lower price and an easy train, at the cost of a tram ride or a 35 minute walk.
Is Patershol a good place to stay?
Yes, for a couple or a quiet trip. It is cobbled, close to the castle and full of restaurants. It has few hotels and no big ones, and weekends sell out.
Which area is best for families?
Around Sint-Pieters and Citadelpark, where rooms are bigger and the park is close. A tram reaches the center in five to ten minutes.
Where should I stay if I'm on a budget?
Near the station, in Dampoort, or around Overpoort if you do not mind noise. Booking mid-week lowers the price in every area.
Can you walk everywhere in Ghent?
Yes, in the old center. Most sights are within fifteen minutes of the Korenmarkt on foot. Only the station and the museums are further, and trams cover those.
Is it worth staying a night in Ghent rather than a day trip?
Yes. The evenings are the best time, when the quays are lit and the day-trippers are gone, and you can see Bruges or Brussels from here by train in under 45 minutes.
How much is the city tax in Ghent?
€3.93 per person per night in a hotel for guests aged 18 and over, in 2026 to 2028. Holiday homes whose operator is not registered in the city pay €6.61.
