Unique stays and extraordinary journeys

Some European landscapes only reveal themselves to travellers willing to stay put. In this feature we look at the addresses where the stay itself becomes the journey, character hotels, well executed glamping projects and the few luxury train routes still worth their ticket. Every property here was visited by the editorial team in person.

Updated 06-2026 by © Jacques Clément 

Check in was efficient and personable. Our cabin sat roughly 150 metres from the reception building, far enough into the woods to feel detached, close enough to remain practical. The cabin itself is compact: a wood stove, a double bed, a private bathroom and a rooftop hot tub. The deliberate absence of screens and connectivity is the point, and on this format it works.

What Nutchel does well is discipline. The property does not pretend to be a five star hotel and does not try to compete with one. It delivers a focused product: a forest cabin for couples who want two or three nights of silence. The rooftop hot tub is the signature element, and on a cold Ardennes evening it earns its place. The breakfast and the cheese fondue, both ordered through the property, were competently delivered.

Where we would flag caution: the experience leans heavily on weather and season. A wet weekend with limited time outside would test the format. The booking flow is straightforward and the cancellation window of eight days before arrival is fair, though not exceptional within the segment.

For couples looking at a short escape between Brussels, Luxembourg and the Eifel, Nutchel sits in a credible price to value position. It is not luxury in the classic sense. It is precise about what it is, which in our reading is more useful.

Nutchel Cosy Cabins
Forest Village Les Ardennes, Martelange
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 © photos: Nutchel cabins