A unique overnight stay in Ostend is more than just waking up on the Belgian coast. The city combines the beach and the North Sea with street art, maritime history, the world of James Ensor, and a lively city center full of restaurants and shops. Take the free ferry to the Oosteroever, and you’ll suddenly find yourself among dunes, bunkers, and Fort Napoleon. On Vipio, you’ll find unique accommodations in and around Ostend for a weekend by the sea, a romantic getaway, or a city trip to the Belgian coast.
Unique Places to Stay in Ostend
Unique Accommodations in Ostend: The City and the Sea Right at Your Doorstep
Ostend feels different from many smaller beach towns along the Belgian coast. You don’t just come here for a few days at the beach; you can easily combine a beach vacation with a city trip.
From the boardwalk, you can walk right into the city center, where you’ll find shops, restaurants, cafés, and cultural attractions. If you walk toward the harbor, fishing boats, yachts, and the city’s maritime history gradually come into view.
That’s why the location of your accommodations matters.
A unique stay close to the beach is ideal if you’re coming mainly for the North Sea. In the heart of Ostend, you’ll be closer to restaurants, shops, and cultural attractions. And if you’re looking for a more surprising part of the city, the Oosteroever is worth exploring.
So you don’t necessarily have to choose a place to stay right on the seawall.
Ostend is actually one big open-air museum
While strolling through Ostend, enormous murals pop up in unexpected places.
That’s thanks to The Crystal Ship. Since 2016, national and international street artists have been coming to Ostend to transform building facades and other spots in the city into works of art.
There are now more than eighty works scattered throughout Ostend.
You don’t have to see them all at once. There are various walking routes through the city center, the Westerkwartier, and the Oosteroever, among other areas. If you want to see more, you can also explore the artworks by bike.
The best part is that you’ll naturally come across the street art as you explore the city. That way, a walk from your lodging to the city center suddenly becomes part of your visit.
Take the free ferry to a completely different part of Ostend
From the Visserskaai, you can take a free ferry to the Oosteroever.
The crossing takes only a few minutes, but on the other side, Ostend immediately feels different.
Here, the focus is less on shops and the bustling seaside promenade. You’ll find dunes, the harbor area, the beach, and sweeping views of the North Sea. The Lange Nelle lighthouse also dominates the landscape here.
You can spend hours walking through the area, and along the way you’ll come across more street art.
This makes the Oosteroever an interesting option if, during a special weekend in Ostend, you want to see more than just the well-known city center. In return, you’ll discover a much wilder side of the coast.
Fort Napoleon stands in the middle of the dunes
The Oosteroever is also home to one of Ostend’s most striking historical buildings: Fort Napoleon.
The fort was built at the beginning of the nineteenth century on the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte. From this location, the coast was to be defended against a possible British attack.
That attack never materialized.
Later, the fort served various other purposes, and today you can visit it. The building itself is remarkable for its pentagonal shape and location right by the sea.
Combine your visit with a walk along the Oosteroever. In no time at all, you’ll go from modern port architecture and street art to dunes, military history, and the beach.
Take a moment to stop at the fishing pier
It’s no coincidence that Ostend has such a distinct maritime character.
Around the Visserskaai and the harbor, you’ll see a side of the city that’s easy to miss if you stick only to the area between the train station, shopping streets, and the beach.
This area also includes the Vistrap, where fresh fish and shrimp are sold. Seafood restaurants and shrimp croquettes are, of course, a perfect fit for a weekend by the sea.
From this part of the city, you can also take the free ferry to the Oosteroever.
So the harbor isn’t just a place to stroll through, but a convenient link between two very different sides of Ostend.
A special getaway for two doesn’t have to be in a remote location
When thinking of a romantic getaway in Belgium, you might immediately picture a cottage in the middle of nature. In Ostend, however, the city itself can be part of the experience.
Book a unique accommodation for two, take a late-afternoon stroll along the beach, and then head into the city center for dinner. The next morning, enjoy breakfast in the city before heading to the Oosteroever.
If you’re looking for more peace and quiet, you can, of course, also look outside the busiest part of downtown.
A suite, a unique B&B, or a small holiday home with its own wellness facilities can be a great fit for a weekend by the sea, especially outside of summer. After a chilly walk on the beach, a sauna, hot tub, or jacuzzi is a nice bonus.
This way, you can combine a romantic getaway by the sea with everything a city has to offer.
With kids, the beach is just the beginning
Ostend also has plenty of alternatives for families looking for a full day beyond the beach.
Kids can explore the large murals of The Crystal Ship, take a look inside the Mercator, or take the free ferry to the Oosteroever.
Fort Napoleon and the James Ensor House also offer opportunities to introduce children to history and art in a more accessible way.
Of course, a unique overnight stay can also be part of the experience. Consider accommodations where you have more space than in a standard hotel room or a stay with a private kitchen.
Especially if you’re staying for several days, this gives you more freedom to alternate between the beach, the city, and day trips.
Cycle the Groen Lint around the city
If you’d like to see a different setting after exploring the city center and the coast, follow the Groen Lint.
This route forms a green corridor around Ostend and introduces you to parks, nature reserves, creeks, and the landscape on the outskirts of the city.
That makes cycling an interesting option during a longer stay. One day you can ride along the coast toward Middelkerke, while the next day you can explore the green side of Ostend.
The polder landscape behind the coast is also easily accessible.
Bringing your own bikes? Be sure to check when booking whether your unique accommodation has secure bike storage.
Ostend is especially great outside of the summer season
You don’t have to wait for a warm day at the beach to enjoy a unique stay in Ostend.
It’s actually outside the peak season that the combination of city and sea really shines. You can get some fresh air on the beach and then seek out the warmth of a museum, restaurant, or café.
Art, street art, shops, and maritime attractions don’t depend on beach weather, either.
In the spring and fall, you can go for walks and bike rides without the summer crowds. And in the winter, a special stay with wellness treatments pairs perfectly with a few days by the North Sea.
As a result, Ostend is more of a destination for a city break by the sea than just for a traditional summer vacation.
From Ostend, continue along the Belgian coast
Ostend is located roughly halfway along the Belgian coast, making it a convenient base if you want to explore several seaside resorts.
Take the Coastal Tram to Middelkerke, Westende, and Nieuwpoort, or head toward De Haan and Blankenberge.
You can also combine visits to various coastal towns by bike.
If you’re mainly looking for peace and quiet and the beach, a smaller seaside town might suit you better. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a destination that combines the beach, restaurants, shops, art, and culture, then Ostend has more to offer.
This also makes it easy to stay for several days without having to go to a different coastal town every day.
Discover more unique places to stay on the Belgian coast
See also:
- Unique places to stay in Belgium
- Holiday Home in Middelkerke
- Holiday Home in Nieuwpoort
- Holiday Home in De Haan
- Holiday Home in Koksijde
- Romantic getaways in Belgium
- Unique Accommodations by the Sea
List your own unique accommodation in Ostend
Do you own a unique B&B, vacation home, apartment, tiny house, or other one-of-a-kind accommodation in Ostend? Through Vipio, you can reach travelers who are specifically looking for unique places to stay on the Belgian coast. Register your accommodation at vipio.com/nl/aanbieden or contact us at [email protected].