The aim is to raise awareness of Japanese culture in Belgium. The city of Hasselt pursued this goal in 1985 by entering into a partnership with the Japanese city of Itami. As a symbol of this friendship, one of the largest Japanese gardens in Europe was created.
Since 2019, visitors to nearby Bilzen have also been able to experience and enjoy the Far Eastern way of life. The fifth generation of the Guffens family has transformed a historic building that has been in the family since 1880 — and which once served as a bakery and pastry shop — into a design hotel. The name ‘Beila’ dates back to the city’s earliest known name.
With wooden wall panels, grey upholstered chairs and copper-coloured accents, the industrial materials that dominate the Nif restaurant immerse guests in an urban ambience. The menu features specialities such as gyoza, sushi, sashimi and mochi ice cream. Guests looking to end the evening with a trip back in time can enjoy a 1920s-style atmosphere in the cocktail bar.
The ten modern hotel rooms feature spacious bathrooms with floor-level rain showers and large, round mirrors. A particular highlight for many guests is the toilet: Geberit shower toilets offer an added touch of everyday comfort, providing gentle cleaning with water, just like in Japan.
Learn more about Geberit AquaClean.
The globally operating Geberit Group is a European leader in the field of sanitary products.
