Van der Valk Hotel Spa — Place Royale

The Van der Valk Hotel Spa sits on Place Royale, the main square at the centre of Spa town. It took over the building in May 2024 from Radisson Blu, which had operated there for 20 years; the property and its 120 rooms are the same, now trading under the Van der Valk name. The address is Place Royale 39.

The hotel's defining feature is a private funicular that connects the building directly to Les Thermes de Spa on the hill above. The public funicular from the town centre exists too, but this one starts from the hotel — meaning guests can reach the thermal baths without going outside. The thermes are not included in the room rate; access is booked separately at thermesdespa.com (see the Spa Town experience for pricing and what to expect inside). The funicular connection is the practical reason to stay here rather than anywhere else in Spa during race weekend: you walk from your room to the thermal pool without touching the street.

The 120 rooms split into standard doubles, 15 Superior rooms, 8 Junior Suites, and one Palace Suite. Superior rooms and above tend to have views over Place Royale or the surrounding Ardennes hillside; standard doubles vary. The Junior Suite format runs as a corridor connecting an entrance area with minibar, bathroom and storage through to a separate bedroom — not a large suite, but a proper two-room separation. Balconies are available on some upper-floor rooms; worth requesting at booking if the terrace view matters.

The restaurant is Le Royal, the in-house fine dining room, with the brasserie alongside it for less formal eating. The brasserie does comfort food and revisited Belgian classics in a warmer setting; Le Royal takes a more composed seasonal approach. The terrace overlooks Place Royale and the historic centre — it is the better choice for an aperitif on a dry July evening than either the restaurant interior. Breakfast is a buffet, open to hotel guests and also sold separately.

Race weekend logistics from this base: the circuit is 13km via the N62 — roughly 20 minutes in normal conditions, longer on race Sunday when the approach roads are at capacity. Taxis from Spa town to the circuit are bookable in advance (see the Getting to the Circuit experience); relying on on-demand taxis on race Sunday from Place Royale is not realistic. Parking at the hotel is available (indoor and outdoor, approximately 42 spaces), but circuit-day driving requires leaving early. The 744 bus from Spa centre to Francorchamps village — roughly 19 minutes, around €3 — stops near the hotel. For those willing to pay more for less hassle, the City Shuttle coaches do not serve Spa town directly; the nearest stop is Liège.

The hotel is open to general visitors for restaurant bookings, not just overnight guests. During race week, the terrace and brasserie draw a paddock-adjacent crowd on Thursday and Friday evenings.