ABOUT US
At home in Bruges!
One of the best compliments we have received is: 'A home away from home'. That is also what were are continuously trying to pursue. We complement this catchphrase with great hospitality and a unique experience.
ABOUT US
Who are we?
De Drie Koningen is a family-owned holiday rental business located in the heart of the historic city of Bruges, Belgium. The business was founded in 1995 by the Ulens family, who had a passion for providing visitors with a truly unique and memorable experience. What sets De Drie Koningn apart from other holiday rental businesses is their commitment to persnolized service and attention to detail. The Ulens family takes great pride in making sure each guest feels welcome and comfortable during their stay, and they go out of their way to provide recommendations and advice for exploring the city.
ABOUT US
Our history!
De Drie Koningen was one of the 'guest houses' where visitors could stay as early as the 14th century. Since 1995, this tradition of hospitality can be found here again. Today, at this location, called 'De Drie Koningen', you will find 6 spacious and very comfortable holiday rentals. They all have the same level of comfort with a spacious living room, fully equipped kitchen, 1 to 3 bathrooms with bath and/or walk-in shower, 1 to 4 bedrooms, etc... They are spread over 3 adjacent buildings.
Twijnstraat 13: the building dates back to the 14th century. The medieval aspect has unfortunately disappeared as it was thoroughly rebuilt in 1839 in the spirit of the time : a large mansion in neoclassical style. In 1997, the building was divided into three apartments: St-Donaas on the ground floor, St-Niklaas on the first floor and St-Jacob on the second floor.
In 2002, the basement 'De Vergulde Fontein' at the bottom of the building was completely excavated. This revealed the rich history of 'De Drie Koningen' and uncovered one of the most beautiful 14th-century cellars in Bruges. Today, you can attend beer tastings, small events and dance lessons Argentine tango in this cellar, among other things. As of 2016, the apartments were once again renovated one by one to always meet the imposed safety regulations and the contemporary needs of visitors.
Twijnstraat 17 : was originally part of a former 17th-century notary's house in Ridderstraat. In the early 20th century, it became a private hospital with a medical practice until 1999. When it was renovated in 2001, all the outbuildings were demolished and a patio was created. This beautiful enclosed communal city garden (including a small swimming pool) gives access to 3 different flats : 'St-Jan' on the ground floor, 'Onze-Lieve-Vrouw' above the former coach house and 'Carmers' on the second floor. The apartments received a latest update since 2017
ABOUT US
Meet your host!
Hello, my name is Tom.
I was born and raised in Bruges and have lived in this city most of my life. My childhood home is Twijnstraat 15. In 1996, when I was 6 years old, my parents bought the building next to their home (Twijnstraat 13). They renovated the entire house and started renting out the first holiday rental 'St-Donaas'. This was the start of De Drie Koningen. A few years later, in 2001, the other neighbours sold their house (Twijnstraat 17). We could not let this opportunity slip away. What ultimately started as a hobby for them, I have seen De Drie Koningen grow over the years.
After obtaining my master's degree in Economics, I worked as a Business Automation Consultant for an MIS software company for 8 years. Most of the time I worked abroad and stayed a lot of hotels and apartments from which I have taken many ideas. Partly because of Covid-19, rising gas prices and my father's imminent retirement, I became more and more involved in the operational management of De Drie Koningen and I started working on a new business model.
In 2023 I took over the entire business.
