Hotels in Middelkerke

Middelkerke is an unpretentious family resort on the Belgian coast, a few kilometres west of Ostend, with one of the sunniest averages on the whole coastline and a beach that runs for about four kilometres of open sand. The long paved promenade is built for cycling and walking rather than posing, and the Grand Casino anchors an evening scene that's modest by Riviera standards but entirely genuine.

The Villa les Zephyrs museum recreates a 1930s beach holiday, a fitting note for a resort that has stayed determinedly old-fashioned rather than glamorous. Be honest: this is a functional, slightly faded seaside town built for Belgian and Dutch families rather than international visitors, with little in the way of standout architecture or nightlife. Stay right on the seafront promenade for easy beach access and the short hop to Bruges, about 35 minutes away by car.