Jill Hotel Brussels, located in the Saint-Gilles neighbourhood, has made the decision to no longer include any alcoholic beverages in its menu. The hotel thereby becomes the first in Belgium to opt for a 0% approach.
While Jill has been open for approximately one year, the Brussels hotel doesn’t stop reinventing itself. From the start, the approach of the hotel has been quite artistic, with regular art exhibitions and a vintage-inspired aesthetic throughout the building. After having introduced a locally-sourced, detoxifying breakfast and a holistic fitness concept, the hotel is now going for a completely alcohol-free drinks menu.
According to the hotel, the concept is meant to induce an innovative, inclusive, and inspiring client experience. Guests at the 55-room hotel are invited to explore alternatives to the usual pint of beer or glass of wine, thanks to a wide selection of 0% beverages. Jill wants to urge people to have a nice time in an inspiring environment, where alcohol doesn’t play the main role.
The hotel bar menu thus includes a myriad of alcohol-free signature mocktails and premium soft drinks, as well as detoxifying juices, and a selection of local 0% creations. The hotel does indicate that some of the drinks on the menu, such as alcohol-free wines or fermented beverages, can still include 0.5-1% alcohol due to their fabrication process.
While the hotel has allegedly received quite a few enthusiastic reviews from guests already, the idea behind the 0% approach is not to stop people from drinking alcohol altogether. Therefore, a drink dispenser is available on-site, where guests can still shop some normal beers and other beverages. Travellers are thus still free to opt for the drink of their choice if they are longing for something in particular, although trying out the alcohol-free version might well be worth the effort.
Alcohol-free movement
Jill Hotel’s decision to go alcohol-free comes at a time when people are looking critically at their alcohol consumption. Especially during the month of January, many are opting to take part in the Dry or Damp January movement, inviting everyone to change their habits and try non-alcoholic alternatives instead. Over the years, excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to a wide range of health problems, including a higher dementia risk.
