A guest came down (this was about 10 years ago) in the elevator to the reception and asked for another sponge. The receptionist and I did not understand what the guest meant. Yes, he said, the small sponge that I found in the bathroom for the face! We still did not understand so he went up to bring down an example. When he came back we realized that his face was very shiny and he had a shoe polish sponge in his hand! It was very hard to keep ourselves serious and professional! We couldn’t stop laughing… we will never forget his face!

Since then we keep the shoe polish kit in the cupboard instead of the bathroom. The shower cap still remains in the bathroom. We truly hope nobody will use it as condom…

After looking around without result, we went to the Police station with a picture of Santa Claus to report he missing. The Police of Antwerp helped us a lot and indicated that Santa might have fallen from his horse in the City Park.

It was already dark when we went to the City Park searching for Santa. Finally we found him, brought him to Astoria Hotel where he enjoyed his staying in a superior room with tea/coffee facilities and a warm shower. As his beard was very dirty from the accident he couldn’t manage to get his beard white again and he was obliged to shave… that’s why Santa is running around in the breakfast room with goodies but without beard!

We want to thank the Police of Antwerp, the staff and certainly the Facebook friends who helped us to reach 1000 likes!
Now we have a new goal… 1500 likes for a free night, including breakfast and a diamond!

Enjoy the pictures!

Santa's horse outside the Astoria Hotel Antwerp

We still laugh when we remember an anecdote that happened 17 years ago. The hotel was fully booked that evening, the restaurant was busy and plenty of guests were sitting in the bar and lobby.

The barman who wanted to tease the new receptionist had a perfect plan. He called from his bar to the reception through an outside line with a different voice…

Barman: “A client of mine is somewhere in the lobby or bar waiting for me; could you please ask Mr. G to come on the phone? His name is Mr. G.Raf.”

Receptionist through the intercom: “May I have your attention please; there is a telephone call for MR. G.Raf at the reception. Mr. G.Raf is requested at the reception.”

As nobody came to the reception, the receptionist thought that she did not speak enough loud and she repeated: “MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE, THERE IS A TELEPHONE CALL FOR MR G.RAF AT THE RECEPTION!”

Some people in the restaurant lobby and bar start laughing, who has a name like giraffe???

The barman made it even worse! He called again and asked for Mr. Fant. He wanted to speak to Mr. Eli Fant.

Receptionist through the intercom: “May I have your attention please; there is a telephone call for MR. Eli Fant. I repeat, there is a telephone call for Mr. Eli Fant at the reception.”

When more than 100 people were laughing so much the receptionist understood the joke!

The Christmas Market in Antwerp (Kerstmarkt Antwerpen) runs this year from December 8 until January 6 through several streets. Starting from the famous Groenplaats to the Handschoenmarkt, the Grand Place and from the Suikerrui to the Steenplein.

The Christmas Market in Antwerp is always a friendly place to get together on a winter evening in December. There are many stalls, heated terraces, animation, an old carousel, fire systems etc. Something we all look forward to enjoy!

The Christmas Market is opens on weekdays at noon until 9 PM. On Saturdays and Sundays the market is already open at 11 AM and closes at 11 PM

There are some special opening hours too: on following days:

• Monday, December 24: closes at 6 PM
• Tuesday, December 25: open from noon until 9 PM
• Monday, December 31, 2012: closes at 6 PM

If you would miss it this year… in January we have Sales 2013 starting on the 3th!

If you have followed our hotel’s Facebook page you will know that many friends were talking about me before I arrived. There were free nights to win for the person who could guess my name and for the person who could guess my date and hour of birth. 2 people are very happy with their FREE NIGHT at Astoria Hotel, the hotel where later I will work first as a trainee and later as the big boss.

My mother Deborah and my father Yannick are very proud of me because I already know how to scream in the baby phone and how to express myself when there is something I want. Let me tell you, when I want something, I want it now! You better hurry up when I say so.

This morning a woman came to my home, put me on her scale and she said I’m fine with my 3.330 kg. (As if this woman knows what’s good for me)

Friends from Facebook told me to be very sweet and quiet for the coming weeks because Santa Claus is coming in December with lots of presents. I promise to do my best to get the maximum on presents! After Santa Claus I’ll open my mouth again… that’s also a promise!

Warm regards,

Liam

(Future General Manager)

De Criée – It is a covered market in the Van Schoonhovenstraat for people who love eating meat. You can find the best poultry, Wagyu beef and other specialties that are difficult to find anywhere else in the city. And don’t hesitate to ask the butcher advice how to prepare it!

Hoveniersstraat – A walk during lunch can open your world. At that time a day Antwerp looks like New York. You will see Jewish, Indian, Chinese and people of all kind of nationalities walking the street.

MAS (Museum aan de stroom) – Also for non-museum lovers the MAS museum can be interesting. You can go up the rooftop (for free) till midnight and enjoy Antwerp by night. A fantastic view!

Stadsbibliotheek – This public library is based on the famous Hendrik Conscienceplein. Go there and read a newspaper from the year of your birth.

Waterpoort – Go out for a pita or durum at the Waterpoort. It is situated on the Sint Gillisplaats in the south part of Antwerp. This arch was built in the honor of the Spanish king Filips IV and till the 19th century it was a city gate at the Vlasmarkt. It moved already two times and therefore it is also been called “the walking gate”. Is is a very nice example of Rubens baroc art and most likely constructed by the master himself.

If you know other interesting places in Antwerp, we would love if you shared your favourites with us!

Roxana
Receptionist, Astoria Hotel Antwerp

I had the honour to welcome our first winner Enio. On the day of his arrival, a room and tickets to the zoo were ready. It was, as usual a pretty busy day, with the Check-In’s and Check-Out’s of our guests. In the afternoon I saw at the door our winner with his parents, I immediately realised that is HIM- Enio.

Enio… How can I describe him and what words to choose??? Enio is very polite, well-mannered boy with beautiful, intelligent eyes; as if he knows more about life than we do. It is just impossible do not to fall in love with this nice boy at first sight. Of course I got more nervous than he and the interview I took with my iPad you’ll never see because I forgot to turn on the sound! As operator I am the worthiest ever…

When I interviewed Enio he immediately became cheerful and animated, talking to me as an adult and infecting me with his enthusiasm for the rest of the day I just radiated positive energy Enio also promised me that if he becomes the new Rubens or Picasso he will certainly be telling people that his first “Masterpiece” can be seen in Astoria! so it might that we made good investment for the future of Astoria Hotel

Love & Hugs
Victoria
Receptionist, Astoria Hotel Antwerp

Because Astoria Hotel is located in the Jewish quarter of Antwerp and many Jewish guests are staying with us we would like to tell you something about the Jewish New Year (Rosj Hasjana) which is celebrated this coming Sunday, 16 to Tuesday 18 September 2012! Every year this celebration set on different dates because the Gregorian calendar does not tread with the Jewish calendar.

Rosj Hasjana reads the Aseret Jemei Teshuvah (“ten days of repentance”) in a period of repentance (tesjoewa) which is expected to evil acts toward other people and God are reconciled and adjusted (if not already done). During this period some special prayers added to the daily prayer services. The ten days ending with Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) in which the reconciliation with God is complete.

Rosj Hasjana take place on the first two days of Tishrei, the first month of the Jewish calendar. On both days of Rosj Hasjan the shofar (ram’s horn) is blown a hundred times in the synagogue. As a symbol for a good year they eat sweet things. Traditionally they eat apple slices with honey, whereby the attendees wish each other a sjana tova oemetoeka, ‘a good and sweet year’.

In the afternoon there is a tasjliech. Therefore people go to running water, preferably with living fish in it, and throw breadcrumbs in here under reciting of a prayer. Tasjliech literally means disposed and symbolizes getting rid of bad things and thoughts.

We would like to wish “Shana Tova Umetukah” to all our guests.

One morning we received this funny shaped tomato in our fresh vegetable delivery and it was the inspiration for our latest Facebook competition. We asked our fans to write a funny story about the tomato, printed them all out and asked guests staying at the Astoria to pick their favourite over breakfast.

The winners are announced below but first some of the best entry’s:

• Sanne When Pinoccio died, he reincarnated as a tomato. And every time he lied that he was not a tomato, but a cucumber, his nose would grow!
• Shais I do not see something funny here, it is a male tomato, who just woke up
• Mila Leuk daar heb k ook gezeten;)
• Veerle The attention that you give to this special tomato is the proof that everyone is welcome at Astoria Hotel Antwerp, even if you are a bit different. No discrimination.
• Nusch Een tomaatje die ook opnieuw met school is gestart, ze steekt haar vingertje op!!
• Dirk dit tomaatje steekt haar duim op over haar voorbije verblijf en geeft 10 op 10 voor haar verblijf !
• Peter Met deze rode tomaat wil ik de Kroatische fans dinsdag bekogelen tijdens de wedstrijd België – Kroatië. De vorm kan alleen maar helpen om onze overwinning te vieren. Als afsluiter van deze mooie avond kom ik dan overnachten bij jullie in de rode suite.
• Karine Receptionist : ‘How was your stay in Astoria Hotel ?’
  Tomato smiles happily and does THUMBS UP (tomatoes can’t speak as you know).
• Suzy Het is rood en heeft een groen kroontje? Nee, het is niet deze tomaat, die krijgt al voldoende aandacht bij een wedstrijd. Het is een heerlijke aardbei die lekker smaakt op een ijsje!
• Karl Papa tomato said ‘catch up’, mama tomato just gave him the finger….
• Veerle Look at me!!! I’m the proof that this hotel is the best!
• Myriam Wie is de gelukkigste van het land? Ik zei de tomaat zolang ik de Astoria Hotel keuken niet verlaat, maar mag poseren om een gratis nachtje hier te beleven. Dat is prima zei een van de gasten we zullen alles overdenken om de prijs aan een nieuwe gelukkige te schenken. Deze neemt u dan in de hand zo hebben jullie een speciale band. Na een nachtje slapen vroegen ze aan elkaar: wie is morgen de gelukkigste in het land?
• Heidi Met de joystick van deze tomaat mag je niet spelen, maar enkel opeten, genieten doe je even zeer.
• Jean-marc toen ik rap keek dacht ik iets anders te zien dan die tomaat..haha niet wat je dacht maar zo een ballonnetje die je krijgt van clowns op een feestje… ziet er wel lekker uit alleen vraag ik me af als tomate crevette waar we die crvettes gaan steken
• Kathleen oops he did it again Tomatos are red, but this one first get wet?
• Linda Zie ze daar toch staan die tomaat
  Ze staat er in vol ornaat
  Al is ze dan niet perfect
  Ze zorgt toch voor effect
  Met haar grappige neus
  Is ze lumineus
• Peter Ik de rode tomaat, mooi van kleur en in vol ornaat, stond te pronken en naar een liefje te lonken. Nu bij ramp heb ik een bult, waaraan heb ik nu schuld? Ik zal ermee leren leven, zelfs anderen kan het niet deren. Ik ben uniek geworden in mijn soort en pronk nog steeds in het rood
• Björn Only the very best will be served @ the Astoria Hotel, look @ this tomato and his crown jewel
• Hugo Een ode aan de tomaat : Zij is op alle markten thuis en speelt de hoofdrol in het zomers groentenpalet. Gekoesterd door de zon en geplukt als een rijpe vrucht, steelt zij de shop op zomerse gerechten. Haar smaken zij zo puur, gekruid met …
• Mike Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?
• Christel er is niks lekkerder dan een gerecht met smaakvolle tomaten ,en deze ziet er nog leuk uit ook !
• Miryam  ‎“dikke duim voor al het personeel hier” zegt de tomaat
• Mira a 9 gag tomato!
• Gert I’m not gonna say what i think!
• Mira he is giving us the finger gert hehe
• Nicole Zou een mooie slogan voor het hotel    zijn : gewoon ongewoon met een “tiikkeltje” meer…
• Alain Take it to the Rabbi for a brit and than to the kosher table
• Robert toeval dat dit bij Astoria Hotel werd geleverd, of misschien toch niet?…
• Robert like this tomato, every guest arriving and checking in at Astoria Antwerp is “turned on” when looking at the beautiful and friendly girls at the reception desk. And they haven’t seen them all. Wait until they will enter their room…. a large variation on the (kama) tomato (sutra).
• Kate oei, in vergelijking met jullie tomaatje, werd er bij mij deze ochtend toch wat anders afgeleverd: 2.1
• Cindy ooooooooooow een tomaat met 2 steeltjes spannend!
• Kate nee zomaar 2.125 kg zwaar, ik probeer de foto nog op te loaden, maar bestand is wellicht te zwaar
• Kate ik wil deze als een foto weegeven, maar het lukt mij niet, weet niet hoe ik het moet doen
• Cindy the tomato is in shape
• Alain Two tomatoes cross the street, one is run over by a car, the second tells “do you come ketchup?”
• Goele Ik weet het juffrouw, ik weet het!
• Cindy its a feel good today tomato

With congratulations to Veerle and Myriam who both won a FREE NIGHT (of course including breakfast with tomatoes!) at the Astoria Hotel Antwerp

The following day the first drawing arrived on our FB page from Enio, 4 years old, another one from Sofie, 8 years old and one from Wout, 6 years old.

Enio's picture of the Astoria

The Astoria Hotel by Sofie

Wout's picture of our hotel

On Monday 13th of August we printed all the drawings received on the Astoria Facebook page and showed them around to our guests during breakfast. The guest’s reactions were hilarious! Everybody was willing to pick out the best and some guests really had clear and professional comments as if it was a Rubens or van Dyck that was being evaluated!

What we did not expect is that some guests even started a fight because the opinions were different! One couple was almost going to divorce! The police had to come to Astoria Hotel to calm down the situation with an amicable settlement and at the end everybody agreed that all three drawings were the best!

Enio, Wouter and Sofie win each a free night with their parents in Astoria Hotel + tickets to the ZOO of Antwerp! Congratulations!!! We are looking forward to welcome you soon to enjoy a weekend in Astoria Hotel and the ZOO!