THE HALLUCINATIE
LETTER
#2
THIS MONTH...
Dear Friends of the Ultieme,
Spring is slowly setting in.
A slightly brighter light is already flowing along Rue Royale, bringing the gilded details, the stained-glass windows… and a few well-kept memories back to life.
This month, our gaze turns both inside and outside the house. Outwards, towards that majestic Brussels road that saw it come into being and grow. Inwards, towards its origins: those of a visionary painter, a bustling studio, an era when one built one’s home as one signs a work of art.
At the table, it’s time to share. Our gourmet platters, decidedly convivial, showcase flavours that are truly our own. Among them, an almost legendary guest: Westvleteren, a rare beer if ever there was one, which some hunt down like a treasure and which we prefer simply to savour, amongst friends.
On the performance front, April is already on the horizon with its lively events: voices rising, timeless songs, stories for adults and afternoons where we dare to take the mic. Because here, we dine, we listen, we tell tales… and we applaud.
When you come to visit us, leave Rue Royale behind you, push open the door, and make yourself at home.
And until then, enjoy the read!
THIS IS HALLUCINATORY...
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Since January 2026, the series “C’est hallucinant” has been taking you, episode by episode, on a journey to discover De Ultieme Hallucinatie, that house in Brussels where every detail tells a story.
The concept? Short, lively clips, crafted like mini-documentaries. Each time, a detail, an anecdote, a character or a mystery emerges from the past to shed light on a facet of the place.
Guided by the irresistible duo Suzanne & Philibert, viewers step into the story through the back door… Architecture, forgotten figures, urban transformations, memories buried within the walls: the series explores the many lives of this iconic Brussels house.
Episode 2 continues this journey through time. A seemingly simple question, and suddenly… a name emerges. A name that takes us back to the very origins of the house, to a time when Rue Royale did not quite look the same…
One thing is certain: what these walls have witnessed goes (far) beyond the imagination.
SPACES OF THE ULTIEME
HISTORICAL FIGURES
From the Rue Royale
to the Ultieme green
Eugène Verboeckhoven: Belgian animal painter and hero of 1830
The history of Rue Royale unfolds in three chapters, with the Cohn-Donnay Hotel featuring in the ‘final’ chapter.
Laid out as early as 1776, this street is one of Brussels’ most iconic. It was in 1821 that the idea of linking the Royal Palace to the Palace of Laeken took root. Perhaps an initial desire to combine culture with pleasure…
He painted the king’s dogs, disarmed a soldier with his bare hands, and it was he who built the walls where it’s so pleasant to enjoy a drink or a meal. Eugène Verboeckhoven. The name may not ring a bell. And yet..
INSIDE THE MENU
Westvleteren:
a rare beer to be earned
The Platters:
the Belgian manifesto on sharing
It is rare, elusive, and almost impossible to get hold of. Westvleteren is often cited as the world’s most sought-after beer. But we have the magic word that will help you discover it. Do you dare to say it?
At the Ultieme, we celebrate conviviality through a tasting experience bursting with flavour. Discover the story behind our platters and how one of them holds Belgium’s best-kept secret…
EVENTFUL HAPPENINGS
De Ultieme Golden Sessions
Zapéro-Contes
11 April, 9 May
17 April, 15 May
De Ultieme Golden Sessions is a monthly rendezvous for lovers of timeless songs and intimate atmospheres. On the program: jazz, soul, blues, bossa nova, and French chanson, delicately reinterpreted in piano–voice or guitar–voice formats.
A carefully curated repertoire chosen for its harmonies, emotion, and resonance, carried by the unique atmosphere of this iconic Art Nouveau venue.
Since its creation in 2010, the open stage the Zapéro-Contes has become a must-see event in Brussels, combining humor, emotion, and conviviality. It welcomes storytellers from Belgium and France and is aimed at adult audiences, because storytelling isn’t just for children!
Alexandre Deschamps
Kreshen Time
18 April
25 April
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Belgian singer-songwriter Alexandre Deschamps moves audiences with his sincere, direct and deeply human songwriting. His songs tell stories that strike a chord immediately, as if they already knew us.
From Brussels to Buenos Aires, via Patagonia, his international tours have forged a rare bond with his audience, transforming every concert into a shared moment, almost suspended in time.
What if you could witness the birth of an album… even before it sees the light of day? With Kreshen Time, the stage becomes a living laboratory where songs are tested, transformed and revealed in their raw form. As a lyricist, poet, composer, performer and artistic coach, Kreshen reveals her full potential, surrounded by exceptional jazz musicians who bring out the best in every note.
The Ultieme Talent Show
Brussels Jazz Weekend
6 June
24 May
Each year, during the Brussels Jazz Weekend, De Ultieme Hallucinatie opens its doors on Sunday. On the program: a velvety voice carried by an airy guitar. The duo offers a repertoire of timeless songs in two sets, blending swing, soul, blues, and bossa…And the icing on the cake: the concert is free, and the restaurant is open!
De Ultieme Talent Show is not just a show: it is the culmination of a human and artistic journey, where voices, words and souls come together on stage. Led by Kreshen and the Supplément d’Âme Collective, the artists present their original creations, born out of the singing, poetry writing and music composition workshops held during the cultural season.
BACKSTAGE
Exclusive hire of the Cohn-Donnay Hotel :
bespoke events in Brussels
How about holding your next event in one of Brussels’ most iconic Art Nouveau gems?
Book our private rooms or restaurant area and treat your guests to a unique experience.