The Ghent River Hotel is located on the right bank of the River Lys, which marked the city’s border from the 11th to the 15th century. Thanks to its historic dock, it is the only hotel in Ghent accessible by boat.

The hotel occupies two buildings: a Renaissance house dating back to 1518 and a rice mill built in 1857 on the foundations of a former sugar refinery. This mill later became a steam-powered cotton mill (1873), warehouse (1879), and steam-driven bakery (1892), with multiple expansions until 1909.

Across from the hotel is a small square that once hosted the yarn market from the Middle Ages into the 19th century. Adjacent to the hotel, you’ll find one of the many charming "water streets" of Ghent. Just a few meters further lies the iconic Vrijdagsmarkt, featuring the statue of Jacob Van Artevelde.