Hotelier Edit: Geert De Poorter, Co-owner, Villa Servais

Can you tell us a little about your background and what led you to Villa Servais? 

Before this, I worked in banking, arranging financing for large companies. Hospitality was a completely different direction, but my experience has been useful when it comes to business planning, finance and thinking about the long term. 

My wife, Maud, and I bought the villa in 2016. I am from Halle, so I already knew the building and its connection to François Servais. We made an offer without quite realising how big the project would become. We bought a building, but we also took on its history. Preserving that history and bringing the villa back to life became central to everything we wanted to do. 

What makes the history of the villa so special? 

The villa was built in 1847 for the cellist and composer François Servais. He travelled extensively and performed internationally, including in Russia. This was his home, but it was also a place where he welcomed other musicians and organised concerts. 

You can still see how important music was in the layout. The music room is at the centre of the villa. Over the years, the building had several different uses, including accommodation for families and a school, before standing empty for decades. When we bought it, it needed extensive restoration. 

How have you made that history part of the experience for guests? 

We want people to experience the history rather than simply read about it. Each room has its own story, and the art and decoration help tell it. In the room where we are sitting, for example, the nineteenth-century paintings reflect the interest in Japanese and Chinese landscapes at that time. Some sections could be restored, while others had to be reproduced. 

We also hold concerts and contemporary art exhibitions. The exhibitions change every two or three months, so people who return regularly have something new to discover. I sometimes describe the villa as a living museum, combined with somewhere to stay and enjoy good food. 

What were the biggest challenges in restoring a protected building? 

We had to work closely with the heritage authorities and find the right balance between restoring the historic character and providing modern comfort. Choosing the right architect was very important. We met several practices before deciding who to work with. 

It took time to build trust and agree on solutions, but we are very happy with the collaboration. We were able to improve the windows and roof insulation and install solar panels in positions where they do not affect the principal views of the building. Those compromises have made a real difference to how the villa operates. 

There were financial surprises too. Early on, the foundations needed strengthening, which immediately added a significant cost. With a project like this, you have to keep a very close eye on the budget. 

You and Maud brought different experience to the project. How has that shaped the business? 

We complement each other well. I followed the building works and the financial side, while Maud brought her experience in sales and marketing, as well as her eye for interiors, colour and presentation. She also worked on the website and social media. 

It mattered that we both had our own part in the project. I have since left banking because running the villa is a full-time job. Maud still has an important role outside the business, so our involvement in the day-to-day operation is different now, but it remains a project we created together. 

Villa Servais welcomes far more than overnight guests. How has that side of the business developed? 

At the beginning, we thought the accommodation would be the most important part. In practice, breakfast and brunch have become very successful. People come as couples, with family or in larger groups, and afternoon tea is particularly popular on Sundays. 

During the week, we welcome companies for meetings, training, coaching and product presentations. In the evenings, we also organise cultural events. Having different activities is important for a small property. We cannot depend on just one source of income. 

What connects them is the setting. A company holding a seminar here has a very different experience from being in an office or a large conference hotel. 

How important is your relationship with the local community? 

It is very important. We work closely with cultural associations, restaurants, other accommodation providers and businesses involved in tourism. We know each other, and that makes it easier to create experiences together. 

For example, a group might visit the basilica, discover a local brewery and finish with a meal here. If a company needs more bedrooms than we have, we can work with nearby hotels. Guests can sleep at another property and still come together here for breakfast and meetings. Collaboration allows us to welcome groups that we could not accommodate on our own. 

Who comes to stay, and what brings them to Halle? 

During the week, many guests are here for business. At weekends, we see a mixture of Belgian and international visitors. The local breweries attract people from all over the world, while the bluebells in the nearby woodland bring many visitors in spring, particularly from the Netherlands. 

Cycling is another reason to come. The landscape is not completely flat, so there are some interesting routes, and electric bikes make the area accessible to more people. We have invested in secure bike storage as well as parking for guests. 

There is enough to do here for more than a single night. One of our opportunities is to encourage longer stays through packages that connect the villa with local restaurants, breweries and other experieexperience nces. 

How do you maintain a consistent with a flexible team? 

Staffing is our biggest cost, so we have built a flexible model using self-employed people, students and people working through Belgium’s flexi-job system. Altogether, we have a team of around 40 people who help us according to the needs of the business. 

Although the arrangements are flexible, the team itself is quite stable. Many of the same people return, which helps us maintain continuity and quality. The atmosphere and the building make a difference too. People are proud to say they work at Villa Servais, and that is especially nice when they welcome someone they know. 

What role does food play in the villa’s identity? 

Breakfast is one of our strengths. We serve a typical Belgian breakfast with some special touches and use local Belgian products wherever practical. Quality matters, but we also have to consider cost and keep the offer commercially sensible. 

We introduce different themes from time to time, from a Burns Night celebration inspired by Scotland to a traditional British breakfast. Our core offer stays consistent, but these small touches give regular guests something new to enjoy and us fresh stories to share.  

How do you approach direct bookings and marketing? 

During the week, around 80% of our bookings are direct. Building relationships with the people who organise company travel and meetings has been very effective. We keep in contact with personal assistants at local businesses, use LinkedIn and still find value in printed materials. At weekends, the balance is closer to half direct and half through booking agents. 

Each social channel has a different purpose for us. Facebook is particularly useful for our local community and cultural activities. Instagram helps us reach a younger audience and show the experience visually, while LinkedIn is where we focus on meetings and corporate events. 

We also have to make sure people understand that they can stay here. When you host a lot of events, it is easy for the accommodation to become less visible, so we are giving the rooms a clearer presence on our social channels. 

How are you using technology while keeping the experience personal? 

We are too small to have a reception desk staffed throughout the night, so guests arriving late can receive a QR code for access. I prefer to send it through WhatsApp because it opens a direct conversation. If there is a small problem or a question, guests can contact me easily. 

For a property of our size, that is manageable and guests appreciate it. It also gives me some flexibility because I can remain in contact without always being physically at the villa. 

We can manage heating and lighting remotely too. In an old building, controlling energy use is important. Being able to switch off the heating when guests have left helps us avoid unnecessary consumption. 

Looking ahead, what are your priorities for Villa Servais? 

We want to keep developing the business and encourage guests to stay longer, while continuing to work with other local businesses. There is also more we can do with automation, particularly by linking reservations and access codes so that fewer steps need to be managed manually. 

On a personal level, I would like to delegate more as the business grows. A project like this takes a great deal of your life, and finding a better balance is important. We have grown step by step since opening after the pandemic, and I am happy with what we have created. 

In 2027, the villa will mark its 180th anniversary. That gives us another opportunity to share its history and architecture, while continuing to bring people into the building through hospitality, food and culture.