The man at the helm of the newest and most luxurious hotel in Brussels reflects on a colourful career that saw him work his way up from the bottom to captain the world's most glamorous getaway locations.
The Corinthia Grand Hotel Astoria Brussels is a well-oiled machine. Once across the threshold of the premises, visitors to the magnificent Rue Royale venue are accompanied by a diligent team of concierges, hostesses and waiters who have thought of every little whim a guest might have.
An effortless customer experience is the fruit of a tight ship currently run by Filip Boyen, the Corinthia's interim general manager. According to this "icon" of the hospitality sector, it is the hotel's opulent setting and astonishingly high prices that reel high-class clientèle in, but service with a personal touch is what keeps them coming back.
"It is all about the human connection," he tells The Brussels Times.
Credit: The Corinthia
Globetrotting
Boyen knows luxury hospitality when he sees it. The Limburg native has spent over 40 years of his life managing the most glamorous accommodation in the world, jumping from continent to continent over the years.
In Bora Bora (French Polynesia), his hotel was destroyed by a hurricane. He was managing several establishments in South Africa when Nelson Mandela was liberated from prison and apartheid was still in full swing, which he describes as an "interesting" time. He was working in Turkey when the First Gulf War broke out, causing hotel attendance to plummet overnight.
Credit: Belga
He spent five years in Moscow between 1992 and 1997 where guests such as Russian Presidents Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin habitually graced his rooms. "He was a very nice guy, a visionary. I mean, he was incredible, right?" he says of Gorbachev.
Seven years in Peru were "the best of his life". "It's just a great place to be. The food, the people, the weather […] Flying into Cusco is like stepping back 300 years in time."
Bottom to the top
A high school dropout, Boyen first worked as a butcher before wiggling into the hospitality industry, nabbing roles in Michelin star restaurants and learning the trade from the very best. His father wouldn't speak to him until he had a proper job out of disappointment at leaving school early, but "I never held it against him," says Boyen.
It is hard to imagine this affable man in conflict with anyone, at least not in public. His personable air characterises every one of his interactions. He believes that although hospitality is all about making guests feel at home, a manager's relationship with hotel staff is just as important as their rapport with clients.
Credit: The Corinthia
"The people in the background are the ones making it all happen, the ones who allow you to be in a managerial position. Because if they were no good, Heads of State would not stay in your hotel. You have that opportunity thanks to them. So you have to show them that you are grateful."
He pauses the conversation to lean over to a husband and wife sitting at the next table, speaking a few words in Russian. The man is a junior chef in the restaurant. "They stayed here last night," the manager explains. "That's another couple in the corner; the woman is in housekeeping. It is important that everyone has the guest experience, so that they understand it. Plus it makes them feel great."
The chef makes a point of coming over, shaking Boyen's hand and thanking him before he and his wife leave the restaurant.
Big names
In terms of the guests themselves, Boyen will not disclose any names because clients "want to fly under the radar". He does concede that regulars include Heads of State and A-list singers and actors.
Overnight stays at the Corinthia start at €700, working their way up to €21,000 for the most lavish suites. The refurbished hotel reopened in 2024 after 17 years of vacancy. In its past life, it welcomed guests such as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, US President Eisenhower and Spanish Surrealist painter Salvador Dalí.
Whether in Brussels or Bora Bora, every hotel ever managed by Boyen has had one purpose: to be the best. He derives just as much personal as professional satisfaction from his illustrious career spanning decades and continents.
"This is the best job in the world," he says with a smile. "Which other business will allow you to travel the world free of charge for longer than three days at a time? Which other business allows you to really get to know the culture of the country where you're staying?"
This veteran of the hospitality sector does not see his rise through the ranks as exceptional. "Many of us started in the kitchen or at the front desk. I think this is the best way [...] There are many factors to being 'self-made'. One is luck, one is being in the right place at the right time and one is grasping opportunities when they appear."
