Brussels Travel Guide
Tags: Hotel Bathrooms / Brussels Hotels / Belgium Hotels / → All Tags
The Bathroom Mirror at the NH Hotel Brussels Boosts Our Self-Esteem
Mirror, mirror, on the wall--or at least hanging in the bathroom in the NH Brussels hotel. Apparently we're not the fairest of them all, but this mirror still has a friendly message for us:
I see a lot of faces and I have never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful.
The nice part is that guest reviews make the NH Brussels sound like one of the best hotels in town, so we probably would be smiling at this mirror. And more so now that we've discovered a stay at this place won't break the bank, with rooms starting at €64.50 (a strangely not-rounded price but that's what the hotel's own website promises; it's less than $85).
If the mirrors are so complimentary about our beautiful smiling faces, then we're just wondering what the staff will have to say about our great dress sense and gorgeous luggage, too. And who said Belgium was only good for the chocolate?
[Photo: kattebelletje]
Tags: WTF Hotel News / Brussels Hotels / Hotel Crime / Hotel News / Hotel Sex / → All Tags
Seventeen Women Freed from 'Slavery' at Conrad Brussels
Holy crap. Dozens of police raided the Conrad Hotel Brussels (which has been called the "most exclusive" hotel in the city) and freed 17 people who were being held as slaves by a royal family living in the hotel.
The Telegraph had the scoop:
The operation was triggered by the apparent escape of a maid who was among 20 servants working for the widow of a senior royal figure from the United Arab Emirates and her four daughters who have rented the entire fourth floor of the hotel for the last year.
The servants, dubbed "slaves" in the Belgian media, allegedly had to be at the service of the Arab royals 24 hours a day and had their passport taken away on arrival in Belgium. The women were reportedly not allowed to leave the hotel and their monthly salaries were as low as £80 a month.
Insane, right? The investigation is still going on, and no charges have been brought against the royal family yet.
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Snapshot :: Speaking of Brussels Hotels
While we were showing off our mini-hotel guide to Brussels, the TheNotoriousMEG was dropping off shots of her stay at the Sheraton Brussels in the HotelChatter Flickr Pool. While she has plenty of shots of the suite, we liked this snapshot of the bathroom. You gotta love those antiquated European hair-dryer systems.
[Photo: Notorious Meg]
Tags: Brussels Hotel Guide / Brussels Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Just What We Wanted: A Mini-Hotel Guide To Brussels
We can't seem to get enough of Brussels and it seems our readers feel the same way too. One such fan, Elliott, gave us a belated Christmas present by summing up the Brussels Hotel Scene. So here is his mini-hotel guide to Brussels. Any tips, questions, suggestions or Belgian chocolates, send 'em our way.
The view from Hotel Le Chatelain
Basically, when you go to Brussels you have three choices when it comes to location of hotels: Do I want to stay in the city center, around Avenue Louise (upscale shopping/residential area close to the city), or more towards the EU Parliament?
All have advantages and disadvantages, overall the city is quite easy to navigate on foot and via public transport. Cabs are available, but (very) expensive, depending on your frame of reference.
Tags: Hotel Openings / Brussels Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Ancient and Modern Come Together at The Dominican Hotel in Brussels
It was meant to open by the end of October, but with confirmation now that it will be coming on the market just a few days late with its November 8 opening, we can't be too strict yet with The Dominican in Brussels. Do ignore the November 5 opening date given on the hotel's web page, though--staff assure us November 8 is the real date.
A member of the Design Hotels group (the first from Belgium, in fact), the Dominican has already received high praise as the Guardian's hotel pick of the week: they were impressed with its:
sweeping archways, lofty ceilings and an interior courtyard ... its historic look echoes the abbey that stood on the site in the 15th century, but the 150 bedrooms are all ultra-modern.
Room rates start from around $250 per night. If you check in before we do, make sure you let us know if The Dominican lives up to expectations.
Related Stories:
· Pick of the Week [UK Guardian]
· Hotels in Brussels [HotelChatter]
· Travel Stories in Brussels [Jaunted]
Tags: Hotels-Near-Eurail-Stops / Boutique Hotel / → All Tags
Eurail Stop: Brussels Luxury at Be Manos
If you're stopping off in Brussels then there's a new boutique hotel right near the station that the Eurostar stops at, called the Be Manos. It's a sixty-roomer converted from an old town house and actually claims to be the first boutique hotel in Brussels, but sometimes that's just a matter of labeling.
The rooms are all very sleek and black, and include a king-sized bed, laptop safe, aircon, LCD TV and what they describe as "a stoned bathroom" (could it be tiled?--we'll let you decide).
For your Brussels luxury near the train station, you'll have to pay anything from 275 Euro for a single up to 550 Euro for a double suite; breakfast is included. For a splashout stop on your Eurail tour, then the Be Manos might be the spot, but if you're planning on seeing plenty more of Europe, then it could tip your budget over the line.
[Photo: iwouldstay]
Related Stories:
· Hotels Near Eurail Stops [HotelChatter]
· Hotels in Brussels [HotelChatter]
Tags: Bad Rate / Belgium Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Bad Rate: Package Busters at Rocco Forte Hotel Amigo
[Ed. Note: This is the Bad Rate in our Good Rate/Bad Rate feature. These rates listed below were valid on November 28, 2006 and are subject to change. Enjoy.]
Tis the season to play Santa and Scrooge. This week we looked at a city that goes all out for the holidays--Brussels--and we found a lump of coal in the stocking at Rocco Forte Hotel Amigo.
As we noted in the Good Rate post this week, The Times of London reports that Brussels puts on a great European Christmas Fair.
The Rocco Forte Hotel Amigo is by most accounts the top hotel in Brussels and it also has a prime location near the Grand Palace and Place St. Catherine. But they take "nickel and dime" to a new level, more appropriately they "dollar and euro you to death."
When we took a look at the packages offered through the hotel site, it's clear that they are simply the sum of the parts added together. The Brussels Your Way package, for example, tosses in breakfast, a welcome drink, some coupons, "free access to the health club" and a "free newspaper"--then adds 75 euros to the regular room rate. (Brussels Our Way would mean we don't have to book a package to get a newspaper and gym access from a 5-star hotel.)
The Brussels Shopping Package runs the bill up 170 euros to include breakfast, a cocktail, and a personal shopper at your side for three hours. Without a package you'll pay a staggering 28 euros per person for breakfast ($36) and either way your car will require 24 euros a day for parking (over $31). If you're unfortunate enough to have a child with you, that will be 50 euros for an extra bed, thank you very much. We're scared to even guess how much Internet access would set us back.
If you're here on EU business and someone else is picking up the tab, forget all this and wallow in your sumptuousness. Still, request a room away from the street if you are a light sleeper: the main complaint here is about the noise from streetfront rooms.
Related Stories:
· Rocco Forte Hotel Amigo reviews [TripAdvisor]
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Good Rate: Le Chatelain All Suite Hotel in Brussels
[Ed. Note: Welcome to our Good Rate/Bad Rate feature where fearless Hotel Maven Tim Leffel looks at hotel prices in the same city and decides which is better worth your hard-earned benjamins. The rate here was valid on November 28, 2006 and is subject to change.]
Tis the season to play Santa and Scrooge. This week we looked at a city that goes all out for the holiday--Brussels--and we found the Christmas spirit alive and well at Le Chatelain All Suite Hotel.
According to the Times of London, Germany is the country winner when it comes to European Christmas fairs, but you can't go wrong in Belgium either, especially not with the Brussels annual European Christmas market near Grand Place. Beginning Dec. 2 and through New Year's Day, this market has "cheerful lights, delicious aromas and...a nearby skating rink supplementing the fun."
So if you would rather head to Brussels, then check out our Good Rate pick, Le Chatelain All Suite Hotel. The hotel isn't likely to win any awards for cutting-edge design, there's nothing olde Europe about it, and the website is downright ugly. But with the U.S. dollar sliding down against the euro once again, the package deals here are as enticing as a Belgian chocolate.
The Brussels Discovery Package, at under $200 a night, throws in a Santa's sack of goodies: breakfast, parking, two "musts of Brussels" voucher booklets for nine local attractions, a bed for the little one if needed, and all taxes and fees.
It's not as close to the Christmas fair as some hotels, and we suggest cabbing or tramming it to Grand Place. But the fine folks at the front desk should help you with that. And there's another bit of Christmas joy here--free WiFi.
Related Stories:
· Le Chatelain reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Hotel Le Chatelain: Free WiFi in Ixelles [HotelChatter]
Tags: Hotel Hell / → All Tags
A Dirty Shower Equals Stinky Guests in Brussels
Here's the deal: you know it's hotel hell when the bathroom is so dirty that you'd rather go days without showering. Oh and did we mention you're on a business trip?
We can only imagine the smelly meetings that underwent in one of the three conference rooms of the Mercure Royal Crowne in Brussels thanks to its apparently lazy housekeeping staff.
It was absolutely the worst hotel I ever stayed in! The room was shabby and dirty, the bathroom (esp. tiles and bathtub) was so filthy that I refrained from taking a shower for two days. Some of the room equipment did not function properly and the staff was unhelpful and rude.
The sad thing is, this hotel appears to be so business friendly and even offers free WiFi. Yet we can't appreciate it knowing a bunch of unshowered people are running around the hotel.
Related Stories:
· Mercure Crown Plaza Reviews [TripAdvisor]
Tags: Hotels in Belgium / → All Tags
Ditch Your Kids in Belgian Spheres
Brussels just got a little weirder. Its architectural delight, the Atomium which was originally built for the World's Fair in 1958 has stood dormant for some time. Pulling in many visitors who wonder what the strange UFO style globes are that they saw in the distance of the classic downtown design of Brussels, its inside hasn't had anything to showcase until now.
The Atomium's spheres now hold a hotel for kids. Think of it as one giant McDonald's playland:
The complex has been renovated and updated to include overnight accommodation for children - dubbed the Kid Sphere hotel - set amongst the fascinating sci-fi exhibitions and original spheres. Kids are entertained by a packed calendar of events including films and there's a restaurant at the top of the structure boasting panoramic view of the city of Brussels.
This just may be the perfect solution for parents looking for a romantic retreat in the EU capital.
Related Stories:
· KIDS SPHERE HOTEL - Cocoons for sleeping [The Cool Hunter]
Tags: Brussels Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Why Bill Clinton Loves the Conrad Brussels
A trusted Belgian source tells us that when Bill Clinton heads to the EU capital he heads straight to the Conrad Brussels. Why does Bubba heart the Conrad?
Maybe it is the Lamborghini's out front, maybe it is the "talent" lurking in the concierge department, or maybe it is just the big rooms and comfy beds.
One recent reviewer might offer some clues to the Bill's Conrad fetish:
I enjoyed the very spacious room, with a great view of the city.
Room service of is very prompt when attending to your orders, and the food is delicious.
Big rooms, prompt food, tasty grub--now if only this place had a cigar bar...
More More Brussels Hotel Photos
Related Stories:
· Belgium Field Trip [Jaunted]
· Hotel Conrad [TripAdvisor]
· Conrad Hotel Guests Drive Lamborghinis So Top That [HotelChatter]
Tags: Brussels Hotel Reviews / Free Wifi Hotels / International Hotel WiFi / → All Tags
Hotel Le Chatelain :: Free WiFi in Ixelles
[Ed. Note: As we mentioned earlier this week, our publisher took a fancy European trip last week while we toughed it out in the wilds of Colorado with our laptop tied around our neck. Here is one of his reports from a Beligum hotel. Enjoy.]
Our first night in Belgium we stayed in the "all suite" Hotel Le Chatelain in the Ixelles area of Brussels. If you are dead set on being steps from the Grand Place touristgasm then you probably want to keep hotel hunting. However, Le Chatelain offers oversized rooms, flat screen televisions, and important European hotel features like enclosed showers (we hate when the water gets all over the floor thanks to a curtainless shower/tub), and free WiFi in the lobby/courtyard. Free WiFi is kind of a big deal in Europe, as you can end up paying upwards of €30 a day for hotel WiFi access!
The supposedly efficient German airline Lufthansa managed to lose our luggage, but the desk staffers at Le Chatelain made our life a lot easier by calling the baggage folks and coordinating the luggage drop off for us.
The view from our room, #703, looked up Rue Washington, a quiet street in Ixelles. Avenue Louise, and all its high end shops, are only a block away, plenty of Art Nouveau buildings are within walking distance, and the Place du Chatelain bar and cafe scene are just blocks away.
One caveat: If you think you can walk to the Grand Place from Ixelles, prepare for a good 40 minute walk. Our advice? Take a tram or a cab, the nice folks at the front desk will help you find our way.
More Le Chatelain Brussels Hotel Photos
Related Stories:
· Belgium Field Trip [Jaunted]
· Hotel Le Chatelain [TripAdvisor]
· Conrad Hotel Guests Drive Lamborghinis So Top That [HotelChatter]
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