More about Van Belle Hotel Brussels
Good location - suffice for a 1-2 night break!!
by TripAdvisor Member travel4love
We visited Brussels in February 2006 for a weekend break. Van Belle Hotel is located in the lower part of the Brussels.
Location:
The Hotel location is not bad and not too far away from the Grand Palace and the buzzing part of town. It is about a 10-15 minute walk to get there but unfortunately not signposted very well, hence you need to take some short-cuts to get there faster (use map given by Hotel at reception)
The Hotel is also quite close to the Eurostar station "Gare du Midi" and will take you 15 minutes to walk to the Hotel (Average pace). The Hotel does offer a free shuttle pick up from the station but you have to call them on arrival. If you plan to use a public pay phone at the station then beware that all the pay phones use pre-paid cards only hence no coin operated phones - not really handy if you have to call the hotel and only way is either to use your mobile phone or pay a minimum Euro 5 pre-paid card. On checkout we found out that complimentary drop of to the station was offered at a quarter past every hour which was a bonus for us as it was minus 2 degrees outside!
On Sunday the hotel offers a complimentary shuttle to the local flea market (10 mins away). What a mistake we made by going as the flea market turned out to be one junk selling market selling absolutely nothing but rubbish. You are much better of going to the open Sunday market which is located half way between the Hotel and the Midi station (on the main road)
Hotel Facilities:
Room:-
Hotel rooms are basic and small but serve the purpose. The beds are a little smaller than your regular double bed and the en-suite is quite cosy as well but room furniture a little dated. It offers a basic 3* accommodation at slightly lower price than those located 2 streets away in the same area.
Breakfast:
Breakfast provided is not the best we have had compared to other 3* hotels and is a very poorly conducted affair. There was a very limited variety of items available and the breads/hot food are not topped up often up staff. The layout of the breakfast room is not ideal - and Hot drinks are only dispensed via a machine. Whole Baguettes are placed and guests are expected to use a butter knife to cut up slices!.
Overall we were pleased with what we paid - we spend only a night at the Hotel.
Quite far from the station
by TripAdvisor Member RM72
My wife and I stayed at this hotel in early November, 2005.
I had read about the location of Hotel Van Belle in Brussels saying that it was close to Gare de Midi station. Let me inform readers that this is not quite accurate. The hotel is at least 1.5 kms away from Gare de Midi station. In fact, it is closer to Clemenceau station, but that too is at least a kilometer away. And, believe me, when you come back after a day's hard sight-seeing, this distance means a lot of hassle.
I had 'won' the hotel room in an auction at skyauctions, in which I was allowed to 'win' the auction at about US $ 80 per day. Otherwise, the rates shown at the check-in counter at the hotel read about 117 Euros per day for a double-bedded room, which is quite steep for its location and facilities. If you can negotiate for about US $ 80, it may still be OK. But then, hotels very close to Grand Place cost only 75-80 Euros (we tried, but could not get to see the rooms in these hotels). Those may be better.
Incidentally, hotel Van Belle does have a good feature, that is their courtesy van to the station and city center. The station one has a catch attached - you will get this facility only twice, once when arriving at the hotel and another time when finally checking out. Their courtesy van to the city center runs every evening every 30 minutes-one hour, and is an interesting feature.
Far better than expected!
by TripAdvisor Member Dukey2
My girlfriend and i stayed here for our holidays in august. After reading some of the reviews on this site i was expecting the worst, boy was i surprised. Walked to the hotel from the midi station with a big bag no bother. The receptionist was extremely fluent in english, french and so on. The room was then absolutely spotless and we got clean dry towels every day. All the workers in the hotel were friendly always greeting us when they passed. The brekfast was excellent with a wide variety and as much as you can eat. Our brekfast was not included in the overall price as we booked over the internet, it ended up costing 6 euro for the room or 3 euro each, which was a bargain. The trip from the hotel to grand place is a ten minute walk at most and there is also the complimentary shuttle bus which runs in and out to the centre which is a nice touch. Overall, for the price, this hotel is well worth it and i would happily stay here again.
Definitely better than expected!
by TripAdvisor Member epst20
After reading some of the previous reviews on this site, i was really worried and would have even changed hotels if we could have got a refund! However, when we arrived, everything turned out to be great. The area surrounding the hotel is ok, we felt safe enough to walk being 2 girls aged 18 and a 16 yr old boy, though maybe not at night but then, i don't even do that back home! The hotel was clean, the staff were really friendly (very good english) and the courtesy shuttle was brilliant. The breakfast was acceptable and the safe in the room was excellent. The only problem we had was that the window didn't shut properly but that turned out ok since it was so hot when we were there anyway!
Stay Away!!
by A TripAdvisor Member
As we drove closer to the hotel i could tell it was going to be a dump! The area is horrible and it's definately not safe for females to venture out alone at night. I have stayed in a million hostels and every one of them have been nicer than this 'hotel'. I went with my mum to reception and had to wait for about 5 mins before the guy at reception lifted his head to acknowledge us! He was the most hostile, unhelpful person i have been greeted by! The hotel has over 300 rooms and does not even provide internet access! The room was OK but i'm sure you could find a nicer hostel! I would never go back!!!
Don't book this palce
by A TripAdvisor Member
Although the hotel itself is ok - near Eurostar and quite tidy, the area in which it it located is just very bad. We got attacked by some arab youths who were trying to rob us in broad daylight one street away from the hotel. Not worth paying less if you get attacked!
OK, but thats all.
by A TripAdvisor Member
Hotel was ok, clean but 2 Star at most. No tea or coffee facilities in rooms. Barman could have been more happier. Hotel is out of main centre and located in a run down area - Safe during the day but suggest all guests use the shuttle bus at night. We spoke to other guests who were attacked and bag nearly stolen from just outside of Hotel. Be careful on arrival we were fleeced by taxi driver, paid 14 euros for a 15 minute drive from Midi Station which should have only taken 5 mins and cost 5 euros. We were not the only ones! Take some loose change and phone Hotel for lift on arrival.
Good Hotel
by TripAdvisor Member myomayaman
My wife and I spent our one afternoon and nite in Brussels based here and were delighted. We got 60 euros for a double on hotels-europe(-). We had a clean, good-sized, quiet room. The heated!! bathroom had an oversized sparkling clean tub to warm the bones and soothe the muscles after a long afternoon of sightseeing and museum walking. It's an easy 10 minute walk to the central district of the Grand Place and the Royal Museums using the handy little hotel map. Taxi from Brussel Midi was 4.85. We could have called the hotel for the free shuttle pickup, and will next time, but we were anxious to get out of the station and situated so we could spend time at the Royal Museum. We did avail ourselves of free shuttle to the station the following day and it was fine. Nice bar and a cozy sitting room. Spectacular breakfast included in the price consisted of bacon, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, meats, cheeses, assorted breads and cereals, spreads and toppings, coffees/teas, juices, milk. Several good Belgian beers in the soda machine cheap. Good staff. The TV had tons of channels but I can't recall being able to find and English language news channel. Anyway, after our hot soaks, we were happy to pull the douvet over our large good bed and enjoy a warm comfortable sleep. We considered Van Belle an exceptional value and will gladly stay there again.
"Horrible Place"
by A TripAdvisor Member
Please don't stay at this hotel. It is located in the "worst" area of Brussels and staff is very rude.
When we got there breakfast was not included in the price.
The breakfast buffett was horrible and they charge around 8 euros per person.
It is not very close to Grand Place as the description says.
The place smells and it is way to expensive for what the hotel offer.
You can find a better hotel a block from the Grand Center at a better price with taxes and breafast include.
Don't stay there very unsafe area.
Forum Posts
Is it dangerous
by bogomil
Hi all,
What is wrong in area around this street -39 Chaussee de Mons. I heard terrible things about guns and robbery. Can you tell me something about Van Belle Hotel?
Thanks a lot
Bogo
Re: Is it dangerous
by qaminari
I'm surprised to hear about guns, but not about robbery, the whole area around Gare du Midi is what passes in Brussels for a crime hotspot and this includes the part of Anderlecht area where the Van Belle Hotel is. Even though I have no qualms walking around that area, at least during the day, you would do better to stay either either right by the station (e.g. the Ibis, just across Avenue Fonsny) if you MUST be next to Gare du Midi for some reason (not a nice place to stay otherwise, it's just so run down), or travel one stop on the train to Gare centrale and stay around there.
For ratings of specific hotels I would recommend Tripadvisor.
Re: Is it dangerous
by Mikebb
Hi We walked through the Midi district in September, 2008, however it was day time and no real problem, but I would not go there at night. We had a few nights at the Ibis Hotel close to Central Metro station & Grand Place. It was a nice hotel, although they have a banner outside the hotel advertising rooms from 79 Euros a night, we paid 130 per night. I think advanced internet bookings most likely get the lower price.
The extra euros for better location was well worth it.Photos on my Brussels page.
Re: Is it dangerous
by bogomil
Thanks,
I just booked the Moon hotel near to the Central station.
Thank a lot
Bogo
Re: Is it dangerous
by Mikebb
Hi I think you will like the location, do not know the hotel, but Central Station was only 3 minutes to walk with our cases to the Ibis Hotel and Grand Place perhaps another 2 minutes.
Have a great time.
Mike
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