unaS

Hi,

I'm looking at two possibilites in budget hotels in Brussles.

1. La Madeleine, Rue de la Montagne 20 -22 B - 1000 Bruxelles, or

2. Hotel Mozart ( Grand'Place of Brussels )
23,Rue March Aux Fromages-1000 Brussels,

Has anyone any personal experience or knowledge of these two hotels? Would you recommend one of them over the other? Any special reasons?

Thanks.

Barbara_in_CT

I stayed at La Madeleine in 2001. It is a well-located budget hotel, clean and attractive. I have no knowledge of Hotel Mozart.

BTilke

The Hotel Mozart is on a small street off the GP that's full of cheap, brightly lit Turkish/Greek restaurants. It's quite noisy in the evening. I also find the hotel decor bordering on garish, but that's a matter of taste. OTOH, with so many people out and about, it's a pretty safe place to stay.

tower

una: I just answwered a question on The Mozart in another thread...as follows:

...>>>wanna try a quirky but comfortable lodging? The Mozart is just a block from Grand Place..good breakfasts, smallish rooms, clean, elevator. Doubles under a 100E.<<<

Yeah, it is quirky, and the lobby is like the entrance to The Pirates of the Caribbean...garish? You bet...should be safe, we had no complaints, and stayed there for three nights...owners very pleasant.

Stu T.

here is the web page:

http://www.hotel-mozart.be/

unaS

Thank you. The fact that two of you have said it is a safe area is important to me. Couldn't care less about the interior design

Clean and safe are important factors for me as a mature woman travelling solo.

A couple of additional question if I may, please.

1. How is the breakfast at the Mozart? At the La Madeleine?

2. Approximately how much should I add to my hotel budget for services and taxes? Some of the hotels write that the given price includes taxes, but not all of them do that.

I have received so much help here on the forum, just want to say that it is very much appreciated. >-

tower

Una...there is a very adequate breakfast at the Mozart in their dining room on the second or third floor..eggs as you want them, rolls, juice, coffee, etc. I can't recall any special taxes other than the usual..not much. The very best thing about the hotel is the location, just a block or so from the Grand Place, the center of town...the rooms are not gigantic, but pefectly fine, altho I imagine single rooms are smaller yet. We had a double which was Ok for us. The hotel seems to attract a decent class of clientele. We had some nice friendly chats at breakfast with several English speakers. ENJOY!
Stu T.

unaS

Thanks Stu. I will probably be reserving my room in the next few days. Your recommendations count for a lot! Much appreciated.

unaS

BTilke,

A problem! I am doing a lot of reading of reviews of these and other hotels on all sorts of sites. Someone on Virtual Travel posted that there were bedbugs at the Mozart! I didn't see that mentioned on any other site at all despite some pretty bad (and some pretty good) reviews on other sites.

What is your reaction? How well do you know this hotel? I am hoping to make definite reservations pretty soon, so I would appreciate any feedback on this question.

Thanks!

BTilke

Since I live part time in Brussels, I don't usually stay in hotels so have no first-hand experience of the Mozart. Although it's not the type of hotel I would pick anyway. Moreover, I prefer NOT to be around the GP. It's great to see at night, but I'm much fonder of the upper town area, particularly Chatelain and the Chaussee de Waterloo in Ixelles, where most of my favorite restaurants and cafes are.
However, from time to time, for one reason or another, I do stay in a hotel and then I stay at the Sofitel Toison d'Or near the Place Louise (the Louise metro stop is there). It's a very attractive, very comfortable four star hotel and I've never paid more than 110 euros per night. What rate are you being offered for the Mozart?

unaS

Thanks for the feedback. The Mozart is 75 Euro p/n - and I'm stretching my budget for that. There is still the possibility of a room at La Madleine - same price for ensuite, but only 52 euro p/n for shared facilities. I am a budget traveller since that is the only way that I can travel at all.

Till recently I stayed only at hostels. Now with the new laws they don't permit smoking in the hostel building at all, which means, I'm sorry to say, that I can no longer use them

BTilke

Well, we'll gloss over the fact that if you quit smoking you could afford to stay in nicer places...or wouldn't have problems with hostels.

Les Bluets is (or was) another cheap spot up near the Ave. Louise. I don't know anyone who's stayed there recently but it was in that price range and perfectly ok last time I checked. And you might be able to smoke there.

unaS

Nice try but my cigarettes aren't that expensive.

Thanks for the suggestion of Les Bluets. I googled them. They are a non-smoking hotel.

Gaspard

When staying during weekends (fr., sa, su.)or vacation, you pay up to 40% less.
Try Citadines Brussels Sainte-Catherine
http://www.citadines.com/ and
or
a single room in
http://www.brusselswelcomehotel.be
smoking no problem
Gaspard

Gaspard

or this

http://www.hotelclub.com/SearchResul...2CRank%2CHotel

Gaspard