want2shop

My husband is going to Brussels for business for a week and I willbe going with him. When he goes to his meetings in the morning I would like to ho shopping. I was told that the best area is avenue louis so is there a 4 or 5 star hotel that is next to that area?

mpprh

hi<BR><BR>The main shopping street is Rue Neuve.<BR><BR>Brussels centre is very small, so any central hotel is close.<BR><BR>Peter<BR>http://tlp.netfirms.com<BR><BR><BR>

want2shop

Peter, <BR>Thnaks for your fast reply. I was told the best shopping is avenue louise and another called city 2. Which is nicer? any hotels near those two? Also, where is rue neuve?

Sheila

Rue Neuve is the main street for &quot;ordinary&quot; shopping. It is the sort of place you would go at home.<BR><BR>Avenue Louise is where the designer shops are, there and Rue Antoine Dansaert. Avenue Louise is in the Upper Town and probably the &quot;best&quot; place about there is the Conrad International. Antoine Dansaert is in the Lower Town near Place St Katherine and the Metropole is probably the best down there

BTilke

The Avenue Louise, Boulevard Waterloo and Ave de la Toison d'Or are all near each other and one of the best places to shop in Brussels. As far as hotels on the Ave. Louise, I would recommend against the Conrad--the rooms don't live up to the hype. Two recommendations: the Hyatt Barsey and the Chatelain. The Hyatt Barsey is up near the 400 block of the Ave Louise and the hotel is very elegant, not at all your typical Hyatt (it was the Barsey, an elegant boutique hotel, and was bought by Hyatt). It's about a 10-15 minute walk to the main shops along the tree lined Ave. Louise. The 93 and 94 trams run frequently (the hotel is between two stops--Abbaye and Vleurgat) and will whisk you down to the Place Stephanie area in about 5 minutes. The Chatelain Hotel is a little closer in (about the 200 block), just off the Ave. Louise and is an excellent all suite hotel. It's by the Place Chatelain, which is an area full of nice, moderately priced restaurants that are off the tourist track. <BR>The Galerie Louise and the Ave. de la Toison d'Or are excellent for shoe shopping. On the Ave. Louise, be sure to stop in at Natan for beautifully made, Belgian designed clothes. Mid priced, well-made, conservative business type clothes can be found at Un Jour Ailleurs, on the same block of the Ave. Louise as Cartier. On the Boulevard Waterloo, check out the Delvaux luxury leather goods store.<BR>The rue Neuve is mostly mid-range and lower-end shopping and is absolutely MOBBED on week-ends. But the Inno department store there has an excellent cookware, china, crystal, and silver department in its basement (not found in the Inno on the Ave. Louise). <BR>Many of the stores in the rue Haute (Hoogstraat) area are open on Sundays. No 4 or 5 star hotels in that neighborhood. The Sablon is known for its high end antiques and jewelry stores. The Jolly Hotel Sablon is a business class hotel and if you get a room overlooking the square, you'll have one of the prettiest views in Brussels.<BR>BTilke (Brussels)

Elvira

Just stayed at the Hyatt Barsey, a week ago. Lovely! check the Hyatt website for great internet rates. Food was great but expensive(dinner for two $180 euros). Found it far from the attractions and lacking a good concierge service. If you don't mind that, it is a great hotel to stay.<BR><BR>Enjoy your trip!<BR><BR>