Mary Ann, the hotel is not far at all, but not walkable with luggage. It is in a very nice area, with expensive boutiques and such. I think locals tend to hang out there for shopping & cafes etc, since I doubt locals enjoy spending their time in touristy GrandPlace.

Along Ave Louise is a tram line, and you can easily take the tram to Central Station and/or Sablon area for sightseeing. The ride is no more than 5 minutes.

A couple of years ago, I walked along Ave Louise (farther away from your hotel) back to Sablon/GrandPlace and it was a very nice stroll.

Hi Mary Ann, the Louise area is closer to Bruxelles-Midi railway station than Central, so if you are catching a taxi don't get off the train at Central but at Midi. And since you are in the Louise area, there is a restaurant at Chaussée de Charleroi 89 called Les Salons de l'Atalaïde. Go there one night for a coffee or a drink. The food there is not so special but the atmosphere is wonderful. Too far out of the way if you are staying near Grand' Place, but you are in the right spot for it. I can also recommend the area around Place Stephanie for restaurants (esp rue Jourdan), and there is also a fun Irish pub nr your hotel (rue Jean Stas) - perhaps ask the concierge for directions but it is all very close to you. There is also a shopping street not far from Av Louise called Chaussée d'Ixelles (Porte de Namur) - a little cheaper than the Avenue Louise; Chaussée de Wavre, which is also nearby, is in my memory the African district and quite colourful too. There are a few Neuhaus chocolate shops in the area too; one is close to the Porte de Namur but I think there may be others around Louise. This is not really what I think of as a tourist area (except for Av Louise / Av Toison d'Or), but is more for the locals, as yk says.
Lavandula

Clueless - Didn't mean to hijack your post. But I am completely overwhelmed at how nice everyone is and willing to help!! Thank you yk and lavandula! Both clueless and me (nannibray) will be able to utilize info given about the Hotel and the location.Good suggestions for our last meal in Europe. Thanks to all who helped!
Mary Ann

thanks everyone for all your lovely replies! nannibray, i'm so happy you joined (and i dont consider it hijacking at all)! :) the hotel seems like it's in a great location even if the rooms are a little small (which is fine by us b/c we're only there for a night) :) i wonder if we can get to the airport from the midi train station (will have to look closer at the map)? yk and lavandula, thanks so much for the excellent suggestions - will definitely try to check out Les Salons de l'Atalaïde and the Neuhaus chocolate shops (i love chocolate! :) ). nannibray, i hope you have a lovely time in croatia and belgium! :)

check out the belgian railway website for train schedules between Midi and airport.
http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/

thanks yk, you're the best! :)

awesome, runs every 15-20 min (30 min away) early in the morning. think this is how we'll be getting to the airport for our trip back! :)

clueless 20 - Since we are somewhat a "team" for Brussels Hotel, this is more info.
I contacted Nh Brussels City Center about their location. Here is their reply:

The nearest train station from our hotel is the south station (Midi). From there you can take the subway to "LOUISE" subway station. And when you arrive there you just have to follow the Louise Avenue until the Chaussee de Charleroi where our hotel is located. (2 minutes by foot).
The Grand Place is about 20 minutes walking from the Hotel but there is transportation as well that can bring you there.

Hurray for us! And a BIG thanks to all the other posters who so kindly helped us!
Mary Ann

thanks so much nannibray for the invaluable information! 2 minutes by foot is awesome! :) cant wait for this trip to start and thank you ALL for the wonderful replies! :)

You can go to Paris for 4 nights and 2 nights in Brussels. Paris has a lot to see, so you will be forced to be selective in your travels there. Nevertheless, this itinerary is possible. I would say go with your instincts. If you REALLY want to go to both cities, then do so. You can always revisit later.

Also, think about what type of person you are:
1) I want to see many museums, monuments, and cathedrals during my stay in each city.
2) I want to get an overview of each city.

If you say 1) go with 6 days in the beautiful city of Paris. If you say 2) split the time between Paris and Brussels (I really like Brussels, by the way)