We have an early morning flight out of Brussels and would prefer to stay somewhere within a half hour of Brussels airport, but not in Brussels. We will have a rental car, so we could go to more out of the way places. We would prefer a quieter, more relaxing non-chain inn or B&B in a smaller town, and a place to get moules and frites and a beer nearby. We would like to keep the room cost to around 100 euro for the night if possible.

Hi - I live in Belgium and have to admit I'm at a loss coming up with a good suggestion. Most flights to the US leave at either 7:30ish or 10:00ish from the Zaventum airport. If you are flying anytime after September 1 or so, the traffic around the airport will be bad so be careful getting too far outside of the city. Best bet would be to head East towards Leuven as the main road from that direction (E40 I think) is an easy route to the airport even with traffic.

Finding B&B's is tricky on the internet for Europe due to the fact that most B&B's don't have their own website and go through internet brokers, a real pain.

I can recommend a nice place in Geel, Belgium and one in Turnhout, but even though they are about 1 hour from Brussels and cheap, with Traffic you could end up with a nightmare.

Jon

Why don't you stay in one of the quieter residential neighborhoods of Brussels? They have a very different feel from the city center...look into Woluwe St. Pierre, Tervuren, or even parts of Uccle (St. Job, Fort Jaco)?

Tervuren has a pleasant little hotel, Hotel La Vignette. We haven't stayed there, but we've been at their cafe several times. It's across the street from a large park and the African museum. The restaurant seems to be good...people we saw eating there looked happy enough.

It's in your price range and an easy drive to the airport.

http://www.lavignette.be/home_en.php

From the hotel (in case they don't have mussels on the menu), there is another restaurant across the street. And you're an easy, straightforward drive (only one turn, down a wide avenue) to one of our favorite inexpensive to moderately priced restaurants in Brussels, Shake Hands--and they do great mussels.
http://www.shakehands.be/

Thanks, I'll look into these suggestions.

I agree that neighbouhoods like Tervuren can be nice - but early in the morning, after September 1st as one Fodorite said - it's not the best idea. I work near the airport and some mornings it can take over an hour to get from Tervuren - Uccle will even be longer.

Woluwe is ok becasue you will be going against the traffic.

If your flight is at 7.30 then you will be OK staying out a bit as you will have to be leaving very early anyway - but don't stay too far away for a flight at 10.00.

If we stayed in Brussels city center how difficult is it to get to the airport in the morning? How much time is needed? We have a 9 AM flight within Europe if that makes any difference on check-in time reqiured.

Check in time is usually minimum 40 minutes before flight. If you are flying to a shengen country - the terminal used is quite a hike - more than 10 mins.

Again it depends where in the city centre you are staying - but I would suggest - if its a weekday to leave at least 40 mins to get to the airport.....sometimes you can do it in 20 - but the traffic here is very unpredictable...particularly if there is an EU council meeting or something.

You could stay in Leuven.

http://www.leuven.be/showpage.asp?iPageID=1673

Its a direct enough run from there to the Airport and you won't have to combat Brussels traffic.