WeisserTee

In Brussels, consider staying in the Sablon. It's a short, easy walk to the Grand'Place and the Sablon itself is a beautiful area. Whenever we go back to Brussels (we lived there 5 years) the NH Sablon (formerly the Hotel du Grand Sablon) is our default choice (the other is the cheaper but still quite nice NH hotel near the Place Stephanie). The NH Sablon has family rooms with Sablon views: https://www.nh-hotels.com/hotel/nh-c...d-sablon/rooms Plenty of restaurants around there that aren't as touristy as the ones around the GP.

Your 11 year old might enjoy the Tram Museum: https://trammuseum.brussels/en/the-m...l-information/

While in Bruges, make sure you explore on the "other side" of the T'Zand. It's a much more residential part of the city but still interesting And for your book, check out the Canada Bridge with the buffalo statues on it: https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/2...dge-Bruges.htm , erected in honor of the Canadians who liberated the city in 1944

cdnyul

NH Sablon is literally steps away from one oft the prettiest squares in Brussels, Square du Petit Sablon. It is dedicated to the Guilds and your 11 year old might enjoy figuring out the guilds represented by the statues around the square.

From there it is a short walk to Parc d'Egmont, with a bronze statue of Peter Pan. It is a fun to search for the critters hidden within it.







In the park there is a very popular café/resto, La Fabrique en Ville (you have to reserve)



www.lafabriqueresto.be

lavandula

I agree that this is a very pretty area (Grand Sablon and Petit Sablon); the Grand Sablon is also the area where all the high-end chocolate shops are clustered (as well as in the Galeries St.-Hubert). If you catch a train directly to Bruxelles-Central you can walk from the station to the Grand / Petit Sablon without much trouble. And on a map the names may be in Flemish: Grote / Kleine Zavel.

Lavandula

cdnyul

lavandula

Is the photo Galeries St.-Hubert, cdnyul?

Lavandula

cdnyul

Yes.

29FEB

Hello GKS, re Brussels hotels, the best one I never stayed at, thank you COVID:

Brussels hotel advice

Please note they immediately gave me a full refund, even though I had booked a non-refundable rate.

lavandula

Hi 29FEB, the link is broken! Can you repost or tell us the name?

Lavandula

cdnyul

Not FEB29 but the hotel is the Floris Arlequin.

29FEB

Thanks Cdnyul ~ I’ve noticed links sometimes don’t work the first attempt, but then do.
No idea why!

GKS

Has anyone stayed at the Warwick in Brussels? It looked like a good area and I booked it b/c I saw pictures of a gorgeous terrace with views that I thought my son would like, but now I see that that terrace is part of one of the nicer suites (which we do NOT have, lol). I might still keep it as it looks good - but any thoughts?

cdnyul

I did, before it was called the Warwick (Windsor something or other)

Didn't know about the terrace, the room we had was rather small, service was very good.
It is close to Grand Place which is realistically a tourist trap type neighborhood popular with a Blackpool type crowd.

The Sablon suggestion is better, quieter and more classy (I admit, I am a bit of travel snob)

We are leaving for BRU in a couple of hours, staying at the Marriott in the European Quarter a short walk from Gare Luxemburg.

lavandula

I will say that any hotel within a stone's throw of Bruxelles-Centrale is a good place for a first-time visit. This is an OK location from that point of view. It also looks like a nice hotel, and you could walk from the station to your accommodation. There are a number of areas in Brussels that you probably should avoid (for instance, near Bruxelles-Nord, because that is close to the red-light district, or near Bruxelles-Midi, because it is a bit run-down) but this is just fine. I do agree with Weisser Tee and cdnyul, though, the Sablon area is a very elegant one and not significantly out of the way that you could not walk to the Grand' Place.

Enjoy your trip, cdnyul, have a drink at Place du Luxembourg for me.

Lavandula

cdnyul

Thank you.
Will do, at the Beer Factory.

GKS

You all are the best. I canceled my reservation at the Warwick and made one at the NH Grand Sablon. THANK YOU!

WeisserTee

Great! I hope you enjoy it. By the way, Au Vieux Saint Martin, across the square and visible from a Sablon-view room at the hotel, is one of my favorite cafes. They do the most decadent cappuccino in town.

The Sablon area is so pretty at night (and during the day too, but I especially love it at dusk and early evening). We used to live a 10-minute walk away so frequently went down there for drinks or a meal.



a rich coffee served with homemade whipped cream, thick shavings of dark (Belgian) coffee and side snacks. How it's served...




Mixed and ready to drink

GKS

That looks INCREDIBLE!! I'm so excited, and already told my son all about the chocolate we can walk to. hahaha.

WeisserTee

There are two videos on the Au Vieux Saint Martin website that give you a good idea of what it's like; the longer one shows a little tour of the Sablon. https://auvieuxsaintmartin.be/ a pdf of the menu is there too. They also do a wonderful thé à la menthe fraîche (hot sweet tea with fresh spearmint leaves). I love that and nobody here in Basel offers it.

In the photos of the front room of the restaurant/cafe you can see a corner table with a plaque on the wall commemorating a visit from President Clinton -- it's the table he sat at . I used to try to get that table whenever possible because, politics aside, it's the best table in the restaurant. And Raisin, my English cocker , was happy to stretch out underneath and get bits from whatever I was eating.

The second video is also on youtube:

lavandula

>They also do a wonderful thé à la menthe fraîche (hot sweet tea with fresh spearmint leaves). I love that and nobody here in Basel offers it.<

That is a 'thing' in Brussels - if you don't drink beer or coffee, a mini glass of thé à la menthe is the way to go. And a cappuccino does not have froth, but a cap of whipped cream.- although perhaps nowhere so decadent as in your photo, Weisser Tee! And the beer - even if you are not a beer drinker, you might like a kriek (cherry beer) or a framboise (a raspberry beer). That's everywhere in Belgium, not specially where you are, GKS.

In Rue des Sablons is a international chain café - you may have them in your nearest city in America. It is called Le Pain Quotidien, it started off in Brussels and serves organic food including homemade bread. There are a few locations around Brussels. If you order a basket of bread there are jams and spreads on the big wooden communal tables including three different types of chocolate spread (also a Belgian thing). This has an extensive menu and could make a good breakfast or lunch. If you've never been I think this is a nice experience.
MOBILE_DINE_IN_BE_SEPT_EN.pdf

Here are some chocolatiers close to or in the Sablon:
https://www.9-hotel-sablon-brussels....ssels.648.html (not exhaustive, does not mention Passion Chocolat or Mary, which is a bit further afield)

And also not far from your hotel in the Rue Watteeuw is an inexpensive restaurant, Le Perroquet. It serves pittas and salads. It has been there a long time and is very popular, can be hard to get a table. Also may be a good lunch.

Also - on Saturdays there is an antiques market in Place du Grand Sablon. Not sure if your trip will coincide with this.

Lavandula

GKS

Wow - thank you both so much! I'm so happy I changed the reservation and am so hungry just reading this thread!