Follena

We're staying in Brussels for a couple of nights and would like to find a hotel near the Eurostar Brussels terminal. Does anyone have any ideas?
I found Hotel Ibis Centre Gare du Midis which is close to the terminal. Does anyone have any thoughts on that place?

lavandula

Can I recommend you don't stay near Gare du Midi - it's a run-down neighbourhood and you would not be comfortable at night. If you want to be close to a station, Bruxelles-Central is closer to the main attractions, and only one train stop from Gare du Midi. It is also accessible by metro from Bruxelles Midi, I think the stop is Gare Central.

What is your budget for a hotel? There are a lot of options. If you just want an Ibis there is one called Off Grand Place, next to the Novotel. I think it's pretty inexpensive but a good location for sightseeing.

Lavandula

VANAARLE

Have you looked at the likes of Booking? Recommendations from those who have actually slept at the hotel. A load more then those on here.
This forum only lists 11 hotels in the city. Wonder why? No reviews accredited to guests.
https://www.fodors.com/world/europe/...russels/hotels

cdnyul

I stayed there for one night in Dec 2018
The hotel is not bad, the area near Midi is not too attractive.

For a couple of nights I would recommend the Hilton Garden Inn Brussels City Center, a 6 minute metro ride (Hotel des Monnaies) from Midi.
Steps away from our favorite eatery, Le Dillens.

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cdnyul

Brussels hotels near train stations I have stayed at:

Midi; Ibis Midi
Central ; Warwick (former Windsor something)
Luxemburg: Marriott (Renaissance Brussels)

My recommendation for the Hilton is based on my brother's recent stay.

WeisserTee

As someone who lived less than a block from the Hotel des Monnaies metro stop, it's not a location I recommend. The stop is very deep, unmanned at night, and doesn't connect with any other metros or tram lines, so it can be quite isolated. More than once, we saw pools of blood on the stairs -- which is what led us to avoid the stop and stick the Louise metro stop right up the street. IMO, it's a much better and safer choice. From Louise it's a short, direct ride to the Gare du Midi.

You don't give your hotel budget -- but note that many hotels in Brussels offer discounts for week-end stays. Our favorite hotel is the NH Hotel Grand Sablon, especially if you can get a Sablon view room. Next two choices (a tie) would be Le Louise MGallery Hotel (used to be the Sofitel) or The Hotel Brussels (years ago it was the Brussels Hilton, it was sold and had a complete renovation). They are both close to the Louise metro stop. I would probably opt for Le Louise over The Hotel Brussels unless you want to splurge for a club level room --also be advised that The Hotel Brussels rooms tend to have almost completely open bathrooms -- if you like more privacy, then be sure to request a "closed" bathroom.

From the Louise area you have easy access to a wide variety of dining choices, ranging from those in the immediate vicinity to the nearby Sablon area or up through Ixelles. We personally prefer to avoid eating in or near the Grand Place area. Instead, we usually drift up to the Chaussee de Waterloo, in a part of Ixelles that has many non-chain, mid-priced restaurants catering to a local rather than tourist clientele. Favorites include Le Fruit Defendu and Toucan sur Mer.

cdnyul

About nine or ten tears ago Brussels Central was a de-facto homeless camp and the passages stank of urine.
Our daughter has lived on Des Monnaies for the past four years. It is probably the safest street in Brussels because the Jewish community center
and daycare has a constant police presence.
The homeless that used to occupy Place Dillens have been pushed out by the local council.

One can't go wrong with the Sablon.

Brussels is a challenge for tourists that travel in lemming like style. There is no area where the only life forms are tourists and tourist servants.
Seville it is not.

In Brussels you leave room for surprises.

lavandula

The homeless that used to be at Place Dillens and Boulevard Anspach are now occupying Place Flagey (unthinkable). It is a real problem as people are defecating in the street! And it is putting local people off from using the shops there. It just proves that if you don't help people into housing and just move them on, the problem doesn't go away, it just moves. Flagey is a mostly residential area with shops, bars and a weekly market, and this is now endangered. We normally stay in the area around Avenue Louise, sometimes between Louise and Flagey, but not this time. This time we are staying directly at Louise metro, at the Citadines.

Lavandula

Follena

All of the responses have been so helpful, thank you, everyone. Lavandula I'm particularly grateful for the Citadines recommendation. I'm checking that out.

lavandula

I won't be staying there until the middle/end of January but it is an excellent location and by metro just a hop skip and jump from Bruxelles-Midi. Plus it's self-catering if you want that (we do, travelling with a child/teen), and convenient to the whole Louise / Porte de Namur area. You can get an apartment with one or two bedrooms and both would be OK for 3 people. Good luck, hope you like it!

Lavandula