Why did I choose this hotel?
I wanted to be somewhere within easy walking distance of the centre, where I didn’t have to rely on transport. This hotel is about 10 minutes walk from Grand-Place. The area was quiet at night, and not at all seedy.
It offered a good price to comfort ratio; as I get older I like the hostel vibe but really need my sleep, so somewhere which offered a mix of rooms was preferable. Having a guest kitchen means I could eat in if I wanted to, after a busy day I don’t always want to go out to find somewhere to eat.
I booked online through the chain’s own website.
It was easy to find, even arriving after a long day travelling and surprised by an unexpected heatwave.
First impressions?
The Meininger Brussels is an old brewery building, and they’ve used the size and scale of the building to their advantage. It’s certainly hard to miss!
The staff were helpful and check-in was straightforward.
There are a lot of rooms here, but there is still a lot of open space – even the corridors felt spacious.
What was the room like?
I was travelling with my teenage daughter, so had chosen a twin room. The room was much bigger than I’d expected, and even had a sitting area.
We had a window – with decent light-blocking curtains, thankfully – which was good because the room lighting, while relaxing, wasn’t that bright.
The shower and toilet were in separate little rooms, while the sink was open to the room.
The room was simple, but had a nice stylish feel.
The beds weren’t fancy but they were comfortable, and the bedding (and the whole room) was nice and fresh.
What about shared areas?
The hotel served breakfast, which I had a couple of times and thought was pretty good value.
One of the things that attracted me to this hotel was the guest kitchen, as we could choose whether to go out to eat or make something instead – especially handy when travelling with a teenager likes a lie-in but still wants breakfast!
The kitchen itself was a good size, and a very well-organised fridge – guests had to put food in a bag marked with their room number and the date, so it was easy to find your own things, instead of trying to work out if that’s your yoghurt or someone else’s.
There was a good amount – and variety – of seating to eat at, or just to use as extra space to relax in.
Looking down from there I could see the bar, which seemed pretty busy in the evenings – it’s nicely tucked away from the bedrooms so I wasn’t aware of any noise issues.
Overall thoughts?
This was a really good base for a stay in Brussels – close to everything but quiet at night.
For a budget hotel there were some nice design touches which really paid off. And the staff were really nice, which always helps, and speak impeccable English.
Any tips for a stay?
The kitchen is really well organised, so don’t be hesitant to use it.
Just down the road from the hotel is a metro stop, which is really handy if you want to go further afield.
Please note – this is not a sponsored post, I stayed here at my own expense, and the opinions written here are purely my own.
