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HI - Brussels - Bruegel Hostel

Brussels (City Centre)

7 of 8
Address
Heilige Geeststraat 2, Brussels (City Centre), Belgium   Map
Price
16.75 € till 25.00 €
Location/Contact
Details
Online booking is not offered for this Hostel. Contact them for availability and reservations (any contact info we have is listed above). See Brussels for other available Brussels accommodations.
Their Description
 
The Hostelz.com Review
International Youth Hostel Bruegel is a simple, inexpensive, and boring hostel with a great location for exploring Brussels.

The Location

The location of the International Youth Hostel Bruegel is very convenient to the train stations and the central square. It is a five-minute walk from the central train station and ten minutes from the southern train station (Gare du Midi). The central square is a five-minute walk downhill.

Rooms and Bathrooms

The rooms are very clean and of moderate size. Each room has its own key, but no lockers are provided. There is a small dresser where items can be stored. The rooms have sturdy, wooden beds. Rooms have a small table and chairs, but not private bathrooms. The dorms have one, two, three, or four beds. The bathrooms are clean but have no soap so we question how sanitary the entire hostel is with nobody washing their hands properly.

The hostel is closed from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. They will let you into reception and to get items out of the lockers. The hostel also closes at 1 a.m.; however, sometimes it is possible to arrange for an entry key to get back in after curfew.

Common Spaces

The common spaces leave a lot to be desired and are always empty. Each floor has a different type of common room -- one has theater-style seating in front of a small TV, another has desks resembling a library. There are several tables outside in the courtyard opposite the entrance. The basement has a small bar. A large cafeteria is just down the hall from reception. This is not a very social hostel and most people keep to themselves.

Lunch and dinner are available at decent prices, but one of the best parts of Brussels is the food and there are a lot of good deals to be found. Breakfast is included, but leaves a lot to be desired. It is only available from 7 to 9 a.m. They pull all the food off right at 9 and promptly unplug the juice and coffee machines. Breakfast consists of plain cereal, very plain slices of sandwich bread (no toaster available), and jams. Coffee, milk, and orange juice are also available. Breakfast is only good for a very light snack and it's no reason to wake up early.

Secure lockers are available for per-day rates. You have to pay each time you need to open the locker. Wireless internet is free, but the signal is pretty weak. Reception is intermittent in the rooms but pretty reliable in the common areas and in the lobby.

Summary

The International Youth Hostel Bruegel is simple and lacks character, but it is inexpensive and has a great location. It is located in an ideal location between the two train stations and the main square. This is a great hostel to stay in if you are looking to save some money and don’t plan on spending very much time at the hostel.

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
October 2009

How is HI - Brussels - Bruegel Hostel rated on other websites? (NEW)
Hostelworld
Not listed on Hostelworld.
Hostels.com
Not listed on Hostels.com.
HostelBookers
Not listed on HostelBookers.
Hostelsclub
Not listed on Hostelsclub.

Ratings & Comments

4 Average from 26 Ratings

This is an open forum, and unlike other hostel guide websites we don't censor out the negative comments.
We can't validate the legitimacy of comments posted on this site — so take what you read here with a grain of salt.
Comment by Okayday, Portugal
August 2009
1 Don't stay there, not worth it.
Me and my boyfriend stayed there for six nights. I had done the reservation of a room with private shower and toilet. Instead, they gave us one with two separate beds, no bathroom or toilet whatsoever. We complained and they changed us to a berth with private shower. We were so tired we didn't complained further. Was until when we went back from dinner and the staff asked us if we were satisfied with the room. When back in the room we realized the reason of his questions -- the shower cabin didn't have a protection, so the floor simply got soaking wet every time we tried to shower. When we wanted to go to the toilet, we had to get out of the room to do so, what was not pleasant. In the following day we complained about the shower cabin, they said they couldn't do anything but giving us towels to put on the floor and the cleaning staff would clean it for us daily. First, the cleaning was not daily, the room was really messy after a three-minute shower. We discovered that when the second floor guys took their shower right above our room, a river would start pouring out of the ceiling of the shower cabin (looked liked we were having bath too). The staff were really unfriendly -- in the morning we had to leave before 10 a.m. otherwise the door would close, and the lady would just start screaming "are you leaving? what's your room number?" -- trying to control everyone, not allowing us to leave before that, which was childish and a waste of time. Terrible. We had to be back before 1p.m. The desk where we did the check in and out was always busy (only one person there) with huge lines, and they would ask you to stay in the line even if you only wished to change a coin in order to use the computer. Once I was feeling really sick and had to return home and the lady in the desk was dealing with a check-in. I was visibly ill, she kept on with her things, I tried to go up to my room, she said I couldn't because it was being cleaned. I had to say to her I was about to vomit and had my medicines in the room so that she allowed me to go. First, she verified for the fourth or fifth time our identity. By the way, the price didn't include the towels. It was cheap, but really silly. Here, we had to have breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m.! Very stupid restrictions regarding the schedule. Don't stay there. The other youth hostels are better for similar prices.
Comment by bella , austia
April 2009
4 Nice, clean, good food, cute barkeeper. i want to come back
i had a nice stay at the hostel and i would come back. I liked the bar most included the barkeeper. the rooms were clean and the price was good, very central and nice staff!
Comment by Myriam Renauld-Denis, Canada
June 2008
4 Ok, but I've seen better
I just want to mention that the price mentioned on this website aren't ok -- beds are from 18 euro (four beds) to 32 euro (one bed). The hotel is ok -- the room are reasonably clean, staff is ok, except for the barmaid downstairs, that girl is just too nice. I've seen youth hostels that were far better than this one, but I've also seem some that were worse. Cheap for Brussels and near center of town.
Comment by Pezzente, Italy
January 2008
4 Good
This is a good hostel. The location is perfect! Five minutes by foot from the Grand Place! Breakfast is good and rooms are clean! A problem is the curfew (1 a.m.) and using luggage room you have to pay.
Comment by Karen and Jen, Canada
August 2007
4 Good
Clean, convenient location, and good breakfast. On the edge of a slightly dodgy neighbourhood, but we never had any problems.
Comment by Chakri, India
May 2007
5 Very helpful, friendly staff; good food; and lots of fun in the bar
Since this was my first stop in Europe, It feels like a home far away from home where I made friends for life. I keep on coming back after every other country. The staff was really friendly, specially the bartender whose name is Octo, we build up a nice friendship. I had some trouble with my visa and the manager of the hostel helped me out to sort it out. I like him and he is a nice funny guy. Well I just end up to recommend this place, whose personnel will be more than glad to help you out. If you go there, you should definitely go to their bar and try a Barbar, Belgium's oldest beer -- and it is cheap!
Comment by Obiwan, USA
April 2007
1 The attitude of the staff is horrible here! First of all, the lady with short hair at the desk was so impolite and rude to all the customers that everybody I met there was complaining about her. And then there was the manager. He came to the bar in the night and then started annoying customers, and made sexual comments to all the girls present in the bar. It was disgusting! When I went to bed, he had changed his clothes into some army-like outfit, and was yelling to some sixteen-year-old kids that they had to be quiet or else he would kick their asses! That was ridiculous! What a fool! And what a horrible experience I had here. Do not go here!
Comment by Haley, Canada
April 2007
5 This was the first stop on my trip, and I was extremely jet-lagged. They just had a huge school group arrive when I came in the door. I paid for a dorm room and was going to be put into a room with five middle-school-aged girls. But then they decided that they could give me my own private room and didn't ask me to pay any extra. It was a godsend since I ended up sleeping during the day to get on europe time. The location was great, within easy walk of Grand Place and the Court and Palace. Staff were super friendly.
Comment by G Lim
October 2006
5 I stayed here for three nights in June. Good location, about a twenty-minute walk from the train station (not Centraal). Close to the Grand Place. Met some great people in my dorm, the beer is cheap in the bar downstairs. It was a little quiet during my stay there but I guess that isn't always a bad thing. Amenities were good, dorms were clean.
Comment by Zarielle
April 2006
4 Good location! Within walking distance to shops and bars. Breakfast was the usual, and the same everyday but you can eat as much as you like. Clean rooms depending on who you share a room with. I dont think housekeeping emptied our trash in our room the whole time I was there, nor swept the floor. Bathrooms were clean, with the push button shower. Curfew was a pain and the atmosphere was quiet even with the bar downstairs, but its still possible to meet people. Clean beds save environment, what more could you ask for?
Comment by Marcus, Erik, Robbie and Anders from Sweden
January 2006
5 The hostel was above all expectations. The rubber sheets on the bed covered all other odours. The receptionist was one of the most un-pleasant persons I've ever met. Great prices on beer though! Blake, the californian bartender was super. Showers changed from icecold to boiling hot and then back to icecold with ten second intervalls.
Comment by Julie
November 2005
4 I wandered in from the airport without a reservation. The desk told me they were fully booked, but since it was 4:30 p.m. they were giving away no-show reserved beds and I got one no problem. It was everything you should expect from a IY Hostel, including a little institutional and I had to leave very early the next morning to catch my flight to NYC but found I was actually locked IN the building. I had to leave through the fire door. Brussels has great steak and beers. Try Leffe.
Comment by Anarae
November 2005
2 After a hellish overnight bus, I was looking for the first available hostel to have a shower and a nap. This was the easiest to get to, and it certainly does have a fantastic central location. It gave a good first impression as I came in, clean and bright with a nice courtyard. And from there it went downhill. The woman at reception was rude and unhelpful, not allowing me to check in before 3 p.m. (fair enough) but not allowing me to store my bags there until then either. The lockout was absolutely ridiculous, and there is an irritating PA in the morning to hurry you out. 1 a.m. curfew. It was very hard to meet people. The hostel has a few redeeming factors — my room was nice and clean, with two bunks, small chairs and table, lockers and en suite bathroom. The breakfast is also a bit better than most hostels with a fair bit of choice and chocolate biscuits! Unfortunately, however, this didn't make up for the staff and inconveniences.
Comment by Anon.
October 2005
2 Showers don't work properly. Receptionist was rude. The best point is the bar and friendly barman.
Comment by Elle
September 2005
3 I was lucky to meet a few travelers and have a good time at the bar, but otherwise, the place was empty and pretty institutional — usually the case with HI. Some old lady yelled at me for coming into the room at 1 a.m. Not the hostel's fault, but I think that's the general vibe — to bed early, and up early.
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The Hostelz.com
Total Combined Rating
for HI - Brussels - Bruegel Hostel
84%
This score is a weighted average calculated from reviews on Hostelz.com combined with ratings on the other major hostel websites (see rating details below).