HI - Brussels - Generation Europe Hostel

Nice place. Clean and modern. Very enjoyable stay. However, an Irish couple who were staying there had their car window smashed and stuff stolen from it. It was parked outside on the street. Their stuff was covered with a blanket, but it didn't put the robbers off. I guess it must be true when they say it's a bad neighbourhood. Having said that, I didn't see too many rough types around at night. Like everywhere else, just be aware of your surroundings.

I stayed here at the end of October of 2006 and I found the hostel to be very nice. There is a good size commons area in the lobby and also a commons area on each floor. There are large lockers in each room. The breakfast was good. all you can eat of bread, yogurt, cereal, orange juice, hot chocolate/coffee. Throughout the hostel one notices that there was attention and effort put into making it look nice. I would recommend it. The hostel is located in a Muslim district of Brussels, which I found to be very interesting, because it gives a different perspective of the city that I probably would have never seen. I enjoyed the walk to the downtown area, though there is the metro, which I used a number of times during the stay.

Some friends and I stayed in this hostel for a few nights when we went to Belgium to see a rock festival. It was a large hostel, friendly staff, best breakfast I've had anywhere (that I can remember), bathrooms in the rooms, a kitchen, a few common rooms, one with a large screen TV, an outdoors area. really a nice hostel. The area it's in is mainly a muslim area, but we didn't find this to be a problem. We were heckled a lot less than we were in Paris and there were a lot of interesting shops and cheap take aways nearby. The main problem is getting to this place via public transport, the tram and metro stations aren't terribly nearby and are somewhat hard to find. But the hostel provides maps and directions, and do as much as they can to make your stay comfortable.

We never actually got round to staying here after hearing reports it is in a very dodgy area, where the hostel staff themselves advise people not to go out at night. One guy told us there is an average of one mugging of a hosteller per week! I would look elsewhere if possible!