2GO4 Quality Hostel

Check-in at the 2GO4 Quality Hostel is painfully slow. When we arrived, there were only two parties ahead of us, and we had to wait fifty minutes to be helped. This was not due to any difficulties or special needs by the other parties; rather, it is some sort of systematic inefficiency. At check-in, the reception will inform you that if you aren’t charging a minimum amount on your credit card, you will need to pay cash. They will direct you to an ATM near the hostel if you don’t have enough cash on your person. In addition, you will be asked to leave an extra fee or photo ID as a deposit for your key. The will also charge you a "cleaning fee" for your towel, unless you bring your own. The first impression is that this is a nickel-and-dime organization, which does not fade as the stay wears on.

The Location

Aside from the fact that Brussels is the de facto capital of the European Union and is a good place to visit if you are fascinated with politics, you would be hard pressed to find a reason to visit the city that gave us "Tin-Tin."

The hostel is situated near the red light district of Brussels, but don't expect a fancy, kitschy red light district in the style of Amsterdam. This is a high-crime area and you need to be on guard at all times. During our stay at the 2GO4 Quality Hostel, there were two assaults of hostel visitors (in the form of unsuccessful robberies) in front of the hostel, and one successful theft of a large amount of money from a hosteler at the ATM near the hostel (the same one that you are told to go to, if you can’t use your credit card at check-in).

Regarding transportation, it is a short walk from the Gare du Nord station (which services international trains and buses) in one direction and the De Brouckère metro station in the other. From here you can connect to any location in Brussels.

Rooms and Bathrooms

The website says that there is a thirty-five-year-old upper age limit for the dorm rooms; either we look much younger than our age or that rule was waived. The rooms are of an average size; the dorm room (ours was a six-person) is neither big nor small. Unfortunately, there is no heat in the rooms. It was between 8 and 10 degrees Celsius during our stay, and that sleeping room got very chilly at night. The room itself is worn-out -- it isn’t filthy, but it needs a serious paint job, or even the slightest bit of TLC. There are no lockers for security. Many of the rooms face the street, which is a busy boulevard. Traffic noise could be heard during the night.

Bathrooms are located on every floor -- they are tiny, but they work. The showers are also located every floor. The water is always hot, so no complaints there.

Common Spaces

There is a sufficient common area on the ground floor; however, it is closed between 1 and 4 p.m., and again from 11 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. This is a major inconvenience to visitors, and it seems that the 2G04 Quality hostel is trying to save some money by limiting access. There is free wireless internet, but the service is spotty at best and it was not functioning for about half of our visit. There are a few computers in the common area, which can be used free of charge. There is a kitchen for those who like to prepare their own breakfast (and supermarkets nearby to purchase food and supplies). No meals are served by the hostel. There is no smoking allowed in the hostel (smokers are crowded at the front door, as is common in most hostels). That being said, we could smell smoke common from one of the staff areas, and it wasn’t tobacco -- this might explain why the receptionist worked so slowly.

Summary

In the end, we were glad to leave Brussels, and the general vibe of the 2G04 Quality Hostel was a big part of it. Our only recommendation would be to book a bed at this hostel only if all of the other places in town are full, and you absolutely have to be in Brussels.

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
November 2011