Beaux Arts

⚠️BED BUG INFESTATION! DO NOT EVER STAY HERE! I woke up with bed bugs crawling next to me. There were several large ones, along with their droppings on the walls, so I left immediately. By the next day I had bites on my face, forehead, neck, chest, and arms, as shown in the pictures. I had to get medication for them. People need to know about this. Please never stay here for your own good.

For an affordable hotel, the location is good, in a safe area with easy access to Antwerp Central station and the city center. The receptionists were mostly nice and patient, which was a plus. The bed was comfortable, and although there was no air conditioning, the large fan in my room let me sleep comfortably in the warm Belgian weather. I had booked a room with a shared toilet, which was surprisingly clean. They also have rooms with a toilet in the bathroom. The key routine felt odd: you have to leave your room key whenever you go out, then get buzzed in by the receptionist and collect the key each time you return. The staff were mostly nice, but I didn’t always want to interact with someone just to come and go, especially when I was out and about a lot. My room wasn’t very neat. There were stains on the pillows and bedsheet, and long brunette hair in the bathroom. The heater was leaking, and the shower head wouldn’t stay attached properly and leaked when used.

The mosquitoes in the room made it almost impossible to sleep, and I took photos the next morning to show the problem. When we told the morning receptionist the next day, she was welcoming and apologetic. She offered us good coffee and explained they keep mosquito repellent devices at reception because they tend to get stolen from rooms. That’s an unusual policy. The hotel is reasonably priced and in a lovely spot, close to the tourist center and in an artistic district with excellent restaurants, bars, and cafes. It felt like a more authentic Belgian area frequented mainly by locals. The rooms were average and the staff generally good, so it seemed fair value for money. Check-in was a letdown. The evening receptionist was unfriendly. When we asked about parking, she just told us to “go around the block,” which was misleading since the whole area is a Red Zone where parking is limited to three hours. A hotel receptionist should know and explain that clearly. Her manner also left me with a disappointing impression of bias, which felt out of place in hospitality. The location and price had their positives, but the experience was mixed. I wouldn’t stay again or recommend it.

The location was great, and so was the staff. The room was quite small, and sometimes it smelled of smoke inside. There was also quite a bit of noise in the hallways at times, but overall the hotel was good.