ibis Styles Brugge Centrum

The attic-style room had a nice character, and the bathroom was clean and neat. Self check-in went smoothly, with a staff member there to help guests. The room may be too small for two people.

There’s a public car park below the hotel, though SUV drivers should keep its size in mind. The room was spacious and the location excellent. My only gripe was the narrow shower screen, which didn’t keep water from spreading beyond the shower. Still, it was a nice stay.

The hotel is well placed near the old city, with everything an easy walk away. There’s a grocery store opposite that opens at 7:30 a.m. and has fresh pastries each morning. Parking was simple too: the garage is underneath, reasonably priced for the city center, and easy to enter and leave. As for service, there wasn’t much of it. Check-in and checkout were self-service, as was the coffee machine. That setup was fine with me. The room was incredibly small. The foot of the bed was about nine inches from the wall-mounted TV. The bathroom felt like an airplane bathroom with a worse layout. Its sink was about the size of a soup bowl, sitting on the counter, and the tall fixed mixer over its center made washing hands splashy. It also got in the way when I tried to lean over to wash my face. The toilet was squeezed into a tiny space, with only about six inches to the right and nine inches in front. I had to lower my pants before backing up to it to avoid hitting my forehead while bending forward. At least it flushed well. The shower had a fixed glass panel instead of a curtain, and it did a poor job keeping water in. Water splashed onto the floor and even the nearby toilet seat, and the shower mat stayed soaked. Both the overhead and handheld showers were okay, but seemed to have flow restrictors.

I booked directly through the website. The room was roomy and comfortable, and the air conditioning was great. Getting around was convenient too, with about a ten-minute walk to the station and downtown not far away. There were some clear drawbacks: no hair dryer, a broken shower head, and poor soundproofing. I woke whenever someone passed the door. It was an average stay, though fine if location and convenience are what matter most.