Auberge des 3 Fontaines - Hostel

It's a massive hostel, and a good fit for athletes with football, basketball and squash courts available. Breakfast was okay, but it's quite a way from Brussels city centre.

I'm here for New Year and have had a really lovely stay. The staff have been kind to me and knew the answers to every question I asked. I'm not sure why other reviews call them rude or unhelpful. It's clean and quiet, and the beds have thick sheets. I usually get cold, but slept comfortably and peacefully. The train station is about a brisk 10-minute walk away, and the grounds are beautiful. As a solo traveler, I feel safe here.

I wouldn't recommend staying here. This was the most expensive hostel I stayed at and by far my worst experience. Reception was rude every time I spoke with them and was no help at all. The bathroom was dirty, so I reported it on the first evening, again the next morning, and once more the following evening. Both evenings I was told the cleaners had already left. After I'd raised it in the morning, I expected someone to do something. The floor looked as though it hadn't been cleaned in months, with lots of stains, including hard-water marks that wouldn't have remained if it had been properly cleaned that week. There was no hand soap either. The place came across as somewhere that simply doesn't care about guests. I've seen their replies to other guests' negative reviews, and they basically gaslight them. That should be your first clue not to stay here.

Finding the room was a real puzzle. We had to walk what felt like miles and follow precise directions through a labyrinth. The restaurant wasn't good either. It felt like a very average hotel, and I gave it three stars because the room seemed used already. It didn't look dirty, but it didn't seem clean either.