Hotel The Moon

I asked for a room away from the street and they accommodated me. The room matched what I paid for, just somewhere to sleep, though having an en-suite bathroom was a nice plus after too many hostels. It's a walkup with no elevator, and reception is on the second-floor landing, staffed around the clock. They were flexible with my booking. You leave your key with reception when you go out, which lets them clean the room and means you won't forget or lose it somewhere.

I usually don't expect much from a hotel, as long as I can sleep somewhere warm and take a shower. This one still managed to make that feel like a very low bar. The bathroom had no heating, so I kept going from a warm room into a cold bathroom and ended up with a sore throat. The shower curtain didn't cover the whole shower because its hinges were broken. The stairs were steep, too. The night staff were unfriendly and didn't respond when I knocked to get into the hotel after midnight. I also couldn't have the friends I was visiting come hang out in my room, and that rule wasn't mentioned on the website. The location is good if you want the most touristy part of Brussels, which I don't, so that was my mistake. This was one of my worst hotel stays, and I'm very used to budget hotels.

From the rooms, we had beautiful views of the square, and the hotel is right at Grand Place, with the main grand place just a block away. There are dozens of restaurants within walking distance, and heading down any nearby street takes you toward an attraction. The staff were very polite, and they stored our bags before and after checkout. I really liked staying here.

Great for a stopover or a short Brussels trip. We loved the location, and the gentleman at reception was really nice and accommodating. Just be aware there's no lift and you'll have stairs to deal with, so don't arrive weighed down with bags.