Smart Appart - Commerçant

The staff were very friendly, but the photos on the website don't represent the actual quality of the hotel. I know what kind of hotel I booked, but cleanliness is an easy thing to get right. The location was another problem. Across the street is an hourly hotel, Studio 2000, used by prostituted at all hours. We were approached somewhat, and the stares alone made us feel unwelcome. That isn't what you want when visiting another city and paying for somewhere to stay.

Our twin room was clean and comfortable, though getting to the top floor of the adjoining building meant climbing some very steep steps. We were a big party and stayed for two nights just before Christmas. The hotel was about a 10-minute walk from the main end of town. It's in a red light district, but we found it fine and less intimidating or troublesome than some people suggest. We had a couple of late nights drinking local beer and never had any problems. The locals were pretty friendly, if anything. There was a brilliant bar called “Flamingo” just around the corner, with a great atmosphere and a good drinks selection. If I came back looking for a cheap and cheerful hotel, I'd happily stay here again.

We were close to the city and several Christmas Markets, which were handy for a hot drink and a quick bite. The rooms were clean and modern, too. The nearby area wasn't the greatest, with street workers in the side streets, but the location worked well for a short Brussels trip. One change I'd suggest is a lighter wall or carpet colour. Both are black, and at night some automatic lights don't come on, making the stairs hard to see. The room itself was tidy and clean.

We were so disturbed by the state of the room that our group stayed only one of the two nights we'd paid for, then thankfully moved to the Hotel des Colonies around down the street. There was hair in the showers and on the towels when we arrived, brown stains and small bits of garbage under the pillows, and hard crumbs under the top sheet. We hoped they were crumbs and were too scared to check. We also saw a cockroach. The street is known for prostitution, and based on what locals told us, we strongly suspect prostitutes use this hotel. We heard them screaming and fighting all night. The part where we stayed has a separate entrance that you get buzzed into without giving a room number or name, which also felt like a security risk. The website totally misrepresents the place. I'd never recommend it, and would give zero stars if I could.