Smartflats City - Grand Sablon

The nearby restaurants and chocolate shops were some of the best around, and the location was good. The flat was smaller than I expected but still nice. It was very dark inside, especially in the bathroom, because there wasn't much overhead lighting. It was still quite warm in October, so bear in mind there's no AC for the warmer months. My main problem was being charged twice for early check-in. They stopped replying to my emails, so I had to dispute the charge with my credit card company.

I was glad a woman came to move us to another apartment, but the rest of the stay was a mess. I spent my time in Brussels worrying about the place. The pictures and website made it look nice, but it was the opposite. I called many times to ask for a refund, and nobody on the Smartflats team tried to help. Getting in was difficult: the building was old and dirty, and the check-in code they emailed me didn't work. A restaurant downstairs had chairs all along the corridor, making it hard to reach the apartment. The bar across the street played music so loudly you couldn't talk or hear anything around you. I was exhausted from travelling, hungry, and outside the apartment with no phone battery. There was a big party at the bar, the restaurant downstairs was noisy, and its employees were in a bad mood.

After they charged my card, they stopped replying to emails. I ended up waiting outside for hours, even though they knew when I was arriving. They only gave me the keys after I went to the police to report a possible fraud. The police resolved it and confirmed I could refuse the request for copies because my booking was already confirmed. Without the police, the company hadn't thought it necessary to explain its usual key collection process. I never refused to identify myself and immediately offered to show my passport in person. Instead, the manager wanted me to email copies of private documents without security. Why did they need electronic copies rather than letting me show them at the office? Would anyone really send a photo of their credit card to prove who they are? I had a very upsetting experience here. In my view, asking for those documents was an attempt at identity theft and should be reported.

There’s no reception, so you enter the building with a keypad code sent by email. The apartment was clean and had the basics, including a little tea and coffee, dishwasher soap, and kitchen and bath towels. It’s small but right in the center of Brussels, with a queen bed and a couch that converts to a second bed, so four people can stay. I’d recommend it.