Gresham Belson Hotel

We arrived around 5:30 in the evening and found there were no spare pillows in the room. We asked for two more straight away because we usually use two each, but housekeeping had left for the day and nobody else could bring them. That left us less comfortable than we might have been. The room itself was pleasant and very clean, and the beds were soft. I booked partly because the hotel advertised an airport shuttle, and I emailed to check our dates. The reply explained how to book it, but the note that it only ran Monday to Friday, 6:30 to 22:30, was buried in the fourth paragraph. We stayed Saturday night, so there was no shuttle for us.

Getting into town was the main drawback. The Gresham Belson Hotel is a long way from the center, so trips took time and were inconvenient. The staff service also felt perfunctory, without the warmth I expected from a top-tier hotel. I was surprised that a basic item like a dental kit wasn’t provided for a 4-star hotel. On the positive side, our room was roomy, spotless, and comfortable, with a nice city view. The amenities that were promised all worked and were in good condition.

We got to the EU-Parliament by bus in about half an hour, and there are stops close to the hotel in a really nice neighborhood. The reception staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, and the hotel was clean. Our room was spacious, with shampoo, body lotion, a hairdryer, tea, coffee, and plenty of other things. There was even a guest comment card asking about cleanliness. Parking was trickier: the garage was hard to find and quite narrow, though there were lots of spaces. The route from the parking area to reception is interesting, but narrow and uneven underfoot. Once you reach the main hotel, it’s very nice. I’d recommend it!

I booked through booking.com for one night and had no trouble, even with a very late check-in. The staff were super friendly and helpful. This worked well for my plans because it sits between the Grand Place Grot Markt and BRU airport, and it was good value. There’s a free shuttle to and from BRU, but check before choosing it, since it doesn’t run on weekends or Belgium Holidays. I added breakfast too. The buffet started at 6am and had a good mix of hot and cold food.