The Helmet Hotel

The bathroom was filthy, with fungus on the walls, and there was no room cleaning. I went with my parents for two nights, and our beds were a mess too. Mine broke while I was asleep. I woke up covered in bites, and found several bed bugs. I told the first receptionist about the broken bed, but although he said he'd fix it, it broke again. The first man at reception was rude when we arrived early and told us we'd have to wait for a room, which I could understand. The hotel is in a very bad neighborhood, and even after a Portuguese man at reception helped us move to another room, there were bed bugs everywhere, including in the restroom. I left Brussels with bites on my face, hands, and body. We got what we paid for since it was the cheapest option, but I think basic things like hygiene are the manager's responsibility.

For 72 bucks, this is a cheap hotel that gives you a lot for the money. The room was roomy, with a nice TV, internet, a bathroom, and a big terrace overlooking Brussels. The bed was really comfortable, though the mattress had stains, the wall was dirty, and the toilet didn't smell great. No bed bugs, at least. The area isn't considered safe, but we chose it, and it's close to the centre, so I don't see much to complain about there. Doors opening and shutting at night kept waking me up a bit. I was out most of the night with my boyfriend anyway, and the 24-hour reception meant we could come back whenever. A good option for a short stay if money's tight.

After getting bitten in the middle of the night, we realized the whole room had bed bugs. I told reception, and we checked three other rooms, but they were infested too. We left at 1am without a refund, and I ended up sleeping in the car with my wife and son. I've never stayed in such a dirty hotel. They'd also charged me extra for parking when I checked in.

Nothing about the room matched the photos. It was awful, really dirty, and smelled strongly unpleasant. I couldn't stay and left straight away. A horrible experience I won't repeat.