Novotel Charleroi Centre

The bar staff were fantastic and served us a great dinner on both nights. The food was solid, though the chef should try his own sauce au poivre. That’s the only reason this stay gets two stars instead of one. I booked as an Accor member because we were flying in and out of Charleroi airport and wanted somewhere comfortable for my family. I paid almost twice what most nearby hotels were asking, hoping for an easy stay. Instead, the construction next door meant drilling at 8:42 PM and again at 650 AM, when we needed to sleep before a flight. I know the hotel isn’t responsible for the work, but reception should explain it right away and guests should be told in advance. Saying the workers are only allowed to work early and late in the day was a terrible excuse. This was my least comfortable Accor stay so far.

The suite had a good amount of space, plus a balcony and a kitchenette with a microwave. The living area and bedroom need more privacy, though. A voile partition doesn’t do much; thick curtains or a fixed sliding chinese screen divider would work better. The layout fell short of the excellent Novotel suite standards we’ve experienced in Grenoble, Buckinghamshire, and South West England. Rachel at reception was very helpful when we arrived on 24th October. The man on duty the morning of 27th October was much less helpful when I asked for a late checkout because my travel had been delayed.

The front desk and bar staff were excellent, and the room was large, warm, quiet, and clean. We had clean sheets, a clean bathroom, and two towels per person, with two towel racks to dry them on. They say you get 100 extra points each day if you choose not to have the room serviced. Room 345 had its sink inside the bathroom, and we didn’t have breakfast. The area felt safe despite what I’d read online, and the location was perfect. The one downside was that the windows don’t open, so there was no fresh air, even though the ventilation was good.

The staff were the best people I met in all of Belgium, kind and helpful, just perfect. Things weren’t 100%, but the people working there were 300% in my opinion. I recommend Novotel Charleori, especially room 476! 😉