Studio Filo

We stayed five nights in studio #11. The owners were responsive overall and sent me useful details beforehand. They’re really nice people, and the studio itself is modern, clean, nicely furnished, and has good colors. The location and parking are good, and there’s plenty of cutlery, towels, and glasses. There’s no dishwasher, but that wasn’t a big deal compared with the other problems. The main reason I chose the place was its “decent Wi-Fi,” but the connection was a total rip-off. I could barely keep one phone and a computer connected. It was unstable, painfully slow, kept disconnecting, and wouldn’t even open a web page. I have no mobile data in Belgium, and when I’m back in my room I expect to be able to text or email. I contacted the owners, but they didn’t fix it. Another Wi-Fi password didn’t work either, and I got tired of asking. I ended up spending $30 on mobile data, which made me extremely mad. The first morning, the water heater was broken, so I had a cold shower. I texted the owner and he came to fix it, which was nice. The next day the shower cap cable broke while I was using warm water. My boyfriend fixed it, but it still leaked. We couldn’t sleep more than five hours a night. The studio was unbearably hot, and with the windows open we heard the street, including cars, motorbikes, and people talking. It has no soundproofing at all, and we could hear every conversation and footstep in the hallway. I’m a heavy sleeper, but didn’t get one peaceful night. Please get an AC device or something. It’s a nice place, so I’d start at five stars. One off for the broken Wi-Fi, one for the heat and no AC, and another for all the noise. That leaves two. Thanks for the service, but there’s still a lot to improve.

The studio is dated, with windows that won’t close and broken light bulbs. The neighbors were very noisy, shouting and disturbing us until 4:30 am. I absolutely don’t recommend it.

Getting in was easy: they sent us a video with the access and entry codes. After that, though, the apartment was nearly uninhabitable. There was mold, dust, stains on the floor, walls, and bathroom, and sewer smells. The toilet seat was broken, the faucet loose, the shower head leaked, and the mattress smelled of stale tobacco. There are no shutters, only curtains, so light from the street lamps comes in at night, and daylight gets in too. The window faces the street, but it doesn’t close properly and there’s no soundproofing. You can hear the many noisy passersby, especially with the grocery store at the foot of the building bringing constant comings and goings. Pathetic. Never again!

The studio is in a great spot, near the highway but still quiet. Getting in is easy with the door code, so you can arrive whenever. There’s a small kitchenette and a fridge. The big problem was the cold. In November, there was no heating in the bathroom, and the studio heating was set to frost protection. It takes hours to warm up. The foam mattress is also much too soft.