Jacques Brel Youth Hostel Brussels (Youth Hostels in Brussels in general)

Member Name: buttonman

Product:	Youth Hostels in Brussels in general
Date:	22/04/02 (1427 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Clean,cheap

Disadvantages: Tempremental locks

It's only three weeks since I last visited Brussels with the good lady where we enjoyed the luxurious surroundings of the Hilton hotel. For this visit however things were going to be different. This time my fellow travellers were nine kilted and boozy Scotsmen and our accommodations had been booked at the Jacques Brel youth hostel.

Arranging the rooms had been relatively easy. Although you can't book online they do take e-mail enquiries and bookings. They didn't want any groups over five so we booked as a four and a five and happily they took our booking. The online information we had for the place was sparse but I was told not to worry, as we'd be too drunk to notice the rats anyway!

The location of the hostel is pretty good; being on the west side of the 'Petite ring' that circles the city. It is a short walk from the Botanique Metro station and a 10 Euro (£6) cab fare from the Gare Midi where the Ryan Air bus drops you off. We arrived at 12 midnight much the worse for wear having cleared the trolley dolly's whole supply of lager. I had carried out a spying mission on our last visit so I was able to pin point the location up a side street with only major wrong turns being taken. If you're heading there seek out the Charlie Chaplin pub and your getting warm.

The main door to the hostel is a large metal gate that leads into a courtyard complete with fountain - ideal for soaking your fellow travellers. I can't actually remember how we got through but there was probably a buzzer so something. Once in the only staff member on duty was the bar man who seemed to be expecting us as he had our bed linen on the bar where greasy students could rest their weary heads. Check in seemed to take ages but we got our key cards and linen together with directions to the fourth floor.

The rooms were surprisingly good. Each is private and has either two or three single beds. The beds are prison issue with rubber ma
ttresses but the cleanliness couldn't be faulted. Along with a fitted sheet and pillowcase you also get a rough blanket that seems to be Napoleonic war surplus. The rooms were surprisingly spacious and a friend who has experience of such places said they normally cram four people into a similar space elsewhere. There are also ample cupboards and drawers, which can be locked with your own padlock if you have something worth stealing.

The shower room was very nice and again private. A 'wet room' style shower room all is contained in own futuristic style plastic area. This was a bit if a pain as the water runs all over the floor and onto your discarded garb. The water was hot and fast flowing and again it was very clean. No towels supplied though so remember to pack one! The overall security was first rate with strong secure doors on every level. The keycards supplied seemed temperamental, as we couldn't get in on our second night. We never really got a reason why but it meant we had a night all crammed together - imagine the smell!

We didn't really use the facilities much but they seemed pretty good. There were three vending machines as well as a beat up ping-pong table that could be used in an emergency. It also has a phone as well as an e-mail terminal. The bar seemed quite lively with the cheap booze the most likely suspect. The website http://www.laj.be/en/hostels/brussels_brel.htm give details of all other facilities but you'll have to take it's word on most of these as we were too busy devouring ten litre mitres of lager. The picture on the site make it look a bit stuffy but it was in fact fresh and modern and a real eye opener. The prices we paid per night varied but it averaged out at around 18 Euros per head per night. This is about £10 and that must be a bargain in anyone's book.

On leaving we were fined 5 Euros each for not having a Youth Hostelers' card but I think we were picked on for not hav
ing goatee beards and Jack Kerouac books! The clientele seemed largely European apart from a girl from Lerwick who asked that we didn't show our country up - as if! Not quite the lap of luxury but for cheap, secure and clean accommodations you could do a lot worse than give Jacques a call.

Summary: