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Hostels-Brussels

Brussels is famous for its sprouts and its muscles (in the form of Jean-Claud Van Damme) but not really for its hostels.

Hostels in Brussels are a relatively undiscovered secret, a key way to enjoy the beer of Belgium without exhausting your bank account to the point that you can't come back and enjoy it again.

Brussels is the political and business center of Belgium, and the city attracts many conferences and trade shows. These shows fill the city's hotels to the brim with reliable, steady business, so Brussels' hotels are far more common than their youth hostels.

Because business travelers frequent Brussels' hotels most often, there are likely to be many more open rooms in the summer in Brussels. Summer is usually the busy season for tourists, as it is in other cities in Belgium, but in Brussels, you're more likely to find an open room in the summer than at most other times of the year.

As a result of this overabundance of lodging, Brussels hostels are competing with hotels for travelers, and a hostel in Brussels may be as nice or nicer than a hotel in many other parts of Europe. Hostels are competing with hotels in other parts of Europe as well, offering nicer amenities and more services to draw business away from hotels while keeping prices lower so that those on a budget can still afford to get around.

Brussels' hostels are located in the center of the city, often within a short walk of the city's sights. Lodging is also available at a cheaper price a little ways outside the city, so if you don't mind hopping on a bus to start your day, a hostel like the Albert Inn might be the best blend of cost and convenience for you.

Hostels in Brussels start renting shared rooms with bunk-beds at about 19 Euros a night. Prices increase quickly from there for private rooms and rooms in the heart of downtown, but hotel rooms generally start at about 34 Euros a night and only go up from there.

If you're looking to save money on entertainment, La Monnaie opera house is one of the best bargains in Europe, with tickets starting at nine euros if you don't mind breaking out that new pair of binoculars. If you don't have the cash even for that, however, students hanging around the entrance are sometimes admitted free of charge to fill the empty seats and if you see an unclaimed chair that is better than yours just before curtain, you are welcome to make the switch.

If you do go to the opera, don't get caught out late. Some hostels in Brussels have curfews for their guests and lock the doors and go home at a certain hour. Travelers can get locked out, so be sure to check with your hostel manager or one of the staff to make sure that if you do come stumbling in at three am you'll be admitted and allowed to your room.

Hostels in Belgium (Brussels)