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You won't be able to answer the question: "Which is better, Belgium's beer or its chocolate?" at a Hostel in Belgium, but you'll be able to debate the issue endlessly with the like-minded travelers that you'll meet staying in a hostel.

Belgium is sometimes considered more of a footnote to Europe than a major travel destination, but as anyone who has spent anytime sampling the aforementioned beer and chocolate can tell you, any time spent in Belgium is not wasted.

Hostels can be a good way to save some money for that beer, although competition between travelers for beds in certain parts of Belgium can be intense.

Hostels in Brussels, for example, are somewhat limited—hotels are much more common—but by booking ahead of time you can save a bundle and have a certain peace of mind that you've grabbed one of Belgium's beds.

Although many travelers choose to visit the more historic nearby towns with intact historic centers, Brussels is overloaded with hotels because of its role as a business center in the city and in Europe, but luckily for the independent traveler, business conferences and meetings are not as common in the summer, so the price drops a bit. This may be the only city in Europe where the busy season is not the summer!

Belgium's hostel options may be somewhat limited, but the accommodations are of high quality and at a reasonable rate. Rooms in Brussels start around 19 Euros for a bed in a dorm-style room. Compare that to the average hotel that costs almost 50 Euros and is located farther from the tourist sights.

Even the dorm-style rooms in Belgium's hostels are usually separated by gender and valuables can often be locked up or stowed with management while you are out touring the city. In Belgium's smaller, outlying towns like Ghent and Leuven, that tour may bring you back face to face with travelers you met while staying at the hostel.

Few hostels in Belgium force you to live on their schedule with a wake-up call or curfew. In Belgium you'll find that the entertainment is centered around visiting and talking with friends—sometimes in many languages—and the real joy of Belgium is in meeting new people and sharing experiences. This can happen between generations now as more and more travelers are sacrificing the daily change of towels in a hotel in favor of the more down to earth flavor of a hostel.

Hostels in Belgium are scarce, but not impossible to book, and starting to plan your trip early is key. By getting your reservation in early you can be sure that you have a bed in a room with people who will become close friends sharing information about the country's best chocolate, beer, and if you're extremely brave, chocolate beer.