Quai du Hainaut 33, Saint-Jans-Molenbeek, Belgium | (618) 248-8274
Hotel/hostel with low rates and hip, industrial decor
Private rooms and dorms with en-suite bathrooms
Four-minute walk to public transportation
Trendy bar and lounge with pool and foosball tables
Communal kitchen for guests' use
Daily breakfast buffet (extra fee)
Laundry facilities on-site
24-hour reception and luggage storage available
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Pet-friendly (extra fee)
15-minute walk to the city center
Attracts groups -- and their noise
Basic rooms with few extras (no coffee-making facilities)
Breakfast not included
Stylish and modern, the lower-middle-range Meininger Hotel Brussels City Center is part hotel, part hostel, with more than 700 beds occupying 150 rooms, which range from private singles to family rooms to 10-bed dorms. Rooms are sparse but trendy, with en-suite bathrooms. The property has a hip on-site bar and lounge, along with laundry facilities and a communal kitchen. Breakfast is available, though it costs extra. Despite its name, the hotel isn't exactly in the city center, which is about a 15-minute walk from the property, and some guests find the immediate area a little sketchy, particularly at night. Dorm rooms attract groups, which leads to some noise complaints. Travelers seeking a hotel closer to the heart of the city may prefer the Hotel Saint Nicolas, though it doesn't offer dorm rooms and decor is basic.
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Scene
Part hotel, part hostel in refurbished brewery with hip, modern decor
The Meininger Hotel Brussels City Center is half hotel and half hostel. The property is situated in a four-story red-brick building, formerly the home of the Bellevue Brewery, which was transformed into a hotel in 2013. Decor is minimalist and modern, with a hip, industrial edge. In the lobby, plush purple seating surrounds an exposed concrete column that's finished with a hanging red-bike. Overhead, tiers of beer bottles create a stylish chandelier. The hotel's bar and lounge are aptly located in the building's former beer cellars, and feature barrel-bottomed tables, murals created by local artists, and more exposed red brick. With private and shared rooms for one to 10 people, the Meininger draws a large share of young flash-packers and backpackers who want digs a step up from the typical hostel. But it also attracts older travelers, too, along with families, couples, and groups.
Location
Along the canal, about a 15-minute walk to the city center
The hotel is situated slightly outside of the city center, which is a 15-minute walk away, right along the canal in the easternmost reaches of the Molenbeek neighborhood. Molenbeek is known for its immigrant communities of Turkish and Moroccan descent, and it gained notoriety during the 2015/16 terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels, though this property sits on its outskirts. The streets immediately surrounding the hotel are industrial and not especially interesting, but across the river -- within a four-minute walk -- guests will find themselves at the start of the popular Dansaertstraat and Rue de Flandre, both of which lead straight to the Grand Place (a 17-minute walk from the hotel). Several transportation options are within a four-minute walk of the hotel. Because there's so little in the immediate vicinity, guests report feeling a little uneasy, especially walking back at night. - Four-minute walk to Porte de Flandre/Vlaamsepoort (Tram 51, Bus 89)
Rooms
Minimalist, modern private rooms and dorms with en-suite bathrooms
Meininger's 150 rooms include both hostel-style dorm rooms and private Singles or Doubles, and Family Rooms with up to six beds, including single, double, and bunk beds. Dorms can have as few as six beds or as many as 10. Women's-only dorms are also available. All rooms, including dorms, have en-suite bathrooms.Rooms tend to be spacious with sparse modern decor featuring wood floors, gray walls, and black and yellow furnishings. Some rooms have murals over the desks. Bathrooms can be small, but they're modern with stylish red tiling behind the sinks. Separate sinks, toilets, and wet-room style showers make bathrooms easy to share (though some guests find the en-suite bathrooms get noisy in dorms). Bathrooms include hairdryers and soap/body-wash dispensers. Towels are not included in dorms, but they can be rented from reception for an extra fee. All rooms include flat-screen TVs, and Wi-Fi is free. Dorm rooms have lockers (guests should bring their own locks) and may have bunk beds. All rooms include bedding. There's in-room AC, but it's not individually controlled. Rooms do not have coffee- or tea-making facilities or mini-fridges, but there is a communal kitchen.
Features
Hip bar and lounge, guest kitchen, and free Wi-Fi
The Meininger offers hostel-style amenities aimed at those intent on hanging out and saving money. The hotel has a hip, industrial-style bar and lounge with lots of hangout space, pool and foosball tables, and a communal guitar. While there's no restaurant, the hotel sells snacks and drinks in the lobby and at the bar, and offers a standard daily breakfast buffet for an extra fee. Guests can also order a packed lunch through the hotel. There's a roomy communal kitchen with a stove, microwave, toaster, and cooking equipment. There's also a washer/dryer available to guests. Reception operates 24-hours, and a luggage storage room is available. The hotel occasionally organizes events, such as bar crawls or tours. For guests in dorms, reception offers towel rentals for a small extra fee. The hotel accepts pets for an extra fee. Wi-Fi is free throughout.
