Kungsgatan 70, 111 20 Stockholm, Sweden, Sweden | (937) 315-4602
Located in heart
of Brussels, five minutes' walk from Centraal Station
Grand,
traditionally styled facade
Inner atrium with
glass elevators
Good breakfast
buffet included in rate
Finnish sauna and
top-floor fitness room
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Kids' activities and menu
Five simple, modern meeting rooms
Decor in need of
refresh
Lacking any
personality or charm
Interiors can feel gloomy
The Scandic Hotel Grand Place is marketed as an upscale hotel, but there's clearly a lot of room for improvement. At best the property is mid-range, with interiors that are clean and modern with a chain-hotel feel. Many of the guest rooms are gloomy, bland, and in need of a makeover, and the hallways are undeniably dismal. The location right in the heart of Brussels, however, is excellent, and the hotel's Finnish sauna and brasserie are both pluses. Ultimately, though, there are other hotels in the area that deliver more style at about the same price-point -- travelers could check out the NH Grand Place Arenberg just around the corner, for example. THIS HOTEL WILL BE CLOSING ON NOVEMBER 30, 2017.
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Scene
Grand, weather-worn facade with modern but characterless interiors
Built in 1992 and totally renovated in 2001, the Scandic Hotel Grand Place is housed in a traditionally styled building with a weather-worn gray stone facade, ornate wrought iron balconies, and a stately and formal bearing. Stepping inside through a pair of sliding glass doors, the feel is immediately more modern and relaxed, though lacking much in the way of any real character or charm. There's also little in the way of natural light beyond the skylight in the central atrium, which nicely illuminates the top-floor fitness center but leaves the interiors with a slightly gloomy aspect -- though the glass-fronted elevators looking out over the inner courtyard do lend some drama to the scene. The ambience is hushed and fairly anonymous, offering practically nothing in the way of personality or pizzazz.
Location
Set in the center of Brussels five minutes' walk from Centraal Station
The hotel is situated on a historical and largely commercial street a block from the main high-street shopping area in central Brussels. Most of the city center's attractions are well within walking distance, including the main market square of Grand Place which is five minutes away on foot. The are plenty of transport links in the area -- the nearest Metro and Brussels' main Centraal Station are about a five-minute walk away. The famous fountain and symbol of the capital, the Manneken Pis is within 10 minutes' walk away, while there are numerous cafes, bars, and restaurants in the surrounding area. Brussels Airport is about nine miles from the hotel, or just a 20-minute cab ride or 50-minute ride on public transport.
Rooms
Simple, modern rooms with Nordic feel, but many are dated and gloomy
The hotel has 100 rooms in total, all of which are decorated in a simple, modern style with wooden floors and a vaguely Nordic flavor. The Superior Rooms have more of a classic feel, though also more dated, with signature headboards and slightly worn wooden furnishings. Bathrooms are clean and adequately equipped, with shower/tub combos, though still fall short of the finish to be expected from a hotel at this level. All rooms have air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, (poorly stocked) minibars, and flat-screen TVs with satellite channels -- Superior Rooms also offer tea and coffee facilities. Windows are often tinted, which reduces already low levels of natural night, and are locked shut.
Features
Finnish sauna, and brasserie serving breakfast and Belgian beer
The hotel's Eken brasserie sits at the bottom of the lofty atrium and serves a free, ample buffet breakfast with healthy cereals each morning. The eatery is also open for lunch and dinner and, together with the bar, serves a range of Belgian beers, sandwiches, and vegetarian options. On-site health facilities include a Finnish sauna and fitness room -- located at the very top of the building and nicely lit thanks to the atrium skylight. However, the sauna is sometimes kept cool until guests request to use it, so it can take a while to heat up and may feel inadequately heated. W-Fi is also available free of charge throughout.
