Brussels Hotel Recommendation

I%26#39;m about to visit Brussels (and Brugge) for the first time. It%26#39;s just a quick trip--a day in each city--so I%26#39;d like to get a recommendation on lodging that is centrally located for the usual tourist things.

I will be arriving at Brussels Midi on the Thalys train and departing on the Thalys for Cologne. It seems like a hotel near Midi makes sense but I don%26#39;t know if that%26#39;s the best neighborhood for sightseeing. I don%26#39;t stay near Paris%26#39; Gare du Nord. Would it be better to stay somewhere near the City Centre and take taxis to and from Midi?

Any suggestions for hotels would be appreciated. While you%26#39;re at it, are there any must try restaurants?

The same hotel/restaurant info on Brugge would also be appreciated.

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I think you%26#39;d better with a hotel close to the Grand Place. It%26#39;s a more convenient location, and a more pleasant one, as the Midi neighbourhood is charmless if not a bit seedy. In order to give you more advice, please specify your hotel needs as well as your budget!

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Hello,

I would definitely suggest you take Brussels Central Station and not Midi. It%26#39;s just a small walk away from the Grand Place and - if you%26#39;re not particularly looking for a quaint hotel - nearby you have (among others) an Ibis Hotel. I%26#39;ve stayed there once and I was quite happy with the room and the service. It is exactly what you%26#39;d expect from an Ibis hotel: clean and affordable. ibishotel.com/ibis/…fiche_hotel.shtml

I always enjoy eating at La roue d%26#39;or: http://www2.resto.be/rouedor/default.htm

It%26#39;s a typical brasserie with well-prepared traditional French and Belgian dishes.

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Don%26#39;t stay near Midi, take a local train one stop to Gare centrale which will cost nothing since your Thalys ticket covers you to any station in Brussels (agglomération).

The closest hotel to Gare centrale is the Méridien, but there are lots of others in the area, see list on the left: Ibis %26quot;Off Grand%26#39; Place%26quot;, Novotel ditto, Madeleine, Le Dixseptième, ...

Look in Brugge forum for TA members%26#39; hotel recommendations - again, list will be on the left.

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