Originally Posted by
lalala
But not the gare midi. The gare midi is still a tram ride from the gare centrale and not an easy one to navigate if you have never done it.
Yeah, but the regular IC train from the Hague calls first at Nord / Noord, then at Central / Centraal and finally at Midi / Zuid station - it usually takes 2:10 hrs to get from Den Haag to Central / Centraal. Only the THALYS goes straigt to Midi / Zuid (and then non-stop to Paris), and takes 1:59 hours from Den Haag. So it's a no brainer really if you're not staying next to Midi / Zuid station in Bruxelles (and who would?!). Save some cash, take the IC train, book Le Meridien, get off at Central / Centraal station.
FWIW, there's a Metro station right below the Sheraton Brussels ("Rogier"). One station from Nord/Noord station on the "premetro" line. No need to walk (I find the areas around both main train stations in Brussels are extremely seedy).
Tom