Chapel Hill Guy

I currently have 3-night award stays at both the Conrad and the Hilton Brussels and am trying to decide where we will stay. Difference in points doesn't matter. I've read a few threads on these properties.

Conrad: Large, very nice rooms. Very nice and extensive breakfast buffet. No exec lounge, so guessing nowhere to access free Internet?

Hilton Brussels: I spent one night here some time ago and recall the room as OK, but nothing remarkable (no upgrade then). I was also there with my son and this time Chapel Hill Gal is coming along. Are upgrades for diamonds fairly routine? Regular rooms seem to only be queen beds; too small for us. Executive lounge with continental+ breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening drinks and canapes (which some find lacking and others fine). Any computers in lounge one can use?

I would typically always go for the Conrad, but not having a lounge is a big negative to me. Being able to enjoy tea in the afternoon and relax in the evening with a (free) drink or two and munchies overlooking the city is both pleasant and more cost effective than sitting in a Conrad lounge and paying for drinks and an appetizer. How pricey is the Loui Lounge/Bar?

But then after BRU we're headed to the Hilton Amsterdam and I find the rooms there pretty plain (but the lounge nice), so perhaps we should grab the more luxe accommodations at the Conrad in BRU given that the Hilton Amsterdam is more like the Hilton Brussels.

Sorry to ramble. Any thoughts appreciated.

Chapel Hill Guy

Bump.

Think I've decided on the Hilton Brussels (on Blvd. Waterloo). Does anyone have an email address for the hotel or concierge? Can't find anything on their site. Thanks.

clubman

Hi everyone,
Any HH Gold here got any experience with the Hilton Brussels?
Do they tend to upgrade Gold card holders? any Club lounge access?

Thanks

DJC

It's been a year since I last stayed there so practices may have changed but, generally, they do their best to upgrade HHonors Gold members to the executive floor. Last September, the hotel was fully booked when we were there so they were unable to upgrade us but still provided us with Executive Lounge access which meant complimentary continental breakfast and evening cocktails.

Regardless of the Gold perks, this remains one of my favourite Hiltons around the world. The location is very good and the views are excellent, given the hotel's position on top of a hill. The staff are also very helpful - I had a situation once where BMI had lost my luggage and the concierge took it into his own hands to keep contacting the airline to determine the status of my missing bag and leave me to be out and about. When he found out that my bag was arriving on the last flight the day after I arrived but that BMI were not prepared to deliver it until the following morning (meaning I would have been without my luggage for almost 48 hours), he dispatched a hotel car to collect it at no cost to me. Really outstanding service, I thought.

All of the sights and the Metro are all within a short walking distance so I think you will enjoy your stay there very much. I'm always very happy every time I'm there.

clubman

Thanks DJC, sound to me like a good place to stay!
Was your upgrade from a standard room?
And does it make any difference whatsoever (as far as my Gold perks are concerned) if I book the hotel through Expedia or directly with Hilton?

waytogo

I was wondering the same thing, does it make a difference as far as the hotel is concerned and the way they will treat you as a Gold HH, if you book it through Expedia or any of the other online (or not) booking services?

Does anyone know?

Vanessa

It won't make a difference to the way you are treated - you will still get the benefits associated with Gold membership.

If you book a package (ie including flights) and not just a room through Expedia, you won't be eligible to earn HH points on your room rate, only for your incidentals.

waytogo

Thanks Vanessa, but what about Expedia special rates?
I quote from Expedia website:
'Award points and airline mileage may not be awarded when booking an Expedia Special Rate hotel'

Any idea?

clubman

My (and mrs. Clubman) upcoming stay next week at the Hilton Brussels will be my first as a Gold member, and I just received this email from the hotel:


I assume this is a standard generic email they send out to any HH Gold before a stay, but there is no mention of any room upgrades or Free breakfast, do they normally not mention anything about that in these emails?

clubman

Well just got back from there, and I think it was excellent.
I booked a standard room with and booking well in advance got a rate of 113 Euro for the room (£75)
At check in we were told we have privet check in on the 24th floor, so we went up there and checked in the executive lounge.
They upgraded us to an executive room on the 22nd floor, nice room, great jet shower and separate bath, massive super king size bed, extremely comfortable, with great duvet.
Water and fruit in the room, and a personal welcome note from the manager.
Executive lounge was very nice, with fruit, cake, snacks, and drink throughout the day.
I must say though, the lounge is fairly small and was busy, despite the girl telling me that the executive floors were just 45% occupied (being holiday season etc) and that they are normally 90%-100% full.
I can’t imagine what the lounge must look like in the evenings when they are full!
As HH gold, we also got a free American buffet breakfast downstairs (or could have had the continental in the lounge) which is very good and normally charged at 33 Euro per person.

I don't know what the Conrad is like, but as the rate there was £50 dearer and they don't have an executive lounge, the Hilton would definitely be my choice next time round again.

MisterNice

We must of been there at the same time and I had a nice 108 euro rate for 5 days. My shower had 6-8 shower heads. Wow! I agree with almost all your comments. I too ate downstairs but they added the charge each day. The Exec Lounge or the FD personnel readily removed it when I requested it. As a Diamond, I was given a great suite in the 18th floor and a bottle of wine etc too. Also note they added "high speed internet" wired and wireless to the rooms in Nov 2005 for about 27 euros 200 PM to 200 PM. The normal room pillows are crap, but I had room service deliver some wonderful down pillows to my room. Very nice. They permit smoking in the smaller 2 areas of the exec lounge but not in the bigger comfy area. Sometimes the nasty tobacco smoke drifts and is disagreeable.

One other very nice thing is there is a *FREE* internet terminal in the executive lounge and it works great for checking your email. A note by it sez limit your usage to 20 min or less and most people did. If you use the internet terminal in the business office on the 28th floor (yes, the 28th floor) they ding you 5 euros for 15 min. One last note is they checked your room number almost each day. I love being served champagne with a strawberry on the rim of the glass. Class act and the champagne was quite good. ditto for the s-berry.

MisterNice

paul_nl

On the web-site there are pictures of the club-lounge. Is the lounge open on weekends and does it have open bar and snacks?

Chapie

I was at the hilton city center a few weeks ago and can recomend that property. Great Staff and decent location....

Wexflyer

I have an upcoming stay at the Brussels Hilton and wonder what is the "best" way to get there from Brussels airport? Here "best" means some combination of price/convenience. I know there is a train connection from the airport into one of the central stations, but it still looks like quite a hike to the hotel? How much would a taxi from the airport run? Any suggestions/comments welcome.

nomad1974

Hi

I do this trip often. A taxi costs around €30 and is the most *convenient* way of getting to the Hilton.

You can also take the train to the Central Station but yes, it's quite a hike from there. Best way by train would be to take it to Brussels South (Midi/Zuid) and then change to the Metro, taking Line 2 direct 3 stops to Louise. From there it's 2 mins walk to the hotel.

Useful links: www.brusselsairport.be and www.stib.irisnet.be