MisterNice

About 5 months ago the booze and food started to removed sharply at 830 PM. Booze can be obtained from 830-1100 PM from the nice concierges until 1100 PM at prices noted on a drink menu on each table A glass of wine last week was 8 euros at about 1030 PM. FWIW I really miss those comp afternoon Belgian beers here.

MisterNice

lonman

This is one of the hotels that Hilton is allowing someone else to manage, in preparation of probably selling them. The lounge policy changed this summer to limited happy hours and breakfast times, as well as reduced hours on the weekends. Very disappointing. You could get really good prices on the weekends (99 eur) and, get room upgrades and enjoy the lounge for hours on end as well as free internet access. Guess that's probably why the opted to change the rules. Its such a big hotel with 25+ plus floors, it must be a fortune to manage.

flyupfront

Hats off to the Hilton Brussels. My wife and I just returned from a long weekend stay there--3 nights on an award ticket.

We arrived early following our overnight flight from the states. Expecting to have drop off our bags and wander around the city for a few hours until a room was ready we were surprised to be personally escorted to an upgraded suite by the on duty manager. He was gracious and seemed genuinely happy to welcome us to the hotel. Even though check in time is 3pm, he immediately offered us access to the Executive Lounge so we could have a nice breakfast.

Throughout our stay the lounge and concierge people were great (ok, one of the lounge matrons was a little rough around the edges).

We loved the location--but don't mind walking a bit. Great weekend getaway made even better by the hospitality of the Brussels Hilton. They definitely exceeded our expectations.

^^

River in Sight

We also had a terrific stay here in July - had a three night stay and (as a Gold at the time) was upgraded to a very large room with a living/sitting area and an enormous bathroom with a very large tub. Was given c-lounge access -- lounge was very nice, great selection of drinks at night and great breakfast. Lounge staff was great. Everything about this hotel was great, we really enjoyed ourselves.

fromYXU

Any recent stays?

Is the lounge situation unchanged?

Thanks

MacDaddie

I've stayed a few times this year. I don't really like the hotel and think its generally overpriced. I only stay for one night stays, if I'm in brussels more than one night I try to stay at the Renaissance as they have the best hotel gym in Brussels (at least that I'm aware of).

The lounge isn't open on the weekends and it closes fairly early - maybe 10pm during the week. Breakfast starts around 6 or 6:30, not sure which - basically scrambled eggs and some bread, cold cuts and cheese, cereal and fruit - nice view from the lounge.

A few times I've gotten decent rooms, last time I checked in at 1:30 am and got a smoking room - that really didn't sit well with me as I didn't realize it until after I got out of the shower (had basically dropped my stuff and got in the shower entering the room) and gotten into bed - I ended up sleeping on top of a towel on top of the bed. This would sum up why I only stay here for one night maximum and only if its a decent rate.

I think they have a fancy restaurant but I could care less and have never eaten in the restaurant.

Other than getting a stay credit and points and the view from the lounge this hotel is very very forgetable. IMO of course.

GoldCircle

I bagged a rate of €69.50 BB tonight - at the end of a mileage run. I'll update tomorrow.

msnz

The lounge is closed on weekends?? I'm going for a long weekend break soon... I thought on weekends it was open for breakfast and about 6pm-8:30pm for drinks and snacks?

Any recent experience would be greatly appreciated!

Between this and the terrible reviews of the Brussels City property on this forum, it's slim pickings in Brussels... if the lounge is closed on weekends, maybe it's worth going to the City property - more modern rooms, and they don't have a lounge anyway so would be no difference there...

little_dc

I was there a few years back and the lounge was open on the weekend...

Do we know if it is open on Friday nights still?? I have a stay in July

GoldCircle

No sign of a lounge, I'm afraid.

The hotel was unremarkable & of a standard - so much so, that I didn't even bother to take my camera out. Everything was fine.

The room spacious, decor slightly dated, but not offensively so (I had the misfortune to see a suite in the Sheraton - never ever seen anything so nasty in my life), great views of the city, bed was comfortable, tea and coffee in the room but no biscuit/cookie, and the bathroom amenities were the standard La Source variety. No noise problems.

Breakfast was fine, standard Hilton breakfast, though the dining room was too small for the numbers trying to enter.

Check-in was slow as was check-out - not because of numbers, but because the staff were having a laugh with anyone and everyone.

For €69 - 9.5/10

For €169 - 6/10?

msnz

GoldCircle, thanks for reporting back! Very interesting insight!

I was surprised to read that there was no sign of a lounge. From the sounds of it, there didn't appear to be one...? Were you at the Hilton Brussels City or Hilton Brussels? I know the City property does not advertise one but the Brussels one sure does!

fromYXU

Likely was not offered because of his gold status.

MisterNice

As I remember the Hilton Brussels exec lounge is on the 23rd floor directly across from the elevators and it does a nice business and is well run. Also the hilton.om site is selling Exec Rooms for next week etc for about 40 euros more than than the regular rooms. Something seems amiss in this thread

MisterNice

NickB

I was there last month too for a BD mileage run and my experience pretty much mirrors that of GoldCircle. For breakfast, downstairs was full so they sent us to the first floor restaurant, which they use as an overflow area for breakfast. I don't know what it is like in the evening but, as a breakfast room, it is too dark and rather oppressive.

There is an exec lounge but, as a Gold, I have never been upgraded to the exec floor nor given access to the exec lounge, so much so that if I am on a rate that includes breakfast, I no longer bother with hypothetical upgrades and just select the 1K bonus points in My Way (which, incidentally, did not post and I had to claim them from afterwards).

Contrary to many posters here, I think that I prefer the Hilton City property, even though it is a more compact property and has no exec lounge: I have always had nicer rooms there (I much prefer the contemporary style of the rooms and I have always been given a spacious room) and, location wise, it is more convenient both for the airport (train station is very close) and for the city centre (a short walk). I have also found the staff at the City property more friendly but YMMV.

I guess my experience would be different if I were Diamond.

msnz

Official response from Hilton Brussels re- lounge open on weekends or not:

"Thank you for your e-mail.

The Executive Lounge is opened in the weekend from 7.30 AM to 11 AM and from 5PM to 8PM."