dadig

Was looking forward to returning here. Also very disappointed

RAPC

Thoughts with the staff first and foremost.

Fond memories of a bmi weekend or two at this place as well. The old brown and gold bathroom decor was special in some of the old suites!

uxb

I think they can salvage the building. It just needs to be gutted. The only improvement they made in all the years I've been around was to the lobby and the addition of vending machines that billed direct to room. Big waste of money.

skrosvik

Outdated old hotel with awful food.

Still, a great option and great Plat treatment: huge suites (even 2-bedroom suites were in the Plat upgrade pool), and complimentary beer and wine all day in their bar whn the lounge was closed during holidays and low occupancy periods. Great weekend rates as well.

I will miss this hotel

accidental_tourist

In sensitive situations like this, lurkers have to stick to the official statement from Communication. But as a long term client of this hotel, some facts here for those interested (as my "RIP" message to the property):

* Fault is clearly with the building owner, who invested ZERO to renovate the property in the last 20 years (the record I have ever heard. In my mind, capex cycle of a hotel is 3-5 years)
* That explains the sorry state of the standard guest rooms - shockingly out of line with the Sheraton brand standard. Upstairs (Club Floor and Suite) clients fare slightly better, but as you can see from some videos online of those suites, they're like time capsules from the end 80's.
* Staff did an amazing job making an otherwise unsellable property friendly and warm, in particular to the Platinums. Yes, those suites are time capsules but I am happy with a 100m² time capsule when on long-term missions...
* Imagine the faces of Marriott post-merger team when they inspected this property... "we must save the Sheraton brand!"
* Ugly negotiation ensued, with Marriott managers demanding a 50MM EUR minimal upgrade capex to requalify the hotel for the Sheraton brand.
* Capex amount is high because the building is filled with asbestos - OK if you just leave it there, but when you renovate...
* Owner played poker game with Marriott, filing first for bankruptcy protection in Sept, then suddenly withdrawing the re-org petition last Friday (Dec 9).
* Marriott managers resigned en masse Saturday, leaving hotels with only operational staffs keeping a brave face, and keeping the doors open.
* Despite high expectation, nothing happened Monday except the trade union protest on the front door.
* Bankruptcy officially pronounced Tuesday, with 2 receivers immediately appointed by the judge. Receivers arrived on-site 14.00 to discuss with operational managers how to switch off the lights. Loyal customers are advised, in private, to leave early to avoid messy check-out the next day. (which I did)
* Wednesday 12.00 - last check-out of clients. Hotel lights off evening.

I feel sad above all for the staff. They did a really brave job fighting, till the very end, for a hotel probably impossible to save. But at the end they got the short end of the stick, right before Christmas.

Starwood group did the right thing by paying December salaries (13th month included), but that is just what they have earned this year (they worked honestly till Dec 14, for crying out loud). Any severance discussion will likely hang on for months if not years, with both the owner company and the management company in bankruptcy.

Welcome to Fair Trade movement, Brussels style!

Plumber

I will miss this hotel. Lots of memories here....

I first stayed here when I was 9 years old. I had lived in BRU for 3 years with my family due to my fathers work. It was summer of 1974 and we were moving back to Canada. It was customary for us to spend the last couple of weeks at a posting in a hotel while our house was being packed up. We stayed at the shiny new Sheraton Brussels! It was pretty awesome and was my first introduction to Sheraton. I am now a LT Platinum SPG member.

Of course BRU is a much different place today. But i have been back to the Sheraton many times, usually for work in the city or I would stay there while attending a conference.

My last visit was just over a year ago- a one night stop in BRU with my wife on our way back to Canada from NCE. We were given a warm welcome and a huge suite. I spoke with the GM who reminded me that the hotel opened in 1973.

Very sad for the employees- I hope they all land well!

thomas199023

Very sad indeed. Staff were always very nice. I too remember the massive two bedroom suite upgrades. I remember talking to Starwood executive staff about this property many years ago. Even back then, they said, in order to get it up to standards, it needs to be demolished and re-build, as they couldn't do much with all the asbestos around.

BTW does anyone know what happend to the other hotel (the "Thon") next door that shared the building with them? Is it closing down as well?

nevansm

Waiting to see the first SPG loyalist who blames this on the Marriott merger.

Oxon Flyer

I would sincerely hope that all SPG members who have ever stayed here and know the property, its staff and its long history, and understand the devastating effect of the terrorist attacks on the city, will be directing their minds in a rather more thoughtful and reflective manner.

uxb

They had a new lobby when I checked in back in June, so they didn't invest zero. They invested zero in the guest rooms.

The furniture was from the 60s, and the kitchenettes in the suites dated back to the 50s. The electrical dates further back to the Marshall Plan.

Is this fact or hyperbole? If fact, then Marriott may have much larger problems on their hands.

Even though I didn't state it in my original response, I do feel sorry for employees. The hotel operator, not so much. There was at least two multi-billion dollar refreshes of Sheraton during my brief decade stint as a guest. Where that money went at this property is anyone's guess.

365RoadWarrior

This was my go-to hotel for many years, when Brussels Airlines (and Sabena) were my connections to work in Africa. I was scheduled for 12-18 December, but ultimately opted for my new (three years now) standard, the Hilton Brussels City. I was across Place Rogier as all this played out, apparently. I'm trying to conjure up good memories of the Sheraton, but only disturbing thoughts of the Club Lounge and fitness center come immediately to mind. That said, I was treated well there.

St Francis

This is such a shame. I have stayed here 170 times in the last 14 years, it was a bit of a home from home and a lot of the staff were - are - personal friends. Any inconvenience I've had with rebooking hotels is small compared to being out of work at Christmas, even in Belgium where the social safety net is wider than most.

Canada101

Stayed at this property several times over the years. The rooms were definitely from a bygone era but the staff were amazing. A really sad ending. My thoughts and prayers go out to the staff who will hopefully find somewhere to land.

I echo the comments about how the terrorist attacks have impacted Brussels. I was in the city earlier this year and heard from more than one local how things haven't yet really recovered from a tourism perspective.

Antonio8069

^^

Well said. I can add that the reason for the bankruptcy had nothing to do with the terrorist attacks, the decline of tourism to BRU, etc. It was because of a dispute between the owners and Starwood&Marriott over the costs of asbestos removal i.e. FT was on the right track in pointing to the lack of renovations over the years.

As for the employees, their rights under Belgian law are only protected if the closure lasts less than six months.