B&B The Nest
European Quarter, Bruxelles
8/10
Last modified: 08/11/2020
I travel quite a bit for business and mostly to big cities in Europe. However, these can be expensive, some more than others, so it can be difficult to find accommodation which justifies the price you are paying per night.
I have struggled to find good accommodation in Brussels, a place which is comfy, has friendly service, good breakfast and most importantly, clean rooms. Depending on where the meetings are you are limited to a certain area of the city, unless you do want to make the effort and take on a longer journey in the morning to get to your meeting. As I prefer to sleep in and not spent too much time on overcrowded public transport, I do try to get accommodation in close vicinity of the meeting.
Location
The European quarter in Brussels is very expensive and room prices in good hotels, such as the Sofitel or the Aloft often start at 200 Euros per night, without breakfast. If you can book ahead of time, that's great and will get you better prices in these hotels, however, if you need to be more flexible, prices can soar up quite quickly, leaving you with only limited options.
A little while back I found a Bed a Breakfast which is just a couple of minutes walk from the train station Gare du Luxembourg. B&B The Nest, is located in the Rue Wayenberg and only has three rooms available, one single room and two double rooms and is run by Julie, her husband and their two children, who also live in the charming old house which they have tastefully renovated.
You can find The Nest on booking.com but I would recommend you to contact them directly via e-mail (hello@thenestbrussels.be) for room availabilities. Julie speaks French and English fluently and is a very kind and energetic person who will gladly assist you with any inquiries you might have. Their room rates come with breakfast and are cancellable up to three days before the arrival date.
Ixelles, a district of Brussels, is in walking distance and is known for its many restaurants and bars. If you are up for it, you can walk to Tero's in Châtelain in about 25 minutes and Place Jourdan ist just a five-minute walk away. Place Jourdan is actually a nice market place in the European quarter, with a supermarket, a pharmacy as well as many restaurants (such as Origine) and bars.
So, even if the next subway station (Trône) is about 15 minutes walk away, there are many things to discover right around the B&B. If you do not like to walk, there is a bus stop just up the road. However, I would recommend you to take the time to explore Brussels on foot, the walking distances are still manageable and you often find charming little places while walking around.
The B&B
Breakfast at the B&B includes freshly brewed coffee, tea, bread, some charcuterie and cheese, yogurt, fresh fruit, cereal and jam. You can also press yourself some fresh orange juice or boil an egg. It is served in a small breakfast room on the main floor and you can help yourself to whatever you like. The selection is small and more or less the same each day but it is more than sufficient and I enjoy my breakfast and especially the excellent coffee each time.
For your convenience you can also find a little kitchen downstairs, stocked with a fridge, kettle and coffee maker. The B&B offers tea for free and coffee, soft drinks as well as alcoholic beverages are available for purchase at a reasonable price. Dishes and cutlery are also at your disposal during your stay.
The Rooms
Rooms come equipped with a TV, a desk, towels, hair dryer, shampoo and shower gel as well as some bathroom amenities. The single room has a queen-size bed whereas the double rooms have larger beds. One of the double rooms can also be converted into a twin room. Prices range around 105 to 120 Euros per room per night (including breakfast).
B&B vs Hotel
Check-in time is limited from 5.30 pm until 8 pm and check-out is until 10.30 am. Especially the check-in time might a bit restrictive for business travelers but it is actually not uncommon for B&Bs. However, do not hesitate to contact them should you have an issue with your arrival time, and I am sure they will do their best to help you out. And should it happen that you get there a bit early, I recommend you go and grab a coffee at the OR Coffee Bar at Place Jourdan, which serves some of the best coffee in Bruxelles!
Another thing to note is that this is an old house and not an actual hotel and old houses are not completely soundproof and doors and stairs can creek a bit. As the owners live in the house with their family, you can also sometimes hear them. However, most guests as well as the owners are very respectful and do not make much noise.
Also, one of the double rooms looks out onto the street, where there is currently a construction site going on. This might be an inconvenience but it is not within the power of the owners to be able to control such a thing. During my stay, construction works started quite early but as I had an early meeting anyway it wasn't a big deal for me.
Should the above mentioned points not be to your liking, then no worries, maybe this is simply not the place for you and a real hotel, such as the Sofitel might be a better fit for you. However, if you enjoy the cozy feel of old houses, the personal touch that comes with the limited number of rooms available, the caring and helpful nature of people taking you into their home and gladly helping you to find your way around town, than I think you will really enjoy staying at The Nest!
B&B The Nest
IN
- reasonably priced
- only 3 rooms
- old house, tastefully renovated
- charming rooms
- short walk to European quarter and Ixelles
- kind and responsive owners
OUT
- not completely soundproof
- construction site across the street
- 15 to 20 min on foot to next subway station
- restricted check-in times
Yes, there are some restrictions which come with staying at a B&B compared to a hotel but you need to know for yourself whether complete soundproof rooms and very flexible check-in times are a must have for you or not. I for my part do not mind and I usually plan my arrival times to match the check in times. Also, the quality and friendliness of service and the care with which the rooms have been decorated is incredible for the price you are paying. Plus, the cleanliness is top notch and just so much better compared to most hotels, which are often also way more expensive. B&B The Nest is definately one of my favorite places to sleep while staying in Brussels!
B&B The Nest
IN
- reasonably priced
- only 3 rooms
- old house, tastefully renovated
- charming rooms
- short walk to European quarter and Ixelles
- kind and responsive owners
OUT
- not completely soundproof
- construction site across the street
- 15 to 20 min on foot to next subway station
- restricted check-in times
Yes, there are some restrictions which come with staying at a B&B compared to a hotel but you need to know for yourself whether complete soundproof rooms and very flexible check-in times are a must have for you or not. I for my part do not mind and I usually plan my arrival times to match the check in times. Also, the quality and friendliness of service and the care with which the rooms have been decorated is incredible for the price you are paying. Plus, the cleanliness is top notch and just so much better compared to most hotels, which are often also way more expensive. B&B The Nest is definately one of my favorite places to sleep while staying in Brussels!
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