Ibis Brussels Centre Gare du Midi

The three-star Ibis Gare du Midi, which faces Brussels’ main train station, is a mammoth 225-room chain hotel. Orderly and bright, it does what business hotels are supposed to do, offering very clean, comfortable rooms at an appealing rates.

Because the building was originally built 20 years ago as a luxury hotel, the rooms at this Ibis are much larger than those at comparable budget hotels. Wooden parquet floors extend from the pleasant bedroom into the squeaky-clean bathroom. The light wooden dressers and wide beds are new, clean and unremarkable. All rooms are equipped with air conditioning and satellite television. The hotel is also completely wheelchair accessible, with ramps, elevators and seven designated rooms.

The Ibis Gare du Midi is a solid business hotel, complete with meeting rooms. With its 24-hour reception and extreme proximity to the train station, the hotel makes a good base for travelers arriving late or leaving early. That being said, the surrounding area is less than inspiring. Though close to Marolles and Saint Gilles, the hotel’s immediate vicinity has very little to offer. At the same time, there is constant train and car traffic, so the rooms facing the street can be quite noisy, even at night.

While the rates are reasonable considering the hotel’s central location, all the other services are extra. Wi-Fi is and extra (somewhat pricey) fee, as is breakfast.