Sleep WellEditor's Pick

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Located right behind the City2 Mall, just one block away from a popular shopping street, Sleep Well is a 92-room hostel not far from the hip Sainte Catherine quarter. With in-house concerts and exhibitions, the Sleep Well is a fun place to stay, whether you’re a backpacker sleeping in a dorm or a budget traveler opting for a private room.

The dorms are Spartan, each furnished with bunk beds, lockers (bring your own padlock) and a desk containing a Bible. The manager assured us that a major renovation is planned for March 2011—and it seems due. Some may call the cement-floored rooms and faded wall paint “industrial chic;” others might balk at the institutional-looking closed-circuit televisions in the hallway, intended for the guests’ safety. On the flip side, the single rooms are some of the most affordable for solo travelers in the city, and have en-suite bathrooms that are clean, albeit rather worn.

Using only green electricity, the Sleep Well is one of the few hotels in Belgium that have won the Belgian government’s Eco-Dynamique certificate. The lobby and lounge area are cheery, featuring comic strip murals inspired by Brussels’s landmarks. There is also a lovely terrace where the crowd often spills out during the summer months. But if you’re feeling anti-social, yes, there is also free Wi-Fi.

The proximity to both Botanique and Sainte Catherine is priceless. As it is equidistant from two major train stations, this could also be a good jumping-off point for your European odyssey.

Breakfast is included. Note that the hostel imposes a lockout between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

» C H Kwak

Note: This hotel was visited by a EuroCheapo editor and is recommended based on cleanliness, location, price and overall quality. EuroCheapo did not charge this hotel to be listed.