The Hotel Les Ecrins is a cozy one-star budget hotel situated in a 19th-Century townhouse in the heart of Ste. Catherine.

With 262 rooms, the four-star Renaissance Hotel, an outlet of the Marriott Hotel chain, is a mammoth establishment spanning an entire block. Located just around the corner from the European Parliament, the impeccably equipped Renaissance caters mostly to business travelers, but can offer a great value to tourists on weekends.

The three-star Les Bluets Hotel is more of a friendly guesthouse than it is a hotel. With its rustic charm, amiable proprietor and floral prints, Les Bluets is an ideal hotel for vacationers looking for a piece of old European charm. (It’s kind of like staying with the Belgian aunt you never had.)

One block south of the Grand Place—and facing Mannekin Pis, La Vielle Lanterne is a small, family-run budget hotel offering six rooms in a pretty four-story brick building.

The Brussels Welcome Home is a 17-room three-star splurge with an unusual theme.

The four-star NH Stephanie Hotel promises that you will “experience the way you deserve to be treated.” If that holds true, you deserve efficiency and cleanliness, as well as professional, if not cool, reception. Located just around the corner from the Louise Metro stop, the Saint Gilles branch of the NH chain is a competent business hotel.

The Brussels@Heart Guesthouse is a deliciously renovated townhouse located in the outer boundaries of St. Catherine.

The Cristea family has run the two-star Hotel A La Grand Cloche Hotel, smack in the center of Brussels, since 1966. This 36-room property is a good value.

The three-star Bloom! Hotel, newly opened in 2008, offers 300 stylishly decorated rooms and upscale service at a fraction of the rate found at luxury establishments.

The eclectic Hotel Noga is a family-run, three-star hotel situated on a quiet side street in fashionable Sainte Catherine. Just a few minutes’ walk away from the Grand Place, the hotel brims with character.

Combining two-star comfort with the hospitality of a family-run establishment, the Hotel La Legende is a sparkling gem in the heart of the city. Within a 10 minutes’ walk from major tourist attractions and train stations, it provides a good base for both tourists and business traveler.

Austin Powers would feel right at home in the groovy time capsule that is the three-star Hotel Vintage. Located a mere block from the major thoroughfare of Avenue Louise, the Vintage is an intimate boutique hotel that strikes the right balance between comfort and quirk.

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.

The Residence Marie Therese is a five-room bed and breakfast occupying the second and third floor of a bourgeois townhouse built in 1880. Located in residential Ixelles, this homey place provides homespun hospitality in a quiet space away from the bustle of the city.

Situated close to tram and subway lines, the clean, comfortable 46-room Jacques Brel Hostel is a good base for budget-conscious travelers.

Instead of poolside celebrities, you might see a middle-aged German couple in the basement sauna at the three-star Hotel Beverly Hills. The place is unpretentious and comfortable.

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.

The Max Hotel, situated on a busy shopping street in central Brussels, is a cool, modern and unapologetically basic budget hotel. Though technically a one-star hotel (quote the Web site: “who cares?”), its uncluttered design easily exceeds those of most two- and three-star establishments. It’s also super-clean and comfortable—not to mention conveniently located.

Housed in a historic building on the handsome Rue de la Montagne, the two-star La Madeleine hotel is a fine base for the urban traveler.