Base camp for trip to Henri-Chapelle Cemetery

The problem with the Henri-Chapelle cemetery is the fact you need a car to reach it.
When I hear that people are speaking about 'bad reviews' for Liège, I'm always asking where they saw these? And for what reasons?
If it's about the limited knowledge of English ... well that's the case in almost all of the Walloon region.
If it's about the appearance of the city ... well yes there are poor neighborhoods, but completely normal for a rich industry that has completely disappeared.

Tell me more about your likes/dislikes to be able to make you some propositions for a base, and how many days are you talking about?

Perhaps your dad knows where the relative died and so a visit of that part of the battlefield could be an option ...

At an equivalent distance from the cemetery, besides Liège, you will find many other 'tourist' locations, such as Eupen (BE), Maastricht (NL), Aachen (D) and Monschau (D).

Thanks for the response. We will be in the area for 2 or 3 days. The plan is to rent a car once we are in the area, so that is not too much of a concern for where we are staying (except for parking). After looking for alternatives to Liege, I was thinking about Spa. As for what I have heard about Liege, it sounded like it was not as picturesque as other parts of Belgium, is more of a party city, and has a lot of drug usage. I realize that all cities might have their drawbacks, but those seemed like clear negatives to me for our particular vacationing style and group dynamic. In terms of where I saw negative reviews, some on these forums and on Reddit for the most part. We are generally fans of smaller walkable cities, views, good food, the outdoors, and are not partiers.

If you’re visiting the cemetery to see someone, they could be a casualty of heavy fighting in the fall of 44 in the Hurtgenwald, about an hour away. I’ve tromped around that region several times and taken organized battlefield tours. It’s really rural there with small towns, quaint restaurants and a fascinating battlefield. Then you’re not far from the cemetery. Trying to get back to that region in the summer in the next few years.

I have never stayed in Liege or visited the city , only passed through it by train.

Given the opportunity time-wise I would choose to stay in a couple of nights in Liege and explore any of the historical sites through arrangement, if possible, with the Tourist Office.

Forget the reviews, basically not worth allowing them to dictate your decision.

If you have a chance to go Spa, do it, all the more so if you're interested in its history. In WW1 Spa was an important site.

In WW1 Spa was an important site.

Absolutely correct ... but there is also a link with WW2.

Hotel Britannique, housing the German Supreme Army Command (OHL) from March to November 1918, was also the HQ 1st Army of General Hodges from October 44 to March 45.
Today, it's an internship (it served as a hotel until 1958) https://maps.app.goo.gl/mBC8ghokuGAD7q4b6?g_st=ac

Thanks for all the feedback. I am leaning towards staying 1 night in Liege and then decamping to Spa.

Good to know that the building of Hotel Britannique formerly the HQ for OHL is still in existence. I had thought it had been torn down.

Fred,

another important building, Villa Neubois, residence of the German Emperor, Wilhelm II, for several months from 23 April 1918, and also residence of General Bradley in the autumn of 1944 during his stay in Spa, is still there.

Today it is a nursing home (named Chateau Sous-Bois) https://maps.app.goo.gl/NUfKRpjLPgtZnK6L8?g_st=ac

@ Windyram....Thanks for this important historical information on Villa Neubois. More exactly , Spa was the HQ for " OHL- West. "

On the Eastern Front the HQ was "OHL- Ost, " located in Pless (Pszczyna, Poland) in Upper Silesia in the famous Schloß Pleß , another residence of the Kaiser.