Our return flight leaves Brussels at 10:30 on a Wednesday. I thought it would be a great idea to book a hotel near the airport .... until I saw the prices of the rooms! Not in our budget! Any suggestions for a less expensive option - B & B near the airport or hotel in city near the train station? What makes the most sense? Thanks in advance!
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7889 posts
It is true that traffic around Brussels can be positively "American" on a weekday morning. But because there is rail service to the Airport, I see no reason why you cannot stay in Brussels - if you can handle your own luggage on the train. (There are modern elevators at BRU to the train station.) If you are in a car, you might consider Leuven for your last night. It's a lovely city, with an important university, a pretty Begijnhof, and food prices kept low by student customers! It's about 20 minutes from BRU, without entering Brussels. I also love Mechelen, which is (by car) even closer to BRU, but not as much to see as Leuven. I was in Mechelen last Thursday, and several of the best museums are closed for construction. However, on September 24, a very important exhibit on Rik Wouters, a Belgian "fauve" from Mechlen opens there. I have taken the direct bus from Antwerp ("De Decker - Van Riet", from De Keyserlei street stop, also stops at Crown Plaza by the inner ring, Antwerp) to BRU a few times, but it's only once an hour, takes an hour, and is subject to highway delays. I think it would be safe to take the 6AM bus for a 10:30 plane, but you are right that there is some risk. When I was at BRU last Saturday morning the check-in lines were very long.