Best bargain, warmest staff, excellent location

Pros: price (about $140 for a large double including taxes and breakfast), location (near tons of good restaurants, immediately adjacent to the subway, easy walk to the usual touristy stuff), warm & friendly & HELPFUL staff who all spoke perfect English, comfy bed with high threadcount sheets, excellent breakfast quality, airport pickup (this was maybe the best part - the charming owner, Michael, waits for you in the airport terminal and then gives you an overview/tour of Brussels on the way in), plenty of hot water/water pressure, and finally, clean bathrooms which were brightly lit and contained luxurious towel-warmers.

Cons: decor is fun rather than elegant (I'm not sure if this is a negative or not), the lift is only between the second and third floors, no full-length mirror, the bathroom could have used a hook or two, and the lights next to the bed were too dim for reading.

Comments: this was the only "boutique" hotel we stayed at during our two-week vacation in Belgium & Luxembourg that helped us with our luggage.

A Special Experience

Our recent stay at the Hotel Welcome was a delightful experience. This small hotel is unique in that each of its 15 rooms are named for a foreign country. The room is decorated and furnished in the motif of that country. We stayed in the DeLuxe room called China and enjoyed a loft with a sitting area and TV. The staff is warm and friendly and the included breakfast is quite good. We would return to the Hotel Welcome without hesitation if our travels take us to Brussels again.

You will love this hotel

Were not sure if we first fell in love with the hotel and it's charming location, or the people that work there or own it. Having a wonderful breakfast of warm fresh buttery croissants and hot coffee, then conversations with Vanessa Crocco - the assistant manager, about the plans of the day, is simply a wonderful way to start any morning! We Americans are spoiled with the size of American hotel rooms. Put that aside now as you're in Europe. Allow the charm of these individualized rooms to alter your visual senses. Take a moment to see what's been done here, how wonderful it all is. "Welcome" yourself to Europe then prepare to be spoiled with the convenient physical location of this fine hotel complementing all you may wish to see in Brussels. Then allow your self to be spoiled by the staff as you once more return to the things in life that really matter in these personal touches. We loved the Hotel Welcome, and were sure you will also.

The best small hotel in Brussels and perhaps in N Europe

I am astounded at the negative reviews of this hotel. It is not one of the big chain hotels but if that is what you want stay in the Holiday Inn and eat at McDonalds.

The rooms are individually decorated in a country theme and they are fun. The theme as well as the name of the hotel is welcome and that applies to all nationalities. The owner and reception staff are helpful and generous with their time.

I stay here at least once a month so this is a review based on extensive experience.

Finall it is excellent value

We Loved It

My wife and I stayed at the Hotel Welcome on a recent trip to Belgium and were delighted by our experience. Located in an emerging neighbourhood packed with seafood restaurants, the Hotel was five or ten minutes from the best that Brussels had to offer, including the Grand Place, museums and other trendy districts. As we walked about the city, we checked out the prices of other hotels and found that Hotel Welcome was a bargain by comparison. Perhaps Welcome's greatest advantage is that they are a small hotel. We found it charming and a refreshingly different experience than you get in a large, chain hotel. It is run by a small staff of people who know your name and are genuinely friendly and couteous. At the end of our ten-day trip, we felt like were saying goodbye to family.

So based on our positive experience, we were suprised to read a few negative reviews of Hotel Welcome. We certainly didn't experience any of the unhappy issues other have raised. I suspect some of the problem is that some travellers expect foreign destinations to be just like their home country. If you want a sprawling, opulent hotel with large rooms, either avoid Europe or be prepared to pay significantly more for accommodations. If warm, friendly service matters most to you, then you'll be able to appreciate Hotel Welcome for what they do best.

On the downside

I also decided to stay at hotel welcome based on this site's reviews. I booked the hotel for 6 nights. The room was facing a noisy street on the first floor, and on a warm summer night, leaving the windows open meant poor sleep. The room, for all its decorations, was shabby. Light fixtures didn't work, the towel warmer didn't function, the room had an odd smell to it. The final straw was breakfast in the morning. I really look forward to breakfast in Brussels; warm croissants and hot coffee. The breakfast at hotel welcome features last year's croissants and tepid coffee. I checked out and booked Hotel Noga down the street, a much better alternative. The assistant manager insisted on charging me an additional night's tariff because I failed to give 24 hour's notice, even though that requirement isn't posted anywhere.

Mixed feelings about Welcome Hotel

I booked this hotel based on the ratings on this site, but I'm not sure that I agree with all of them. The hotel is in a great location, near the center of town and across the street from excellent restaurants. The bad thing was that the hotel puts out its garbage right near the entrance, so we were forced to walk past a tremendously disquisting smell almost every time we left and came back to the hotel. Most of the staff were really friendly, but throughout our stay we did encounter a few employees who could not be bothered with us. The breakfast was very nice and is served until 11 am, which is a great thing. As for the rooms, they are very intersting and unique, but I could not help but to notice that my room had a sort of a damp smell and did seem a little dingy. My room was also very small. Next time, I would spend a few more euros and stay at a bit nicer hotel.

Cute is the word

Cute hotel, and everyone has a positive attitude (always a plus). Rooms are sandwiched into seemingly impossible spaces with great ingenuity, and the "themed" rooms certainly show creativity. Can't find any real faults (hence the 4-star review) but wouldn't make it a special point to stay here next Brussels trip. Sometimes you just want a hotel room to be a hotel room.

Friendly, fun, good location, great value - what more do you want?

Like it's moniker, this was perhaps the friendliest hotel we stayed in during our 6 week trip to Europe. We only stayed for 2 nights, but the hotel was clean, friendly and fun. We stayed in the Congo room, complete with leopard print wall paper. The hotel was right off Saint Catherine place, and only a few steps from the metro entrance and a leisurely walk (10 minutes) to grand place. Breakfast buffet was good. The only downside was the three flights of stairs to our room - which wasn't so bad. I'd definitely stay here again.

The Best Little Hotel

The "Welcome" is a great little hotel a short walking distance from the Grand Place and Central Station. It's located in the "Fishmarket" area of Brussels, a neighborhood which has lots of good restaurants, patisseries, a wonderful gourmet food shop called De Boe's, laundramat, grocery stores, etc. We settled in and were very comforatble there. The owners, Michael and Sophie with the help of Vanessa made our stay so enjoyable, we can't wait to go back! They can supply information on where to go, what to see, where to eat, etc. We give the "Welcome" two thumbs up!!