Trying Airbnb: Brussels

On a recent trip to Belgium I decided to try Airbnb. I’ve been a member of the site for a few years but had never got around to booking anything. So I decided to take the plunge and book an entire apartment all to myself for a couple of nights in Brussels, before continuing my journey to Hasselt to meet up with friends and attend my MSc student-alumni conference.

My first Airbnb experience

For my first Airbnb experience I chose this Brand new fully equipped studio on Rue de Chien Marin in Brussels, just around the corner from St Catherine’s Square.

Before my stay

I exchanged a couple of emails with my host, Frederic prior to my stay and although Frederic was away, he encouraged me to contact him if I needed anything during my stay; I didn’t. Frederic’s instructions to access the apartment were very detailed and easy to follow.

During my stay

My Airbnb Brussels studio apartment

Accessing the studio apartment was easy; there is a secure communal door with a code and Frederic provided me with information on how to obtain the key to the apartment once I had paid. The apartment is behind a very secure door, so I felt very safe staying there alone. Other people were living in the building, I heard some background noise but I didn’t get disturbed and I never saw anyone in the building, some solo travellers might find that uncomfortable, but I was absolutely fine.

The apartment was exactly as shown in the listing and everything was really clean and comfortable. I was also pleasantly surprised to find lovely miniature toiletries waiting for me in the bathroom – just like staying in a hotel! Better than a hotel though (and for the same price), I had a big studio apartment equipped with everything I needed and more. The wifi was brilliant too, so one lazy evening I watched a movie on Netflix, using my iPad. Yes, I definitely felt at home.

The bathroom was a wet room, which was great because the shower was lovely, although it did mean when I took a shower the whole floor was soaking wet. I had my own towels with me anyway and there were some spare ones, so I used those to mop up the water to help it dry out quicker.

There isn’t really a view from the balcony but it’s very private and a bit of a sun trap, so I enjoyed my lunch outside in the sunshine whilst I planned an afternoon of exploring.

The area

The apartment itself is located on a quiet and narrow street, just around the corner from St Catherine’s Church, a fantastic area with plenty of cafés, restaurants and shops around, so there are lots of places to stock up.

A lot of tourist attractions are within walking distance too, but if you prefer, the metro is literally a 2 minute walk from the front door.

Would you stay here on your next trip to Brussels?

I thoroughly enjoyed my first Airbnb experience of living like a local in Brussels. As a solo female traveller, I felt very safe staying there and would definitely stay again. If you’re thinking of booking Airbnb as a solo or first time traveller, check out my post; Booking Airbnb: tips for solo travellers.

Get started with Airbnb

Register with Airbnb here and receive a discount off your first booking.

Have you tried Airbnb and would you consider staying here on a visit to Brussels?

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