Belgium Travel Thread

[BusinessSloth]

Recommendations on hotels to stay at in Brussels?

Compton25 ?

I heard DHVL has a room that they'll rent for 50 euros a night?

 

[Digita7693]

Recommendations on hotels to stay at in Brussels?

Compton25 ?

I heard DHVL has a room that they'll rent for 50 euros a night?

yes, stayed there before, just email them and theyll tell you if its available.

 

[BusinessSloth]

yes, stayed there before, just email them and theyll tell you if its available.

Thanks!

On the advice of another member, I checked out the Bedford Hotel. Looks like a nice 4 star hotel for only ~$100 a night. I'll email Joost and see what I can find out.

 

[Digita7693]

Thanks!

On the advice of another member, I checked out the Bedford Hotel. Looks like a nice 4 star hotel for only ~$100 a night. I'll email Joost and see what I can find out.

Id stay at the Bedford, I think DHvL is 50€, so a much nicer place for like 40€ more, though you do not get the closet filled with surprises at the Bedford I am guessing.

 

[dimensionx]

Thanks!

On the advice of another member, I checked out the Bedford Hotel. Looks like a nice 4 star hotel for only ~$100 a night. I'll email Joost and see what I can find out.

There are some great option on Airbnb as well.

 

[BusinessSloth]

There are some great option on Airbnb as well.

Thanks I'll check that out. Probably going to stick with the hotel though.

$110 to a renew a passport. I hate our federal government

 

[Digita7693]

Thanks I'll check that out. Probably going to stick with the hotel though.

$110 to a renew a passport. I hate our federal government

That's why you hate the US government? They charged me $50 to add ages to my passport, my previous one it was free to add pages, it takes them all of 2minutes, fuckers!

 

[BusinessSloth]

That's why you hate the US government? They charged me $50 to add ages to my passport, my previous one it was free to add pages, it takes them all of 2minutes, fuckers!

Now you can request 52 page passports when you renew at no additional charge!

So generous. Thanks Obama.

 

[Digita7693]

Now you can request 52 page passports when you renew at no additional charge!

So generous. Thanks Obama.

Yeah that went into effect a year after I got my recent one. Ill probably have to get a new one next year and just get more pages... though I am getting a lot fewer stamps now that the Germans have, seemingly, accepted me. Now instead of exhaustive contempt at the border I get begrudging acceptance.

 

[Shakedwnst]

though you do not get the closet filled with surprises at the Bedford I am guessing.

Need more info.

 

[Digita7693]

Need more info.

ask anyone thats stayed at dhvl, LoPo87 Shmeal and myself found all kinds of beer paraphernalia, hats, feather boas. It was like the island of lost toys for old carnival items and beer swag randomness. An intriguing discovery after working over the bottle list at dhvl for 6hrs.

I am sure someone has pictures...

 

[Shmeal]

ask anyone thats stayed at dhvl, LoPo87 Shmeal and myself found all kinds of beer paraphernalia, hats, feather boas. It was like the island of lost toys for old carnival items and beer swag randomness. An intriguing discovery after working over the bottle list at dhvl for 6hrs.

I am sure someone has pictures...

The pedophile closet?

 

[BusinessSloth]

I was talking with the Etre Gourmet staff via email, and they confirmed two things for me.

1) Anything you buy in the physical shop, they will gladly ship back to the states for you.
2) Even if you don't buy anything from the shop, they will sell you shipping supplies (say if you bought a bunch of bottles elsewhere and want to ship them home to yourself). This is good to know because I've read it can be extremely difficult to find shipping supplies around Europe in general.

 

[BusinessSloth]

Aaaaand I'm confirmed. Departing February 2nd, 2016 and will arrive in Brussels on February 3rd around 8AM. My departing flight will be February 10th. Would love to meet any Euro TB'ers in or around Belgium for an IP trade or drinking together!

Gonna be my first time, so I'm pretty excited.

 

[Quatz]

Aaaaand I'm confirmed. Departing February 2nd and will arrive in Brussels on February 3rd around 8AM. My departing flight will be February 10th. Would love to meet any Euro TB'ers in or around Belgium for an IP trade or drinking together!

Gonna be my first time, so I'm pretty excited.

Any idea which cities you'll be visiting? Definitely in for an IP trade and/or drink if you're coming to Antwerp (or another city but then only during the weekend). Have fun!

 

[BusinessSloth]

Any idea which cities you'll be visiting? Definitely in for an IP trade and/or drink if you're coming to Antwerp (or another city but then only during the weekend). Have fun!

I was just PM'ing you!

 

[Digita7693]

Aaaaand I'm confirmed. Departing February 2nd and will arrive in Brussels on February 3rd around 8AM. My departing flight will be February 10th. Would love to meet any Euro TB'ers in or around Belgium for an IP trade or drinking together!

Gonna be my first time, so I'm pretty excited.

I can almost always find an excuse to take a train to Brussels! Or if you want to visit Cologne I will happily show you around. Also feel free to contact me with any questions/ recs and if you want to do an IP trade.

cheers
Don

ps bring a rain jacket!

 

[BusinessSloth]

I can almost always find an excuse to take a train to Brussels! Or if you want to visit Cologne I will happily show you around. Also feel free to contact me with any questions/ recs and if you want to do an IP trade.

cheers
Don

ps bring a rain jacket!

Yes to all of it! I'm assuming it will be fairly cold during February, so I should likely pack pants instead of shorts?

Much appreciated. I'll PM you.

cheers!

 

[koplamp]

Aaaaand I'm confirmed. Departing February 2nd, 2016 and will arrive in Brussels on February 3rd around 8AM. My departing flight will be February 10th. Would love to meet any Euro TB'ers in or around Belgium for an IP trade or drinking together!

Gonna be my first time, so I'm pretty excited.

If you want to set up a trade in Brussels or Antwerp/need info, just let me know!

 

[BusinessSloth]

If you want to set up a trade in Brussels or Antwerp/need info, just let me know!

This right here is why I love this community. So many helpful and friendly people....Mixed with a few trolls and gifs.

I'll PM you when I get home in a few hours. Thanks!

 

[DJPhresh]

Great thread. Might be pulling the trigger on a plane ticket this week to brew at Cantillon. Really want to make this happen.

 

[BusinessSloth]

Great thread. Might be pulling the trigger on a plane ticket this week to brew at Cantillon. Really want to make this happen.

If your dates are flexible, you can get a flight as low as $960 roundtrip. Cheaper than what I paid. Then again I sprang for extra legroom on the flight to Brussels.

 

[buzzword]

Thanks!

On the advice of another member, I checked out the Bedford Hotel. Looks like a nice 4 star hotel for only ~$100 a night. I'll email Joost and see what I can find out.

4 stars in Brussels for $100ish a night may not meet with your discriminating taste and expectations. We stayed in what was purported to be a 5 star and it was kinda motel 6 quality...

 

[BusinessSloth]

4 stars in Brussels for $100ish a night may not meet with your discriminating taste and expectations. We stayed in what was purported to be a 5 star and it was kinda motel 6 quality...

I actually figured that out on my own as I was reading hotel reviews. Frankly I don't care too much about the hotel as long as

1) it's not in Anderlecht
2) no roaches crawling over my face at night.

Hotel is just somewhere to crash really ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I tried AirBnB but most places were more expensive than hotels thanks to the service and cleaning fees charged

 

[flexabull]

1) it's not in the bad part of Anderlecht (or is the whole area just sketchy?)
2) no roaches crawling over my face at night.

Hotel is just somewhere to crash really ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I'd say sketchy is a relative term. When I visited, I was glad I was staying in Bruges and just visiting Brussels for the day. But I've stayed in worse areas too.

 

[NAD1983]

Thanks for all of the info everyone! This thread has been extremely helpful for planning.

I will be flying into Brussels on Sunday Feb 7th at 11:45 am. Will I have enough time to get to Grote Dorst before they close for the day? If so, what is my best transportation option?

And DHvL. Is there anything that anyone would recommend doing nearby? Also, is anyone interested in splitting bottles there on Feb 8th? BusinessSloth ?

 

[Snarf1]

I will be flying into Brussels on Sunday Feb 7th at 11:45 am. Will I have enough time to get to Grote Dorst before they close for the day? If so, what is my best transportation option?

If you make it through customs by the time Grote Dorst closes, you will be making good time at the airport.

 

[NAD1983]

If you make it through customs by the time Grote Dorst closes, you will be making good time at the airport.

 

[Snarf1]

I know having to drink Cantillon framboise on the hand pump at Moedar instead will be rough, but soldier on for the rest of us.

 

[NAD1983]

I know having to drink Cantillon framboise on the hand pump at Moedar instead will be rough, but soldier on for the rest of us.

I'm sure I'll survive. I was really looking forward to the unique experience at Grote but at the end of the day it's a great excuse to come back!