It’s not every day you step through the door of an upscale hotel and find a foosball table and bright red cartoons on the wall. But from the moment you enter the Radisson Red Brussels in Belgium, there’s no doubt you’re in an uncommon place. With super comfortable rooms, excellent food, and an atmosphere designed to make you smile, this is a hotel where you’ll want to stay for awhile.
Less than five minutes from the European Parliament and bustling Place du Luxembourg, the Radisson Red Brussels is perfectly located in a spot with easy access to the action that’s still quiet enough to grant a perfect night’s sleep. Restaurants, bars, a local market, and convenient bus stops are all right outside the door. It was an absolutely ideal base to have for our three days exploring Brussels for the first time.
The hotel goes way beyond the smaller, European-style hotel rooms we’ve experienced in many destinations. The air-conditioned rooms are called “studios” for good reason—there’s the bed and bedside furniture (of course), but there’s also room for a picnic table and chairs and even a 55-inch flat screen. Studio suites like the one we stayed in even have a sitting room with a comfy couch and coffee table. Along with the primarily red furniture, nearly every available surface is decorated with the cartoons and surrealist art that Brussels is known for. The overall effect—whether you’re in the hallway, the lobby, or the comfort of your own room—is simply happy.
The fun and light-hearted vibe carries throughout the hotel and is evident in the number of people just hanging out. We typically use hotels as a place to lay our heads in between lots of activities. And while the Radisson Red hotel Brussels is great for that, it also has a café-type feel that invites people to linger for a cup of coffee, work on their computer in the restaurant instead of their room, or enjoy a glass of wine while watching people play pool. It’s friendly and relaxed throughout and has set a new bar for the type of experience we’d like to have in a hotel.
The Restaurant: The OUIBar + KTCHN goes well beyond our expectations for a standard hotel restaurant. For starters, everything we had was delicious, well-priced, and mostly local and organic. From the scrambled eggs to lattes to a steak dinner, the ingredients and preparation were excellent. No standard buffet fare here. Instead, what you’ll find on the breakfast buffet are mint- or fruit-infused waters, croissants, and yogurt parfaits to enjoy while your a la carte items are being prepared. There’s a reason that guests hang out here all day. We wished we’d had more time to spend here, which is saying something in a city of good restaurants and café spots.
Wellness Facilities: A gym with treadmills, ellipticals, and weights is available along with a sauna.
The suite: Our studio suite at the Radisson Red Brussels had two separate rooms. The sitting room featured a comfy bright red couch and coffee table plus a flat screen TV. The bedroom had bedside lamps and ledges plus a bedside cabinet. There was also an awesome picnic table and chairs and a huge combination armoire and closet that housed the safe and refrigerator. If all that weren’t enough, there was also a second 55-inch flat screen TV. As in other parts of the hotel, several walls and the armoire were decorated with black or red cartoons and drawings.
The Bed: With a field of pillows and a fluffy comforter, the bed was absolutely perfect.
The WiFi: Free highspeed WiFi throughout the hotel is great for work, watching Netflix, or anything else you need or want to do.
The Television: The huge TV had a great selection of English channels.
The Safe: Each room has a safe for valuables and is big enough to accommodate a laptop.
The Bathroom: The walk-in shower had not only a rain shower head but a mosaic featuring the art of Brussels’ own Rene Magritte. Hard to get more personality than that. The Radisson Red is an eco-conscious hotel, so don’t expect lots of little bottles of shampoo, but the toiletries that are dispensed have amazing scents.
The Cost: Room rates vary based on time of year and room category but generally range from €115-230 per night. Club Carlson members can get additional discounts.
The Location: The Radisson Red is located just down the street from the European Parliament (and its engaging visitor’s center) and Place du Luxembourg. Grand Place is about a 15-minute bus ride from the stop just outside the hotel’s front door.
The Airport Transport: A direct bus to/from the Brussels Airport takes about 25 minutes, and the bus stop is about 3 minutes from the hotel. Couldn’t be easier.
The Website: https://www.radissonred.com/brussels/
The Radisson Red Brussels pairs a fun, relaxed atmosphere with comfort and class. With a great location, friendly staff, and top-notch amenities, it’s a great base for your time in Brussels.
I was a guest of the hotel. All opinions of the colorful and cartoony are my own.
Laura Longwell is an award-winning travel blogger and photographer. Since founding Travel Addicts in 2008, she has written hundreds of articles that help over 3 million people a year get the most out of their travel. In that time, she has visited nearly 60 countries on 5 continents, often returning to favorite destinations over and over again. She has a deep love of history, uncovering unexpected attractions, and trying all the good food a place has to offer.
In addition to Travel Addicts, Laura runs a site about her hometown of Philadelphia—Guide to Philly—which chronicles unique things to do and places to see around southeastern Pennsylvania. Her travel tips and advice appear across the web.
Jeff Eastman
Sunday 22nd of October 2017
I was scanning the pictures to get a glimpse of this foosball table;)