I arrived in Brussels without any issue. I really, really love train travel in Europe.
Walked to the Marriott Grand Place, my home for what was supposed to be 3 nights. Turned out to be 1 night — for the first time I think ever I left the hotel and checked into the Dominican, a Marriott Design Hotel. The room was nice, clean, spacious with a separate shower. Perfect it seemed. So I unpacked and headed out to walk around town for a few hours. The location seemed fine, minus the 5 homeless people that lived 5‘ from the main entrance of the hotel. When I got back to the hotel dead tired after dinner, I was in bed ready for sleep when my neighbors in the adjoining room came back for the night. Oh boy. The weren’t loud, but I could hear every.single.word that they spoke. I jumped when they dropped something on the floor. I heard their room phone ring 3 separate times. It was terrible and as I have mentioned before I need a quiet room to sleep. I tried my ear plugs, but they weren’t enough. Then the sirens started every 10 or so minutes. Then crowds from local bars started to get very loud. And on and on. I could.not.sleep because it was way too noisy. I called the front desk but my room phone was broken (had to use my cell phone). I simply asked if I could be moved the next day to a quiet room, but they wouldn’t give me a straight answer.
The next morning I had planned to visit Neuhaus (high-end chocolate Belgian company) factory outlet just outside of town. Before I left I had breakfast at the hotel and it was a free-for-all. Basically fend for yourself because no staff anywhere to be seen and mobs of people. Food was okay, nothing special. I had cereal, fruit and yogurt. Would have liked a cup of decaf but no staff to ask and the machine that guests were supposed to use had a line of 20 people. Glad that I don’t need caffeine in the morning, but if I did I would’ve just gone to a cafe and purchased it rather than line up for 10 or so minutes.
Forgot to mention the hotel only had 1 working elevator (of 3). They have 222 rooms and were sold out the night that I was there. Room service also used this elevator. Couldn’t find any stairs, but not sure if I would‘ve loved climbing up and down 5 flights to get to my room.
Next day when I returned from Neuhaus I asked the front desk if I could move to a quiet room. The CSR responded “we are a city center hotel”, so I asked if that was supposed to mean that they don’t have quiet rooms? They said they didn’t say that. I don’t like to play word games, they either have quiet rooms or they don’t. They said they didn’t know if I could move rooms until guests check-out and that would be after 1:00pm. I didn’t want to wait, so asked what the penalty would be if I left. I know that my sleep is more important than anything else and I could not deal with the attitude (rude) of the front desk. They said no penalty, so I packed up and left. I had gone to see the Dominican on my way back to the Marriott, asked if they had any quiet rooms (they are also in a busy area), they showed me an Exec. Room facing an interior courtyard and agreed to hold it for me.
I love the Dominican. The staff is AMAZING, the location much better (no homeless people living just outside the front door of the hotel) and the breakfast, while busy, is managed so much better. It is just more my vibe. The cost difference is $25/night. I realize that the Marriott is located in a grittier area of city center and can’t believe that the hotel doesn’t do something to make the homeless people move elsewhere — it’s a blight on them for sure.
It’s such a shame about the Marriott because I did like the room — it was newly refurbished and spacious. But I need my sleep and the staff refused to commit to moving me to a quiet room. I should mention that I had called the Marriott ahead of time and messaged them from the train, specifically requesting a quiet room.
Heading to Amsterdam tomorrow. Looking forward to my stay at the College Hotel, part of the Marriott Autograph collection. They have already upgraded me to a junior suite for 4 nights! And yes, I have called and messaged them asking for a quiet room because the front of the hotel faces the tram tracks, which would not work for me. They have assured me that this request has been duly noted and they will be more than happy to provide me with a quiet room.
probably a couple of nights if I’m lucky.
