Scandic Hotel Grand Place

Built in 1992 and totally renovated in 2001, the Scandic Hotel Grand Place is housed in a traditionally styled building with a weather-worn gray stone facade, ornate wrought iron balconies, and a stately and formal bearing. Stepping inside through a pair of sliding glass doors, the feel is immediately more modern and relaxed, though lacking much in the way of any real character or charm. There's also little in the way of natural light beyond the skylight in the central atrium, which nicely illuminates the top-floor fitness center but leaves the interiors with a slightly gloomy aspect -- though the glass-fronted elevators looking out over the inner courtyard do lend some drama to the scene. The ambience is hushed and fairly anonymous, offering practically nothing in the way of personality or pizzazz.

The hotel is situated on a historical and largely commercial street a block from the main high-street shopping area in central Brussels. Most of the city center's attractions are well within walking distance, including the main market square of Grand Place which is five minutes away on foot. The are plenty of transport links in the area -- the nearest Metro and Brussels' main Centraal Station are about a five-minute walk away. The famous fountain and symbol of the capital, the Manneken Pis is within 10 minutes' walk away, while there are numerous cafes, bars, and restaurants in the surrounding area. Brussels Airport is about nine miles from the hotel, or just a 20-minute cab ride or 50-minute ride on public transport.

The hotel has 100 rooms in total, all of which are decorated in a simple, modern style with wooden floors and a vaguely Nordic flavor. The Superior Rooms have more of a classic feel, though also more dated, with signature headboards and slightly worn wooden furnishings. Bathrooms are clean and adequately equipped, with shower/tub combos, though still fall short of the finish to be expected from a hotel at this level. All rooms have air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, (poorly stocked) minibars, and flat-screen TVs with satellite channels -- Superior Rooms also offer tea and coffee facilities. Windows are often tinted, which reduces already low levels of natural night, and are locked shut.

The hotel's Eken brasserie sits at the bottom of the lofty atrium and serves a free, ample buffet breakfast with healthy cereals each morning. The eatery is also open for lunch and dinner and, together with the bar, serves a range of Belgian beers, sandwiches, and vegetarian options. On-site health facilities include a Finnish sauna and fitness room -- located at the very top of the building and nicely lit thanks to the atrium skylight. However, the sauna is sometimes kept cool until guests request to use it, so it can take a while to heat up and may feel inadequately heated. W-Fi is also available free of charge throughout.