Beds from the Spanish Inquisition

Yesterday I went over to my friend's place to use her wireless connection for a few hours. I'm trying to at least arrange all the accommodation for my trip with Melinda – what we do during the day can be decided at the last minute, but I don't want to arrive in a city and end up with no place to sleep. I returned to Rachel's house again today and spent another twelve hours online. Yes, that's right - twelve hours. There are a ridiculous number of hostels and cheap hotels in Brussels with bed bugs mentioned in the traveller reviews and it's time consuming to comb through all the options.

This afternoon Rachel looked over and asked, “Do you need chocolate?” and without hesitation I responded with an emphatic, “Yes!”

I've finally sorted out our accommodation, but I thought I'd share a few treasures from the reviews I read today.

“There were rat traps in the lobby. The room was dirty - the chair was broken and the TV had melted. The bathroom was dirty! I would never stay here again. The hotel was outdated and dirty. There were rat traps in the hall and dinning areas. The bathroom was dirty and rusty; the shower curtain was mouldy and I would never dream of going into the shower without a Tetanus shot”

“This should definitely be in the Top 10 Worst Hotels in Europe!! Its an experience one can only describe as shocking and unreal! My room was basically up 3 flights of narrow stairs (no lift) and on entrance to my abode I witnessed pure horror; ceiling covered in crap, a smell in the air that can only be described as dust mixed with sweat plus guests in the shape of bedbugs! It also had a square box with visible springs which must have been the bed, the window was single glazed and filled with muck and fossilized animals, the lock on the door was flimsy and falling apart, the bathroom looked like something out of a third world country and the staff were definitely illegal immigrants...which is surprising as the UK Passport Office was only over the road!”

“Horrifying place. Avoid like the plague! Real shame though because the staff were really nice, but the place was like a slum. Beds which felt like they had been imported from the Spanish inquisition and rooms which must have appeared in nightmare on elm street. Once again the staff were really pleasant but they really do need to sort the rooms out!”