First, a word of advice: do not go to Brussels during the annual European Seafood Exposition. It is the largest seafood expo in the world. Why it takes place in a landlocked city is beyond me, but the reality remains the same -- you will go through hell looking for a hotel room and spend a fortune on the one you eventually find.
Such was my case when, like an idiot, I decided to book my room in Brussels four days before heading over only to realize that all of my top finds were full. After searching around for some alternatives, I found AXL. Not a huge fan of the apartment-hotel concept since I'd much prefer a concierge and cosy lounge on the ground level, rather than an empty reception desk when traveling, I skipped over it, only to return to it after realizing that it was really my only "affordable" option near my destination (my room was a steal at 230E when all of the other hotels were asking for upwards of 350E!)
As it turns out, the AXL is actually quite awesome! My room, or my apartment, I should say, was HUGE. It had a gigantic living room with terrace, a spacious bedroom, big bathroom, walk in closet and kitchen space. I definitely would come back for an extended stay (even with family in tow).
That said my only real critique was the choice of purple as a dominate decorative element. Why purple? read more