Brussels: Accommodation

Drew Students' Apartments

Continental Flathotel
Rue Defacqz 31-39
B-1050, Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium
Tel:
(Dialing from the US) 011-32-2 536-1000
(Dialing from Brussels) 02-536-1000
Fax: 02-536-1015
E-mail: info@ncb.be
Web: http://www.ncf.be/en//default.asp

Management
Stephen Siddall (Owner/Manager)
Easy Living
Rue Defacqz 33
B-1050, Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 049-650-0366
E-mail: stephen@easyliving.be

Medical and other Emergency Numbers at the Continental Flat Hotel

HOUSING INFORMATION

Building Location
*Building Located on a well lit/busy/safe street
*Easy access (1 block) to main Brussels thoroughfare (Avenue Louise)
*Easy access to 93-94 trams (on Avenue Louise)
Trams run every 15 minutes and give access to classrooms & town center
*Easy access to Laundromat, mini supermarkets (Delhaize and GB), night-shop (open till 4am), Place de Chatelaine Wednesday outdoor fruit, vegetable, cheese and deli-market, general shopping, pubs, exercise gym (The Florida Gym), etc.
* 10 minute walk from Director's Apartment
* Easy Access to Place Flagey (Saturday) and Gare de Midi (Sunday) markets

Front Desk
*Located on the first floor (in US-speak this means second floor)
*Accessible by elevator and stairs
*Staffed M-F 9am-10pm and Sat-Sun 9am-6pm
*Siddall and staff speak English and can provide students with information
*Siddall is usually available during working hours and in emergencies
*Area contains desktop computers (with internet access) for guests and maintains brochures, city guides, adverts for cultural events/institutions, newspapers/magazines.
* Can help you arrange for Taxi transport (Taxi Bleu and Taxi vert)
*Security camera, mailboxes, and door-buzzers at the front entrance to the building

On Arrival
*Students receive room keys and fill out forms (name, passport nos., next-of-kin)
*The Flat-hotel provides each room with a welcome basket: milk, fruit, juice, bread, etc.)
*Students will not need to register at the Commune. Your passport is your ID

Room Assignments
Double Rooms:

Student Flats
*Equipped with one single or two double beds, cabinets and closets, work table, iron/board
*Kitchenette with small refrigerator, sink, two hot plates, microwave oven, glasses, plates, pots &pans, coffee machine (Broken items replaced at cost)
*Separate Shower and Toilet rooms, Towels and Linen, and cleaning service
*TV (Brutele cable), wireless internet, telephone
*Telephone Access: Flat-hotel's Long distance rates to US is 7 cents per minute
*Internet Connection: Wireless access in rooms & common room
*Common Room on first floor- available day/night, useful for studying and meals

COMMUNICATIONS

*Telephones in Flats
*Student Cell-phones (GSMs)
*Requires a phone, a chip that is inserted into the phone, and a pay and go card
*Cell phone is included. You'll get your own upon arrival at the flat-hotel.
Costs are based on usage and plan:
(http://www.proximus.be/) (http://www.mobistar.be/index.jsp)
*Cell phones purchased in the US must be European enabled-- GSM)
*G.S.M. telephones, plans and purchase locations
*Internet Access in Flats and Classroom
As soon as possible call/contact your parents; tell them that you have arrived in Brussels.

PASSPORT (AND DREW STUDENT ID)

This document not only gets you into Belgium and any other country, but will also serve as a general identification card wherever you go in Brussels and elsewhere. Your Drew student ID might be useful in getting you discounts on certain items you might want to purchase or access to certain locations you might wish to visit.

DREW PURCHASE CARD, PERSONAL DEBIT AND CREDIT CARDS, AND CASH (DOLLARS AND/OR EUROS)

The Drew PNC Purchase Card works in all of the ATMs and for all of the goods purchases I've made thus far. My personal Bank of America - Visa debit card can access only those ATMs in town that are relatively newly installed or updated. You might check that your personal bank card has one of the following logos, Visa, Visa Plus, Cirrrus network, etc., and that one of them matches the logos on the ATM machines you wish to access. My personal Bank of America - Visa Credit card has been accepted by all merchants with whom I've done business thus far.  You can exchange dollars for Euros in most banks, but I can take you to a foreign exchange office in downtown Brussels where you will get the best rates for your dollars. Note, you'll need to use Euros for your purchase of the Monthly Metro passes.

COMPUTER

Your Drew laptop computer gives you access to internet connections in your apartments and in our classroom and program office. Please remember that you need to have a plug adapter to fit the Belgian wall sockets (a two-wire/round pronged plug). You will be doing a lot of your research, paper writing and correspondence with me with your computer. You will be able to use the printers in our office facilities to produce hard copies of your work.

Portable Alarm clock

You might find this useful, especially on days when we've got early appointments. Remember, if it is an electrical item that may require a plug adapter.

Clothing

I hope that you brought the following:
*Clothing that can be layered for variable Belgian weather.
*Enough dress clothes for special dinners, official visits, interviews, and receptions
* Adequate rainwear. A raincoat with a removable liner can be useful.
* Comfortable walking shoes