In the heart of Brussels’ EU quarter, the Radisson RED Hotel, with its designer rooms, friendly service, and excellent Belgian cuisine in Willards Restaurant, is more than a typical business hotel.
Back in June, we had the opportunity to visit the Radisson Blu Royal hotel in Brussels and dine in their Atrium restaurant. But the Royal isn’t the only Radisson in town. The Radisson RED Hotel, (formerly the Radisson Blu EU) beside the European Parliament, is another great accommodation option for visitors to Brussels.
This summer, I had the opportunity to tour the hotel and dine in the excellent Willards Restaurant, as part of my year as a Radisson #Blubloggers Ambassador.
Tucked next-door to the European Parliament building, in Brussels’ Luxembourg quarter, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Radisson RED is another stuffy business hotel. While it’s a popular choice for visiting eurocrats, this hotel has more up its sleeves than generic business hotel rooms.
In fact, guests can choose from three different styles of rooms, designed by Italian designer Matteo Thun: Fresh, Chic, and Fashion. The 149 rooms are bold, colourful, and very spacious. Each room has a shower and bathtub, free wifi, and many have a great view, overlooking the Parliament.
Like the Radisson Blu Royal, the Radisson EU offers all of Radisson’s service concepts, including the ‘super breakfast,’ express checkout, and the 100% guest satisfaction guarantee. The Radisson EU also provides a fitness center and sauna, in case exploring Brussels isn’t enough exercise.
Speaking of exercise, the hotel is conveniently located within a 15-20 minute walk of Brussels’ Grand Place and many of the city’s major museums. If the Belgian weather isn’t co-operating, Luxembourg train station, the Troon Metro station and a bus stop, are just steps from the hotel.
It should come as no surprise; I was primarily interested in checking out the food at the Radisson EU’s restaurant, Willards.
Having stayed in my fair share of business hotels around the world, I know the restaurants typically offer standard, unsurprising food. But, just like the hotel rooms, I’m happy to report Willards restaurant goes above and beyond standard hotel restaurant fare.
I began my meal with a selection of nibbles. While they were all delicious, the biggest surprise was the scallop parcel – crispy, light pastry batter surrounding a fresh and juicy scallop. It was the perfect bite.
I selected the goat cheese salad as my first course. The cheese was particularly flavourful and the salad was just the right size.
One of my dining companions opted for the risotto, which, while heavier than my salad, also looked like a great option.
Since Willards touts themselves as serving Belgian cuisine, I ordered my favourite Belgian dish, Carbonnade a la Flamand or Stoofvlees, to see how it stacked up.
The meat was meltingly tender and the sauce wasn’t too thick and gloopy and had a great flavour. It was served with potatoes and applesauce, which rounded out the dish perfectly. It was definitely one of the better carbonnades I’ve had in Brussels.
After such a rich meal, I wasn’t up to more than coffee for dessert, but, as it was presented with macarons and chocolate, I still was able to finish on a sweet note.
My final verdict – I was impressed by the Radisson RED Hotel and I would recommend it to visitors to Brussels. Although I’ve not yet had the opportunity to spend a night there, the service I received in the restaurant and while touring the facilities was excellent. I loved the bold, funky designs of the rooms I saw, and I was impressed by the spacious and efficiently designed rooms.
I would also definitely return to Willards Restaurant for its authentic Belgian cuisine, friendly service, and convenient location.
See the latest prices on the Radisson RED Hotel Brussels.
Radisson RED Hotel
Rue d´Idalie, 35
1050 Brussels
Looking for more hotel options in Brussels? We get asked where to stay in Brussels – All. The. Time. We finally did something about it and wrote the Ultimate Guide to our top 30 hotels in Brussels. Read it here.
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