I stayed at Daphne’s place for three months, leading up to and during the coronavirus lockdown. I enjoyed it and would stay again, despite some communications challenges and a disagreement about a discount we negotiated, which was ultimately resolved.
The location is perfect: very central, vibrant, upscale, and close to several supermarkets. There are many shops and restaurants as well within walking distance. The apartment itself is also lovely: modern, clean, comfortable, and stocked with almost everything you will need (the only items I purchased myself are an oven-proof dish and a grater). The Wi-Fi is very fast, and the full cable service includes English news channels (BBC, CNN).
There were some challenges with the host on her responsiveness. It took about a week and several follow-ups from me for Daphne to deliver an iron and ironing board—both advertised as provided—as well as a change of sheets and towels. She also never provided me with her phone number, so it could take several and even up to 24 hours for her to respond to my messages on Airbnb, though this very much improved into my stay. I understand I made these requests at a stressful time the week before Brussels was locked down. But I would have hoped a host—especially a superhost—would be more present for their foreign guest in a time of crisis, not less.
We also had a disagreement around a discount we negotiated on the Airbnb system due to the lockdown in Brussels, which was only resolved when I asked Airbnb to intervene. To her credit, Daphne did ultimately honor it.
In the end, I had a very pleasant stay in this apartment. It was a difficult time for Brussels, and the neighborhood and its people made me feel very welcome. The lockdown made my trip very different from what I had envisioned – but very enjoyable nonetheless.