BUG review
This centrally located hostel has limited common areas; just a bar/restaurant downstairs where it can feel awkward hanging out when it is busy with customers in the evening. However the bar/restaurant on the ground floor has a brilliant atmosphere and it attracts a lot of locals making it an authentic place to sample the excellent local beer, which is unusual for a hostel bar. It is a dark and atmospheric place with an impressive beer menu. There is a coin-operated computer downstairs and free wireless internet, although there is nowhere to sit down to use the Wi-Fi. The accommodation consists of two floors above the bar/restaurant with simple dorms and shared bathrooms at the end of each floor. Security isn’t a strong point as some doors don’t lock, although there are lockers (€1) available for guests.
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Price Dorm bed €15 Prices are in euro and are inclusive of all taxes.
a really nice place to stay! bar and restaurant downstairs, reasonable dorms, good location.
7 of
13 people found this review helpful
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jaypandolfo
Yellowknife, NT, Canada
Stay here 11 December 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
jaypandolfo
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 1531)
A very good hostel. It's very easy to find from the train station, an easy ten minute walk. Very central, close to everything of interest in Bruges. The facilities are fine, except there are probably lineups for the showers when the place is filled to capacity. The best thing about the place is the bar/restaurant underneath. The bartenders are super-friendly and more than willing to chat with you and give you tips about Bruges, the beer selection is good, and the food is fantastic, if a bit pricey. Try the ribs if you're a carnivore - you won't have a better meal on your trip. I wouldn't think of staying anywhere else in Bruges.
3 of
12 people found this review helpful
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annabobanna
york, uk
Friendliest hostel i stayed in 10 September 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
annabobanna
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 1532)
Stayed at passage for 1 night in july. Would have been very easy to find if either me or my friend could read a map - it's only about a ten minute walk from the train station but we ended up walking right through the old town for about twenty minutes!!! luckily, english is very well spoken here (and german/french are understood) so we were able to ask for directions. Guido, the owner of Passage, has to be one of the friendliest guys ever - i felt welcome as soon as we stepped in the door. Our mixed dorm-room slept 7 and we met some really great people here. Bathroom is slightly dubious but for the incredibly cheap price of 12 euros (extra 3 if you want breakfast which is well worth it and actually very tasty!) who cares? The bar downstairs was awesome with some pretty cheap beers. Overall, a wonderfully friendly place to stay in a nice but not overly exciting town (most people stop off at brugges either before heading off for some fun in amsterdam or as a place to recover from it!)
1 of
7 people found this review helpful
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timslack78
Brisbane, Australia
Perfect Passage to Bruges 5 May 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
timslack78
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 1533)
I can only agree with all the revious previews - great location, friendly staff, comfortable beds, clean rooms and clean bathrooms.I stayed here for two nights with a group of friends so we had our own room and could lock the door so security wasn't such an issue as many people believe, but even if you didn't have your own room, you still lock up your stuff - it is a hostel after all.If you are going to stay in this beautiful city I would definitely recommend you stay here - but book ahead - we saw a number of people getting turned away as it is popular.
3 of
9 people found this review helpful
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Tim Partlett
Leamington Spa, England
Great place. 15 February 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Tim Partlett
saw things this way
Maintenance
(5)
Cleanliness
(5)
Facilities
(5)
Atmosphere
(5)
(Review ID: 1534)
The Passage is very central and easy to find, and has a very friendly owner that speaks, at the very least, half a dozen different languages fluently. It was amazing to watch the staff taking orders in the fantastic restaurant downstairs (not to be missed), switching between languages without even pausing for thought. They even managed to remember what the language each guest was speaking, without ever having to be reminded. The restaurant itself had great food at good prices, with a charm, ambience and eccentric chef that is hard to forget.The hostel itself is clean, although a bit rough around the edges, but completely sanitary, with hot showers. The security is lacking, but the town itself is very safe, you only have to worry about your fellow travellers. Besides, the owner was very happy to look after my bags personally on the last day there, while I wandered around the town before my plane left. Bring your own locks, but don't worry about it too much.The bar is very popular with locals and guests, but the hostel is not a party house. If you want a bigger, but rougher, place, with more opportunity to listen to loud music and hang with other travellers, while drinking excellent belgian beer, you will probably prefer the less centrally located Snuffel Sleep In. For, me, however, the Passage was perfect, and I could go and drink with other travellers in the Snuffel Bar anyway.Bruges is a fantastic city, and the Passage is a great hostel, so get going!
2 of
10 people found this review helpful
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Steve
Canadian living in England
Enjoyed It 17 January 2004
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Steve
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 1535)
Staff are great, restaurant is great, rooms are good, location is great, showers are not so good, and washrooms are not so good.Hostel combined with city and good beers combine for an overall good experience.
1 of
7 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Manchester, England
Full of character 15 October 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 1536)
This place was one of the most memorable places I stayed in on my big trip around Europe. Bruges is absolutely beautiful, I have never seen such beautiful architecture. The hostel is within a 5-10 minute walk of the main square in the centre of town. The "Passage Restaurant, attatched, has unbelievably good ribs (a Beligan tradition, allegedly) and very friendly staff. They're a bit pricey, but if you've been travelling for a long time and fancy a treat then they're worth splashing out on. Comfortable dorms of between 4-8 people and decent shared bathroom facilities. Beware of the owner having you galloping in a panic from the train station as he only has "one room left": I met 3 people who were told that on the same day I was.
2 of
9 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Vancouver
bring ear plugs and plastic bags 18 August 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(3)
(Review ID: 1537)
For 12 euro, I guess I can't complain too much. It's a cozy place to stay for one night, good location, and they make the bed for you. Don't worry about the midnight closing time, there's no curfew, you're given a passcode to open the back door.There's a sink in the bedroom, but there's only one shelf.On the bad side, there's pretty much no security; the showers don't have hooks to hang your towel and things on (but they were clean when I used them). Noise from the bar and cafes on the street are a problem so bring your earplugs. Beware of the mosquitos, or you'll wake up covered in bites!
9 of
9 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Seattle, USA
One of my all time favorites... 25 July 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(4)
Cleanliness
(4)
Facilities
(4)
Atmosphere
(4)
(Review ID: 1538)
Brugge is a fantastic and incredibly beautiful city. Security here is pretty lax; but that's why you lock your stuff up in the first place. The beds were nice, lots of room to write your name like the many others that have before you. The staff was very nice; breakfast though is not worth the money. Very quiet, I even got the whole room to myself for 2 of the 3 days I was there. The staff did not make me move or charge me extra. Be sure to check out the south end of the city, it has lots of extremley beautiful buildings, well worth a stroll through. Also be sure to hang out at 'T Bruges Beertje , it's like 3 blocks away on Kammelstraut. Not only does it have a great atmosphere, but it serves 300 different types of beer (I liked the Hercule Stout personally). People from all over the world are hanging out there, great place to meet locals and fellow travelers alike.
9 of
9 people found this review helpful
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Anonymous
Vancouver, BC
ok for a short stay and a good meal 13 July 2003
Pros:
n/a
Cons:
n/a
Anonymous
saw things this way
Maintenance
(3)
Cleanliness
(3)
Facilities
(3)
Atmosphere
(3)
(Review ID: 1539)
We stayed at the Passage in June of 2003. It is very well located as it was close the train station and in the centre of town. It was not the most secure hostel we stayed at, but as the other reviewers have mentioned, the staff were friendly (not around) and the restaurant down stairs was GREAT!Bathrooms were ok (they are shared with the restaurant patrons) and the showers weren't that clean either. Otherwise, the Passage is a good place to stay for a night in Brugges.
