Ostend, Hotel Admiral

I stayed at the Hotel Admiral on a half-board basis. I note that one reviewer mentions that there are no tea/coffee making facilities in the rooms, and the comment that the owner wants people to spend money in the bar instead. This tallies with my experience.

Although you can't expect too much from a 2* hotel, I think it is reasonable to expect free access to drinking water in any European hotel.

At dinner, soon after we arrived after a long journey, I asked for some tap water with my meal. I was told by the waiter that the tap water in Belgium was not drinkable (even though my guidebook says the opposite!). As it was late and the shops had shut, the only option was to buy water from the hotel bar, at 1.50 Euros per glass! The following night, I brought my own water into the dining room. The hotel manager got quite angry about this, confronted me in front of the whole dining room, and 'confiscated' my water, saying that it was not possible to bring my own drink into the dining room. In my opinion, this was a shameless attempt to force me to buy water from the hotel bar. I didn't expect to be provided with wine/soft drinks free of charge; but as we were staying half-board, I at least expected water to be provided with the evening meal. Everywhere else I have stayed in Europe, tap water has been provided willingly. There was a grocer's shop across the road from the hotel that sold a whole litre of mineral water for half the price of a single glass of water from the hotel bar!

One elderly lady misplaced her purse in the hotel bar, and when she reported it to the hotel manager, he seemed completely uninterested, even though the lady was clearly distraught. She got her purse back in the end, but she was very upset by the manager's attitude.

Another lady was slightly late going down to dinner one evening, and the hotel manager phoned her room to scold her for being late!

We didn't feel as though we were on holiday here, and we're sorry to say that we were glad to leave. It's such a pity, because on the whole, the Belgian people we met were friendly and helpful. I would go back to Ostend, but next time, I would stay at a different hotel.

I have been going to the Admiral hotel in Langastrasse for the past 8 or 9 years and have very often gone two or three times in one year, always for a short break I am now 80 years of age and will be going back there in June 2008, the Admiral has become like a second home to me and the ambience there is fantastic so cheerful and happy. Staff are very good, rooms are basic but always very clean. Staff very helpful with information if you need it.

I couldn't believe we stayed at the same hotel as the last review ... the Hotel Admiral is a 2 star hotel and VERY cheap, and you get, like everything in life, what you pay for. If you are polite to the staff, you get the same in return and with our party the staff were unfailingly friendly, helpful and polite. By the way, you switch the tv on from the switch marked "on/off" and choose channels by pressing "up/down channel" button - why you need to ask the staff!!!

Rooms are small but VERY clean, cleaned every day, bathrooms spotless, towels seemed as good as mine at home, and mine are nearly new. You never, or at least seldom, get shampoo etc at budget hotels abroad and while tea making facilities would be nice one can easily (as we did) take a travel kettle (supermarket very near to get tea bags)

Breakfast is, in my experience of budget hotels, very good, 3 diff kinds of cereal, cheese, ok not the gourmet kind but again it's a BUDGET hotel. Dinners are a bit basic to say the least, but there is plenty of it and it's all easy to request, and get an alternative of a good standard. I think it all depends if you are prepared to accept 2 star service at 2 star prices ... the people who demand 5 star service at 2 star prices are the ones who get up the staffs noses and prob get worse treatment as a result, (cant blame them)

Rooms can be noisy at night but good double glazing, or buy some ear plugs if you want windows open as the revellers go home late.

We loved it, expected what we paid for and got it ... will go again for sure with same local coach company Angela holidays

Overall it was a very cheap offer but you get a cheap service. I would not recommend Hotel Admiral to other people. I would sooner pay a little more and get a more comfortable hotel. The hotel is set in an excellent situation, you are close to all shops amd facilities.

The breakfast is the only criticism we could find. It is a hotel for the young to middle aged, and provides a basic friendly service. Take a travel kettle, as there are no tea facilities, although there are plenty of good shops nearby that are open until late.

The hotel is in a very good place in Ostend as it is in the middle of everything. The room was clean and very basic (as you'd expect from a 2 star hotel). Nights are extremely noisy up until about 4am!!!

Food was awful!!! As a vegetarian I was given a very bland and less than basic salad two nights, a plain omelette another night and the final night the main part of the meal was...unbelievably half a grilled tomato with some awful peppery bits sprinkled on top.

I have used packaged holidays for years but this has been my worst experience when it comes to hotel food.

Be warned!!! I would NEVER stay at this hotel again. They don't even bother to make an effort with the food even for the meat eaters, it is a set menu and basically like it or lump it!

We have stayed at this hotel a couple of times before as we love Ostend.

Firstly the Hotel Admiral. Don't expect this hotel to be the Ritz, because it isn't, remember this is a 2* hotel and should be judged on this.

The owner, Peter, is a great host and runs this hotel, (on his own, by the way), very well and efficiently. His staff are all very friendly too, and are good at sharing banter with the guests as you get to know them.

The hotel is compact, clean and the well presented with an English style pub on the ground floor, and a large dining area towards the rear of the hotel.

Food wise, you won't go hungry, it's simple but nice food, and after the first serving of the main course, there is ALWAYS a second helping (Peter's orders!)

In the rooms, they are well cleaned, and furniture, though basic is good enough for a short break. The bathrooms, (although maybe ready for a freshen up) are functional and again well cleaned each day.

BEWARE! If you are looking for total peace and quiet after 11.30pm each night forget it!

The hotel is located on Laange Street, (which has a brill collection of bars 300/400 metres upstreet, great if you like to go out after dark.) which is in the heart of one of Ostend's busier districts and after midnight that's when some of the Belgians like to START their evening out!

So noise can be heard when folks are making their way home, but just do what we do, have a few beers and join 'them! (it's cheap enough!)

HOTEL OVERALL:I personally like the Admiral, its cheap enough (we went on a coach package, cheapest way to do it.),Very well run, Peter will go out of his way to help you with ANY questions or queries regarding the hotel, timetables, Belgium itself...etc, just ask him!, Its very friendly, clean and the food is good. You can't ask any more from a 2*hotel and I recommend you try it.

OSTEND, RESORT.

What a great resort, it's big, beautiful and has everything for everyone. A great beach (miles and miles and miles of it!) A lovely park, Good shops, lots of top class restaurants. A harbour with some amazing boats. A fantastic promenade that goes on for miles (hire a four seater bike and explore up coast for ages!)A brill frequent Tram system that runs along the coast from the French border to the Dutch border, (You can buy a ticket for 5 euros and have unlimited travel all day! bargain.) Just keep getting off and explore the little seaside resorts at your leisure! I recommend DePanne + Koksidjie Bad. Both lovely resorts. (And visit beautiful Brugge too!)

And of course the nightlife! Very good, There are bars for the young and the old (Rons Pub, Next door to the hotel is a huge favourite with the older generations with entertainment and singsongs! Not mention the street festivals and celebrations, there always seems to be something going off in the resort at one time or another.

OVERALL RESORT REVIEW:

Brilliant, friendly people, clean, relaxed atmosphere, child friendly too, always something to do or see, make this a must see resort, try it for a change. Highly recommended!