Your arrival
- Check-in from 4 pm on arrival day — check-out before 10 am on departure day.
- Your keys are waiting in the key box. Deborah sends you the code and its exact location before you arrive.
- One key for everything: the apartment key also opens the building's front door, the emergency door and the garage access.
- The lift takes you straight into the apartment, on the 9th and top floor.
- As you enter: the “MAIN SWITCH” is to the right of the lift door. It powers all the lighting — except the bathrooms — and the motorised curtains. Switch it on when you arrive, and off every time you go out.
- Mind the walls with your luggage, thank you!
Parking
- Your space is no. 3, in the basement garage — direct lift access to the apartment.
- The garage door remote is with the keys.
Heating, air conditioning, curtains
- Heating: the temperature is set to 22°. The thermostat, in the alcove to the right of the entrance closet, lets you change it: just press + or −. On the screen, the setpoint is on the left, the apartment temperature on the right.
- Air conditioning: each bedroom has its own (control panel at the bedroom entrance), as do the TV lounge (panel on the wall) and the dining area (remote on the shelf).
- Curtains and blinds (Somfy remotes): ∧ to open, ∨ to close, “my” to stop. One remote per bedroom — in the master, the bottom button selects which curtain (the small lights show which one). In the lounges, a single remote does it all: lights 1 and 2 for the two TV-lounge curtains, light 3 for the fireplace-lounge blinds.
- Gas fireplace: it is operated with the black remote kept in the bookcase. One absolute rule: turn it off every time you leave the room — set high, for hours, unattended, it is a fire hazard.
Television, cinema and music
The TV lounge runs on a single remote: the LG.
- Turning on: the ⏻ button on the LG turns on the TV, which displays the Apple TV. The same remote navigates and controls the volume.
- On the Apple TV: Netflix, YouTube, a library of over 150 films, and the Molotov app for French channels.
- Music: the apartment is fitted with Sonos. The system only appears in the SONOS app when your phone is connected to the apartment WiFi (401L) — connect first, then let the app guide you.
The kitchen
- Pots and pans: wooden or silicone utensils only, to avoid scratching them.
- The dining table: please use the placemats, for meals and laptops alike — its top scratches easily.
- Ovens and microwave: the essentials of the Smeg compact oven are just below — the illustrated guide is in the kitchen.
- Washing machine and dryer: to the right of the fridge. Please clean the dryer filter after every cycle.
- Vacuum, iron and ironing board: in the small hallway opposite the sink.
Smeg microwave oven — the essentials
Two knobs do everything: the right one selects the function (it lights up on the display), the left one sets whatever is asked — power, temperature, weight or time. Start with the “start” symbol (diamond) under the right knob, stop with the crossed circle.
- Microwave — quick reheating and cooking: set the power, then the time.
- Microwave + grill — cooks through and browns the top.
- Grill — for browning, gratins and toasting.
- Defrost by time — you choose the duration.
- Defrost by weight — enter the weight, the oven works out the time.
- Pizza — a dedicated programme.
Bins and recycling
- Four bins in the small hallway opposite the sink, each with an official Brussels bag colour. The poster in the kitchen shows what goes where; spare bags are under the sink.
- Glass (jars, wine and champagne bottles) goes in the green container on the lower ground floor. The drinks' glass bottles, however, carry a deposit and must not be thrown away — see The drinks.
What goes where? Recycling in detail
Goes in: newspapers and magazines, paper and envelopes, flattened cardboard boxes, paper bags.
Not here: tissues and kitchen towel → bin 4 · greasy cardboard (pizza box) → bin 2 · drink cartons → bin 3.
Goes in: everything that can't be recycled — dust, sponges and wipes, nappies, broken crockery (well wrapped), soiled paper and cardboard.
The white bag is the paid one: the better you sort, the slower it fills!
Goes in: plastic bottles and flasks, tubs and trays, plastic film and bags, cans and tins, drink cartons (milk, juice…).
Not here: packaging with leftovers (empty it first!) · polystyrene. Empty everything, don't nest items together.
Goes in: peelings, meal leftovers (meat and fish included), bread, rice, pasta, eggshells, coffee grounds, kitchen towel and paper napkins.
Not here: liquids · plastic packaging and bags. Close the bag properly to keep smells in.
The four bin lids are numbered 1 to 4, and the full poster is in the kitchen.
The drinks
The drinks you find there on arrival are complimentary. The rest of the fridge is yours for your groceries.
Help yourself: everything in it is charged. Prices are below, on the door and on the tally sheet.
- The vegetable drawers of the right fridge are private — please don't touch them.
- The crated water in the bedrooms and kitchen works like the honesty bar: available, charged, ticked on the sheet.
- Empty bottles: the drinks' glass bottles carry a deposit — don't throw them away! Put them back in the crates next to the bins, and the bedrooms' water bottles back in their crate. Only wine and champagne bottles go to the glass container.
- Payment is in cash on departure: leave the amount with the sheet on the dining room table.
Your honesty bar tally
Count what you take: the cash amount to leave works itself out.
Please also copy these quantities onto the paper honesty bar sheet, and leave the cash with it on the dining room table.
The closets
We live in this apartment: a few closets hold our personal belongings. They are closed with a plastic tie or a key — please don't open them.
Each bedroom of course has its own wardrobe and large closet, entirely yours, as is the entrance cloakroom. In the kitchen, the island's second drawer and the cupboard under the coffee machine are empty, at your disposal. And in the entrance, the console's top drawer is yours — you'll find a few Brussels guides inside.
House rules
- Parties are strictly forbidden, and the apartment is entirely non-smoking.
- If you wish to invite someone who is not on the contract, please let us know.
- Please do not move the furniture and do not sleep in the lounges.
- Please take care of the household linen.
- The neighbourhood is a quiet one: please respect the building's calm, especially in the evening.
- On the terrace, please remember to close the parasol before going out — or lay it flat in strong wind.
Your departure
Check-out is by 10 am at the latest. Before you leave:
No need to do the cleaning: our team takes care of it after you leave. We simply ask that no rubbish is left lying around and that the apartment is left tidy — beyond normal use, additional charges may apply.
And if you enjoyed your stay, a positive review on the site where you found us would mean a lot. Planning to come back? Contact Deborah directly.
A problem? Quick fixes
The key goes into the lock but won't turn
Occasionally, the small slotted piece in the cylinder ends up with its slot facing upwards: the key goes in, but won't turn. Nothing is broken! Rotate that small piece with your fingers until the slot faces down, then insert the key again.
The lights or curtains aren't responding
It's most likely the “MAIN SWITCH”, to the right of the lift door: check that it's on. It powers the lighting and the motorised curtains.
It's too cold
The thermostat is in the alcove to the right of the entrance closet. Press + to raise the setpoint — shown on the left of the screen, with the current temperature on the right. Reminder: the setpoint returns to 22° automatically every night.
No hot water
Send Deborah a WhatsApp message (+32 484 16 27 69): she fixes it remotely, within minutes.
Would you like a cleaning service during your stay?
On weekdays, contact Flora (+32 484 60 25 63); at weekends, Emmanuella (+32 484 70 56 38) — preferably by written WhatsApp message. Rate: €30 per hour, paid directly.
For everything else
A breakdown, a question, a doubt: Deborah replies on WhatsApp at +32 484 16 27 69.