Hostel Blauwput Leuven
Ensuite-bathroom hostel two minutes from Leuven station, built for Brussels day-trippers
Modern hostel right next to Leuven train station, 12 minutes walk to Grote Markt. Private check-in service, ensuite bathrooms in most rooms, sun deck and a small bar with picnic-area garden. The pick if you're using Leuven as a base for Brussels day trips or arriving late and leaving early.
Hostel Blauwput sits on Martelarenlaan, two minutes from Leuven station and about 12 minutes' walk through the centre to Grote Markt. The trade-off versus City Hostel is straightforward: you give up walking-to-Oude-Markt convenience and get newer rooms, mostly with private ensuite bathrooms (rare for a budget hostel in Belgium), a private check-in service, and a calmer location away from the student noise.
The property has a sun deck, an outdoor picnic garden with terrace seating, an indoor lounge with board games, and a small on-site bar. Most reviewers single out the breakfast (extra fee, served in a bright dining area) as a pleasant surprise — Belgian cheeses, fresh bread, eggs to order. Game room and meeting/banquet space are available, which is a hint about the secondary clientele: small groups, KU Leuven visitor families, business travellers on a budget.
It's the right move when your trip mixes Leuven with Brussels day-trips (catch the 06:54 to Brussels Central in 25 minutes, no rush), or when you want a quiet sleep after a long European train day. Skip it if walking home from the Oude Markt at 02:00 is the priority — it's a cold 15-minute trudge in winter.
- 01Two minutes from Leuven station for stress-free Brussels day-trips and early connections
- 02Ensuite bathrooms in most rooms (very rare at this price point in Belgium)
- 03Sun deck + picnic garden + on-site bar make for a low-key social scene without leaving
- 04Breakfast actually punches above its weight: Belgian cheeses, fresh bread, eggs to order
- 05Modern rooms feel newer than the centre hostel: hypoallergenic showers, better insulation
- 2 min walk to train station
- Ensuite bathrooms in most rooms
- Sun deck + picnic garden
- On-site bar
“Great place, placed right next to the train station. The location is perfect if you're catching trains, and the room was spotless. Recommend it.”
“Very good location, right next to the train station. Brussels day trip was painless. The breakfast was fresh and the staff was helpful.”
“Best value for money! Nice spacious room, 4 beds with toilet and shower in the room itself. Breakfast was a pleasant surprise.”
- Leuven train station (Brussels in 25 min)2 min walk
- Grote Markt (main square)12 min walk
- Oude Markt (longest bar in the world)14 min walk
- University Library tower10 min walk
- Begijnhof UNESCO village18 min walk
- Stella Artois mother brewery (Vaartkom)20 min walk
