Hotel Malpertuus

I've already described our hotel room/loft apartment a bit in a previous post. Today, I want to share with you pictures of Hotel Malpertuus and the few rooms we are calling home for the next several weeks.

First of all, let me tell you where we actually are. I really had no clue until I started looking some things up on Google Maps. I know we landed in Brussels, Belgium. Then, the shuttle driver drove for quite a while along some roads with weird letter-number names, and somehow we got to our hotel. We will be living in the Flemish Region of Belgium, the northern region, in the province (like a 'state') of Limburg. The hotel is in the Riemst commune ('county'), in the village of Herderen (town) along the road called Tongeresteenweg between Tongeren, Belgium, and Maastricht,  Netherlands. (For more information on Belgium provinces, check out this website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_Belgium.Also, the hotel has a great website you can visit at www.malpertuus.be.)





Now, do you see the window in the middle of the right-hand peak? That is our kitchen window.

This is the view from the kitchen window looking out over the parking lot.

This is the very green kitchen. See the cabinet under the microwave? That's a big wine rack =) The big cabinet on the right side is the refrigerator; it blends right in!

The view from the dining room looking into the kitchen through the thick, double glass doors

The dining area

Here, you're looking from the living room, through the dining room, to the kitchen.

The living room furniture

Looking from the entry at the top of the step through the living room, dining area, and kitchen.

   The other side of the living room

At the top of the steps

 

Now, from the other direction, looking left from the entry area at the top of the stairs. This hallway is looooong. It just keeps going! There are two bedrooms, a bathroom, then the master bedroom at the end.

This is the first bedroom, "Rachael's Room." It's the only bedroom with a double bed.

Next is "Zachary's Room." See his Pack 'n' Play? =)

The bathroom is just plain weird. It had several steps in it. But, it's big, with two sinks, a shower, and a tub. I like it. Now, anyways =) It was hard to get used to at first! =)

The shower and the bidet!  

I really like the square toilet. It's comfy =) Rachael likes flushing it because you pull up on the plunger in the middle.

Again, the infamous bidet. I don't know if I'll ever be brave enough to try it. It sounds like a very wet process. =)

These are the two decorations on the shelving unit in the hall across from the bathroom. The red thing is a big, empty ball of wax. It is soo weird!

This is the master suite, with the two twin beds, a beautiful vanity, and a sitting room.

We really like the sitting room. We pray our rosaries there every night with the kids in our laps =)

There is so much of the pink shelving throughout the apartment. Someone really liked pink!

 This is the view out of the sitting room window. Do you see the grove of trees with a satellite sticking out above it? That is the NPC. It's about a 20-25 minute drive away. The area is mostly flat with gently rolling hills and is covered with beautiful farms, fields, pastures, and quiet villages. I am in heaven!

The hotel, from the back. The window at the top is the one in the sitting room.

My favorite part of the hotel is the patio out back. It's beautiful, with very comfortable grey wicker furniture and aqua blue cushions. Ooh, I love it!

And here are Rachael and Zach, hanging out on the lawn out back, enjoying the beautiful Belgium spring weather. They tell me it's usually pretty cloudy and cold here and that the recent weather is a treat. It's a treat for us, anyways, since it only warmed up in Utah on the very day we flew out!! =)




So, there you have it. This is where we're living right now. It is very different than most American hotels, especially in the fact that it has no elevators! After a small adjustment period, we are beginning to really enjoy it. However, Adam should be getting a rental car today (Thursday). We'll finally be able to go out exploring on our own as the kids and I are feeling a little cooped up. Also, we'll get to start looking at places to rent so we can truly settle in and have a 'home.'

I hope you enjoyed this tour of our new digs. Ta ta!