Not aiming for the stars

Antwerp’s Nulsterrenpension offers cheap and fun lodging at festival site

Sleeping in a former gas factory may sound less than appealing – but then you haven’t seen the Nulsterrenpension (Zero Star Pension) in Antwerp. In this low-budget hostel, you can spend the night in a setting ideal for a David Lynch movie.

The Nulsterrenpension is proud to offer not much luxury, but definitely an original sleeping experience at a low price (€15 per night). The furniture and decor is second-hand, with a final touch added by the local theatre group Lilith. These creative minds have clearly enjoyed themselves placing huge moustaches on family photographs, doll-eyes on portraits and bespectacled giraffe heads on the walls. Every room has a different name on the door, so you have the feeling of being invited by a mysterious Paula or Oscar into their private chamber.

The Nulsterrenpension is set up for the second year as part of city festival Zomer van Antwerpen (Summer of Antwerp). “There are enough expensive hotels with lots of stars in Antwerp,” explains Patrick De Groote, artistic director of the summer-long festival. “Many young visitors are glad to find this affordable stay with a lot of evening entertainment.”

You will certainly not spend your evenings watching television at the Nulsterrenpension, as the hostel is located at the Zomerfabriek (Summer Factory). Old caravans, busses and factory sheds serve a new purpose as bars, lounge and restaurant. Visitors can learn about the life stories of African refugees in an extensive video installation, watch a movie in open air or dance to the beats during a DJ session.

From Thursdays to Saturdays a wooden tower designed as a Shakespearean theatre features concerts, comedy and theatre shows. To help them recover from the long nights, the Nulsterrenpension treats its guests in the morning to an organic breakfast.