There are alot of hotels near BRU airport with a free shuttle but they can be pricey, try the Holiday Inn Express. I would book soon, because the hotels can get booked up around this area.

Thanks for the tip, wasn't thinking about needing to book early. And I have not actually checked Holiday Inn Express because I had a bad link. Will go check there now.

There are alot of businesses around the airport, so the hotels can get full, at least in my experience. And it's public holiday in Belgium, it's best not to leave booking a hotel too close to arrival.

I went ahead and booked the overnight layover airline flight and then screwed up my courage to book the unknown 4 star hotel that was showing on Hotwire for $86, for a total of $99. There was not a lot information I could find on which four star hotels people had been getting on Hotwire. All I saw was Sheraton and Thon and those were months ago, but either would be super. I got the Sheraton!!! I am thrilled silly. We don't even have to hunt up a shuttle, just roll our suitcases on over there. Yay!!

Congrats! The Sheraton is the only real airport hotel and literally a stone's throw from the terminal exit. And it usually goes, even on consolidators' websites, for €150-200.
So $99 is an extremely good deal.

If you feel like having dinner or drinks in the historic city center of Brussels that night, you can easily hop on any of the frequent trains to Brussels at the airport and get to Grand Place in half an hour.

Thanks, Cowboy. And thanks for the tip about the trains to the city center. I hope I can get the husband to do that. Sometimes if I let him get settled into a hotel in the evening he is kind of difficult to pry loose to go out again.

Just remember to find out when the last train comes back to the airport. I think it is around 11:00 PM or so. It is seven miles to town and you really do not want to miss the train and have to get a cab back.

Does he like beer?

Does he like french fries (pommes frites)?

Does he like sausages or mussels (moules)?

Does he like chocolate?

The center of Brussels is very compact, and it can be argued that they have the best in the world in all these categories. Plus the train is dead easy.

Just a note... there are 3 Train stations in Brussels! You want to go to Centrale. From there it's a downhill 5 minute walk to the Grand Place- which I think is one of the more beautiful squares in Europe!
Plus, just the street is the MannekenPis. Get your camera ready!
Don't know the hours you are there but, check out Dandoy, for cookies and sweet treats. There's also Delirium Cafe- with more than 2,000 different beers in -house. Dinner might be nice at Cirio- just on the side of the Bourse. The food street the runs paralelle to the Grand Place, just one block over, is entertaining and good for pix, but I wouldn't recommend any of the restos there.
By sure to take a stroll thru the Galleries St Hubert, lots of chocolate shops and lovely window displays. at the end of the Galleries and just across the street is Mort Subite- been there forever, great beer and like walking onto a movie set!

And yes, the train ride is only a half hour into town and the trains run about every 15-20 minutes. At the train station check the scheduled time for the trains back to the airport, the station is on the bottom level of the Airport- super easy!