Description:
This is a simple, yet very friendly and comfortable hotel near the Place de la Nation and Bastille area of Paris. My girlfriend and I stayed here based on favorable reviews, and we weren't disappointed.
The double room we stayed in on the fifth floor was fairly small but clean and comfortable. There was a phone, TV with CNN International in English (the rest was in French), desk with chair, armoire (no closet), and wif-fi access (for an additional charge) in the room. The pillows were a bit small and thin, but they happily provided us extras when requested. The bathroom only has a shower, no bathtub, but I think this is typical. I'm not sure if they are offered in other rooms in the hotel. There's a slight rumbling from the Metro, but on the fifth floor, it didn't bother us much. The room was very quiet overall, though we could hear our neighbor snoring occasionally. We had a great view of the street below from our balcony, which doubled nicely as a chiller for our champagne during those cold winter nights.
There's also a nice little bar with leather chairs in the lobby where you can have drinks. Breakfast is offered until 11am, but we never tried it. There are so many patisseries and boulangeries in Paris (several across the street from the hotel), we couldn't justify it. The service was excellent. The front-desk staff speaks English and was very helpful with maps, suggestions, French advice, etc.
The area is great, about a 10-minute walk to the bustling Bastille area, full of shops, cafes, and bars. The Rue de Boulets metro stop is about 50 yards from the front door, which can connect you quickly to anywhere you want to go in the city. For even fewer connections, the larger Nation station is about 5 minutes away and can connect you to the RER line. All the necessities (grocery store, ATM, pharmacy, etc.) are right next door or across the street. The Pere-Lachaise cemetery is a short 15-minute walk away. If you're looking for an excellent value, great service, and a simple, yet comfortable place to stay, consider the Grand Hotel Francaise. We would definitely stay again.
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