The Place
Definitely one of our top two-star hotels, with perhaps the most charming façade of all. It stands at the end of Passage Jouffroy, one of the 19thC glass-and-steel roofed arcades which thread this no-frills shopping and theatre neighbourhood, and as you approach you may worry that it will be a tourist trap. Not at all.
We found a warm and friendly welcome from the receptionist (“I like my job; I’m paid to smile”), and the caring hands of owner Phillipe Bidal is immediately in evidence in the pretty little breakfast room, landings dressed up with a couple of chairs and flower arrangements, and corridors clad in warm colours and lit by lights over the many pictures.
Our room, No. 412, was one of the best, with coral-coloured walls and a third bed as well as simple furniture which included a desk and chairs, and a bright white bathroom. Tucked under the eaves and approached along a narrow, creaky corridor, it had the feel of an artist’s garret. Set well back from the main roads, all the rooms are quiet.
The continental breakfast is a cut above the average, yet reasonably priced, with hot milk for the coffee, as well as orange juice and yoghurt, while downstairs a buffet is served. A very good-value place to stay.
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