Sep 4

Hotel Review: Hotel des Ducs D’Anjou

Posted in Paris

If you’re looking for a 3 star boutique hotel right in the center of Paris, you can’t get much more central that Hotel des Ducs D’Anjou. With its 38 rooms just a short walk from Chatlet-Les Halles, the world’s largest underground station, Hotel des Ducs D’Anjou is easy to reach and a convenient, pleasant base to visit the city’s major sights.

The hotel is small and intimate and while it may not be strictly be considered a ’boutique hotel’ it definitely has that air about it. Upon arrival, I was greeted warmly by the front desk staff who was eager to assist me with my room and with any questions I may have had about the surrounding area. Even though I arrived well before check in time, they were able to accomodate me right away and after a few minutes in the stylish lobby area, I was on my way to my room.

Lobby area stylishly decorated in lilac and black furnishings

During my visit I was fortunate enough to stay in the hotel’s spacious and light-filled penthouse apartment. The penthouse is reached by a small (though standard for Paris) elevator then up an additional flight of stairs once inside the penthouse door. The first thing you notice once inside the room is the amazing view over the rooftops of the city with Centre Pompidou just off the the left. This was one of those “Wow! I’m really in Paris” moments!

Room?…What room? The first thing I noticed was the view!

After taking a few minutes to gush over the view, I stepped back to notice the great room I was standing in. Is it possible to be both modern and retro at the same time? If so, that’s how I’d describe the room. Sleek and modern with lots of sharp lines and angles, but also a little retro as it reminded me of a 1960’s era lounge. The light colored wood furniture and the white walls, sheets and accents definitely lent a bright, airy feel of the room. A green angular window seat and funky tiled floor added a bit of pop.

The bed was very comfortable and I loved that it was higher off the ground than regular hotel beds.

A great window seat to relax in with a book or cup of coffee.

While you will likely want to spend every day trying the world famous French cuisine at local cafes, you do have a second option with this room. Hidden behind a simple white door, I was surprised to find a small kitchen area with a mini-fridge stocked with cold drinks, a sink and a microwave oven.

What I thought was another closet area…

…ended up being a small kitchen area.

The room also came with a large flat screen TV, DVD player, iPod docking station and plenty of conveniently placed outlets for your appliances. There is WiFi throughout the hotel, though the signal was a bit temperamental that high up in the hotel. The room included plenty of space for clothing well with two separate closets: one for hanging clothes and one with shelves.

The bathroom is separated from the rest of the room with a glass wall. The glass allows light to continue to flow into all areas of the room, but it could also lead to a bit of a privacy issue if you’re sharing the room with another person. The bathroom has a large shower stall (no bath tub) plenty of counter space and a separate room for the toilet.

Bath products provided by the hotel

Spacious shower room with overhead rain shower.

But the piece de resistance (there’s my high school French coming in handy) was the great outdoor deck just off the room. A sliding glass door leads to a wooden deck area with room for about 5 – 7 people and further views of the surrounding city. On a clear night, you can watch the stars, have a glass of wine and gaze out over the roof top of one of the worlds most beautiful cities.

View of your penthouse room’s private deck

Private deck located just outside your penthouse room.

Eventually you will have to leave your room, and when you do so, you will find yourself just steps away from restaurants, cafes, boutiques, jazz clubs and crepe stands. Walk a few more blocks and you’re at well-known Parisian sights like the Louvre, Notre Dame, Centre Pompidou and the banks of the River Seine.

Before heading out for the day, stop at the Hotel des Ducs D’Anjou’s breakfast room for a traditional continental breakfast. Fresh and dried fruits, breads, cheeses, cereals, juice, coffee and tea are all on offer (for an additional fee).

Some of the selections at the hotel’s continental breakfast buffet

Dried fruits at the buffet

After spending a relaxing night at the Hotel des Ducs D’Anjou, I would give it a rank of 3.5 stars (based on the room I stayed in).

The hotel’s central location, stylish lobby, penthouse room and friendly staff were definitely pluses for the hotel. A few things like worn carpet in the penthouse staircase, water damage to the bathroom walls and ill-informed night staff (the person on duty did not know the location of a 24 hour pharmacy which should be standard knowledge at any hotel) should be addressed as this would allow for a higher rating and an even more pleasant stay for the guests. But all in all, I was happy with the hotel and could recommend it to friend and fellow travelers. Thank you for the lovely stay, Hotel des Ducs D’Anjou!

Disclaimer: My stay and breakfast at the Hotel de Ducs D’Anjou were paid for by the property, but all opinions expressed here are my own.