The special offer with breakfast was super!!
by C Green -
15 Sep 2009
The hotel was perfect for our mini-break (two friends travelling; first trip to Paris for one of us): excellent direct links to CDG and to Gare du Nord (for Eurostar back to London) and right in the corner of rue de a Huchette, off the Boul’Mich. Simple, clean lines make a very competent and unfussy restoration of an old building. Exactly what you want from a hotel: central location, good beds and soft bedlinen, MODERN (tiny, yes, but clean and functional) bathroom, enough wardrobe space (with big mirrors) for two people, flat telly and minibar (we didn’t use the safe, but I think you need a special key). Beautiful full height window with an angled view of the Seine and a bit of the Louvre (room 429), above a very lively street. The double-glazing is PERFECT (no noise at all!). The aircon worked like a dream, was very quiet and SIMPLE to operate (you know, the “ON/OFF” button style and you could actually READ the display).
Breafast was included in our special offer: delicious little croissants (we demolished quite a few), good coffee (don’t believe everything you hear about bad French coffee) and chocolate, and the usual other bits and pieces: cheeses, ham, eggs (boil your own), sweet breads, butter and a good selection of jams. Some fresh fruit (not much of that, though). The breakfast room is tiny but very friendly (you always appreciate a warm smile for breakfast), with windows to the street. They serve it till 10.30 but there were notices around saying you could make arrangements for other times, or to have it in your room, if you needed it (early departures, lazy mornings). We may try it next time…
The lift only takes three people (with a big suitcase you’ll probably travel alone) and the corridors are extremely narrow but not oppressive (short and bright colours). The decor is simple and friendly. The old staircase is LOVELY.
We DID use the Wi-Fi (5 euros for 48 hours). We had our Eee PC and it was great to show our room and the view to our families in the evening. Connection quality varied (good enough for surfing but not good enough for GOOD Skype video). We both thought Wi-Fi should be free.
Just outside the hotel there are plenty of crêperies and tourist restaurants (very touristy and expensive: 5 euros for 250cl of water!). But the Italian ice-cream in “Amorino” (rue de la Huchette) is YUMMY!!!
We saw little of the staff as we were out all day but when we did they were very courteous, competent and friendly.
We will definitely use the Albe again, and we recommend it wholeheartedly: the PERFECT 3 stars!
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