Paris Journal 2012 – Barbara Joy Cooley Home: barbarajoycooley.com
Find me on Facebook 2011
Paris Journal ← Previous Next
→ Go back to the beginning
|
France has some new stars. The French changed their hotel classification system last year, but the new plaques were not installed on hotel façades until Monday, July 23. The old system had a maximum of 4 stars, and the new one has a maximum rating of 5 stars. (Note that this system has nothing to do with the star-rating system used by travel experts like Michelin.) It isn’t that easy to find clear information about the new classification system. So I looked around for you. (We don’t know much about individual hotels in Paris, because we stay in an apartment. Three that we do recommend are the Hotel des Grandes Ecoles, Hotel Chopin, and Hotel de l’Avre. At the last one, be sure to ask for a room facing the garden.) The best English language explanation I found was on a site called rendezvousenfrance.com. Here’s their delineation of the classes: 1
star
corresponds to an inexpensive hotel. The minimum surface area for a double
room must be 9 m² (96 sq. ft.), excluding bathroom facilities, which may be
private or shared. 2
and 3 stars correspond to mid-range hotels, which must have staff who speak
at least one official European language in addition to French. Reception must
be open at least ten hours per day. The minimum surface area for a double
room must be 9 m² for a 2-star hotel, or 13.5 m² (145 sq. ft.) including bathroom
for a 3-star hotel. The difference with a 1-star hotel also includes the
surface area of public spaces, notably the lobby, which must be at least 50
m² (538 sq. ft.) for a
3-star hotel, compared to 20 m² (215 sq. ft.) for 1-star
hotels. 4
and 5 stars correspond to high quality and superior quality hotels. The
rooms are spacious, being a minimum of 16 m² (172 sq. ft.), including
bathroom, in a 4-star hotel and 24 m² (258 sq. ft.) in a 5-star hotel. A
5-star hotel must provide staff who can speak two foreign languages (one of
which is English) in addition to French, room service, accompaniment to the
room, and the possibility to dine at the hotel. Other advantages offered by
5-star hotels include a valet parking service, a concierge, and special facilities in
the rooms such as a safe and internet access. Air-conditioning is mandatory.
Just because a hotel has, for example, three stars does not mean it can’t have some of the 4 star features. The Hotel de Varenne has only 3 stars under the new system, but its rooms are air conditioned, as I understand it. I think the same is true of the Hotel de Notre Dame where our friends Gopal and Karen stayed. The Hotel de Varenne is one of the establishments included in a book called Hotels et Maisons d’Hotes de Charme Paris. Here’s a translation of its description in that book: One passes under the porch and there, surprise, a delicious
courtyard stretches all along the façade of the Hotel de Varenne. Abundantly surrounded by arbors and
climbing plants, it has sufficient space for guests to sit there with a drink
or breakfast.. The entrance of the hotel is on the side of the courtyard. To the right of the reception desk, the
dining room furnished in mahogany in the style of the 18th century
sets the tone of the establishment. On
each floor, all the rooms (except four) face the garden. Whether larger or smaller, all have been
decorated in this classic and traditional spirit. The ensemble is comfortable, carefully maintained, and the
bathrooms impeccable. Jean-Marc Pommier, the owner, is very careful in managing his
establishment. Every little detail is
appreciated. Each TV is equipped with a DVD player (you can borrow several
films at the front desk). The price remains attractive, the reception attentive. During your stay, don’t miss the Musée Rodin, located just at the end of
the street. As I wrote yesterday, the price is about 300 euros per night for two people; is that attractive??? Of course, we have not stayed there. I checked out some of the reviews on the web; people seem to like the place, except that several mention that the rooms have a peculiar smell. Another attractive place on the rue de Bourgogne is a home décor shop that features fabulous shell art. One of the problems I encounter on Sunday walks is that shops are closed, and I must photograph interesting things through the glass windows. The reflections in the glass can interfere with the images, but I take the shots anyway. I knew some Sanibelians would react to my claim about this being some of the best shell art I’ve ever seen. They did. I did my best to try to show this to you, but I’m not sure if the total effect is all there. The most creative and fascinating objects were phantasmagorical faces created from shells. But the reflections on the glass detract. You’ll just have to take my word for it, Lois. Last night, Dan wanted to go to the North African restaurant around the corner from us: Le Tipaza. So we did. I entered the restaurant first, and the manager recognized me immediately from our prior years’ visits. He was very welcoming, shook my hand, asked how we’d been, etc. The other manager, whom we know by name (Mohammed) was sitting way in the back of the dining room, close to the kitchen. He looked like he was seriously working on something. We were shown to a nice, big round table already set for five, and a young female server brought our menus to us. I think this is the first time we’ve seen a woman working in Le Tipaza. The dining room at Le Tipaza is a gorgeous amalgamation of highly decorative plaster, tile, and lighting. The chairs are upholstered in an attractive tapestry-like fabric. Everything is clean and welcoming. Dan had said that he wanted a tagine, but he ordered a couscous dish with grilled meat on the side instead. The twins shared an adult main course (veal scallopini and fries) instead of ordering the kid’s menus, because that seemed like a better value. The manager had no problem with this; he brought the extra plate himself, and he served the divided main course as if this is done frequently. Tom and I ordered the grilled lamb chops; his with sautéed potatoes and mine with green beans. The lamb chops were very good, and cooked just right. In comparing the girls’ fries, Tom’s sautéed potatoes, and my green beans, it was obvious that Tom’s sautéed potatoes were far and away the best choice. They were quite good. As we dined, a number of men came into the restaurant and joined Mohammed at the back of the dining room. It was now after sunset, and time for the Ramadan feast to begin. Lots of food was brought to the mens’ table. The Koran forbids the drinking of wine, so the beverage of choice at this table? That all-American drink made by a corporation headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia: Coca-cola. Two big bottles of it graced the festive table. Tom and I shared a dessert that is new to the menu: the Cuba. It consisted of whipped cream, ice cream, banana, and a rum sauce. Delicious. The girls, of course, had ice cream. It was a fine, comfortable, lovely family dinner. Afterwards, it was so easy for Dan and the girls to catch the metro home, because the Emile Zola station is just outside Le Tipaza. Earlier in the day, Dan and the girls had visited the park at Buttes Chaumant. A 19th century addition to Paris, the park and surrounding area were part of the Haussmannian transformation of the city. The park is also a great arboretum with many interesting specimens, and has features such as a waterfall and grotto. The park’s opening was a part of the Universal Exposition of 1867. But it is also very up-to-the-minute, with three restaurants and four free wi-fi zones. Wi-fi, by the way, can be found for free in many Paris parks (but alas not near the playground at the Luxembourg Gardens). It is also offered by some brasseries, but not restaurants, generally. And it is a feature that many two-star hotels offer even though they are not required to in order to qualify for two stars. Wi-fi is simply an easy perk to offer, and so it is. I must not allow myself to start on the subject of internet service providers. All I will allow myself to say is that Comcast could learn a lot from the French.
Base of a shell lamp.
|
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Last
week, new red plaques with the new starred rating system replaced the old
blue plaques with the old system.
The
Hotel de Varenne on the rue de Bourgogne is very
attractive, and has a 3-star rating; however, it has some 4-star
features. Its entrance is on a
tranquil courtyard.
Photo
of the Hotel de Varenne’s lobby.
Shell
mirrors, necklaces, sculptures, and shell lamps in a shop on the rue de
Bourgogne.
Phantasmagorical
shell faces.
|
