Sunday 27 April 2014

I'd like to reserve a room, please

    When we go to a French hotel bedroom, the first thing I throw out is the large and stiff bolster on the bed which we find very uncomfortable under the neck. If you look in the wardrobe you will usually find two pillows in nice clean covers and the extra blanket for a chilly night.
By the way, if you are a non-smoker, always ask for a 'non fumeur' room and quite often they are labelled thus on the door - despite this, you sometimes get in to one that reeks of stale tobacco smoke and it is sensible to ask reception for another room. French people seem to like smoking in bed and it is a very unpleasant habit for the next occupant! Remember, too, always check the fire exit in a strange hotel - occasionally we have found them locked tight and once were told that the manager had the key and was off duty for the week-end!!! Most French hotels are now completely renovated with smart little bathrooms or tidy showers, they are clean and furnished with good firm beds, simple modern furniture, telephone and TV. very different to the state of the postwar period when you had to dash along the corridor for the W.C. and the bathtubs were a shared convenience! We always go for the Logis de France chain with hundreds of choices in an excellent guide book with photos and all details. They are family run, usually with good food and are regularly checked to comply with the rules of their particular classification, 2 - 5 stars.   While the menu or cooking is not usually as elaborate as a restaurant or brasserie, you can be sure of well cooked home-style dishes and these often suit better if you are tired after a long day of driving.

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