France
For weekend city breaks to Calais the Bonsai hotel is a good choice. Tiny rooms but ideal location and budget prices. Located right opposite the main station, a few minutes' walk from the centre of the town of Calais. Most important - free parking facilities for those who travel by car.
Quai Du Danube, Calais, 62100
www.hotelara.com/france/calais-accommodation.html
An excellent hotel for overnight stays; very good value.
I booked on the internet; I was surprised to get an automatic extra 5% discount off their already low price of €36.
We arrived well after midnight, via the Eurotunnel, but their reception was still open, as was the bar.
Our room was clean and fresh; bed a bit firm, but that's what I like anyway. There was an extra bunk bed sideways over our double bed, perfect for our 7-year-old boy, who loved it.
The self-service buffet breakfast was really great value for only €5 extra each (children seemed to be free), with a big choice of fruits, breads, toast, cereals yoghurt etc - much better than most French breakfast offerings.
2 Quai du Danube, Calais, Pas-de-Calais, 62100
Located oposite the rail station very cheap prices.
Quai Du Danube
62100 Calais
A good, reasonably priced (£60) hotel, with good breakfasts, and rooms that sleep 4 in comfort.
It's quite close to the Cite d'Europe and the Channel Tunnel terminal, but not too hard to find from the Ferry terminal.
The hotel is part of the Accor group, and is one of three hotels in a little block with secure parking at the back (the others were Ibis and Etap, both cheaper).
Nice reception area, complete with mountain bikes to borrow (and a Smart Car at the back for you as well - don't know if there's a charge for these but got the feeling not).
Access to room is by a chip card. The rooms are LARGE, certainly compared to the Holiday Inn Express or Travel Lodge. As we walked in, there was a loo on the left, a table and 2 chairs (both on wheels, likewise the TV). Large sofa which turns into a single bed, and a pull out one from under the double bed so the room comfortably sleeps four.
There's a fridge, small sink and microwave in the room, and then we discovered there was a room divider that one can pull across to separate the (very big) double bed from the rest of the room - thus ensuring a little privacy from children should you have them. One caveat - the divider is quite thin - almost japanese in style.
Next to the double bed there's shelving (with a small safe box), and entrance to the bathroom (with a bath and separate shower, hairdryer, as well as a wash basin).
I felt that one could spend a whole holiday in one of these, even cooking a little in the microwave. There were no real glasses or cups/plates or the like, so if you want to feed little ones, bring your own. There were a couple of plasic glasses and paper cups along with tea and coffee. There are both smoking and non-smoking rooms.
Food. Don't know what dinner is like - there were 'meal packs' in the large fridge by reception. Breakfast. Croissants and coffee are free of charge, I understand, but you can also buy a 'breakfast box' for about E6 - well worth it when you eat it - very nice fruit, quality honey and jam, a large portion of very tasty butter (I like expensive butter), a plastic container of ham (don't know what that was like - we're veggies), a kiwi fruit and some President cheese - again a big portion. Help yourself to rolls and decent criossants.
Highly recommended.
Place de Cantorbery
62231 COQUELLES
FRANCE
Tel :(+33)3/21195000
Fax :(+33)3/21195005
E-mail : H3335@accor.com
www.accorhotels.com/accorhotels/fichehotel/gb/sui/3335/fiche_hotel.shtml
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