Tag: #travelblogger

My stay at GLO Hotel Espoo Sello in Finland

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Last week, I was in Finland on a business trip and I stayed at Glo Hotel Sello for 3 days.

Location:

GLO Hotel Espoo Sello is very conveniently located in the centre of Espoo town, 15 minutes drive from Helsinki. Trains reach central Helsinki in 10 minutes from Leppävaara Station which is only a few minutes walk away. It is situated next to Sello Shopping Mall so you can get a bit of retail therapy whilst in Espoo.

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Atmosphere:

The hotel has an informal atmosphere. For all my eco-loving friends, you would be glad to discover that GLO Hotel Espoo Sello is environmentally friendly and certified by the Green Key.

Facilities:

GLO Hotel Espoo Sello has a 24-hours reception, baggage storage room, restaurant and a rooftop terrace. Free WiFi is available throughout the property.

When I arrived at the hotel on Sunday evening (9:40 p.m.), I was surprised to discover that their restaurant was closed and there was no room-service offered… I ended up having some sweets for my dinner-not great if you are traveling the whole day and want something to eat when you arrive.

The breakfast was served at the restaurant downstairs and was quite limited. There wasn’t much to choose from and I normally just ended up with some yogurt and fruits.

Room:

The room had a modern décor.

The bed was comfortable and I was able to choose my own special pillow and blanket for free. These services are not offered to all guest so you need to enquire about them at the reception to take advantage. My room also had a flat-screen TV, safe, mini-bar and blackout curtains. After a long day of meetings, I was always looking forward to relaxing in my room. The bathroom was simple and had the basic facilities like a shower, washbasin.

Overall:

GLO Hotel Espoo Sello is quite an average hotel that would be good for anyone travelling to Espoo on business. What you need to be aware of is that, there is not much to do in the town itself so if you wish to do a bit of sightseeing then it probably would be easier to stay in Helsinki. If you arrive late then be prepared that there is no-room service so you will need to go to bed on an empty stomach…

Address:

Leppaevaarankatu 1
Espoo, Finland, 02600

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Our Lunch at Hemigie’s Restaurant, Brussels, Belgium

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During the last day of our trip to Brussels we had our lunch at Hemigie’s Restaurant. I was intrigued by the philosophy listed on their website: ‘Hemgie’s is about craft, pleasure and taste. We believe in taking our time, delivering you the best flavours and ingredients, which we have hunted for months. Quality is key in our kitchen, as well as putting you instantly at ease. Luxury, calm and service belong to our daily language’.

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 1 p.m. When we entered the restaurant, we were welcomed by a friendly waiter who took us to our table. The decor of Hemigie’s restaurant is cosy, modern and simple. We felt welcomed and relaxed as soon as we sat down.

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Food:

As we had our breakfast at the hotel, we weren’t too hungry and decided to skip the starters and only to have our mains.

For my main I decided to have some Océan Indien Salad. It had some green bans, tomatoes, avocado, prawns and smoked salmon. Its curry madras dressing made the whole combination quite unusual but very tasty. The portion size was generous and presented nicely.

My husband decided to have ‘Smack That’- one of the signature Hemigie’s burgers. He really enjoyed it and finished it in no time! I had a little bite and it was amazing!

Overall experience:

I really liked our lunch at Hemigie’s restaurant. The food was served quickly, was tasty and the service was good so I would definitely recommend it.

Address:

Rue du Bailli 90,
1050 ixelles, Brussels

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.hemgies.be/bailli/index.html

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Brussels, Belgium

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A few weeks ago, I took my husband to Brussels. It is one of these places where I’ve been to on multiple occasions and I always like returning to this city made famous by its French fries, waffles, seafood and beer.

Brussels is the largest city and a capital of Belgium. It has a population of 1.2 million and it has been increasingly becoming multilingual with increasing numbers of migrants, expatriates and minority groups speaking their own languages.

Historically it was a Dutch-speaking city, it has seen a language shift to French from the late 19th century onwards. Today the majority language is French however all road signs, street names and many services are shown in both languages. If you fancy a short break then Brussels is a great destination as it is only 2 hours away on the Eurostar.

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There’s lots to see in the city from the famous chocolate shops to enjoying its cafe culture in the Grand-Place area.

Here is a short list of my suggestions:

  1. Grote Markt (Dutch) / Grand-Place (French).
  2. City Museum – Maison du Roi (French) – Broodhuis (Flemish).
  3. Hôtel de Ville – Town Hall.
  4. Heysel Park and the Atomium.
  5. Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Koekelberg Basilica).

I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

Competition time! 9 days to win Marco Polo travel guides

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Starting from the 22nd of February, I will have an amazing competition running in partnership with Marco Polo to win a different travel guide each day.

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All my new and old Twitter followers from UK have a chance of winning a different travel guide each day (22/02-03/03) if they follow me and re-tweet the competition.  Prize will be send by 2ndclass recorded delivery to the winners in the week commencing on the 6th of March 2017. 

The competition will be run over 9 days and each day 1 of my Twitter followers will win a different guide:

  • 22/02/2017 – Australia
  • 23/02/2017 – Boston & New England
  • 25/02/2017 – Dublin
  • 26/02/2017 – French Rivera
  • 27/02/2017 – New Zealand
  • 28/02/2017 – Portugal
  • 01/03/2017 – Sardinia
  • 02/03/2017  – Scotland
  • 03/03/2017 – Vancouver

To enter the competition and for your chance to win you just need to follow @1stclasslounge on Twitter and re-tweet the competition to your followers.

Terms and Conditions:

  1. The competition is run on Twitter by Firstclasslounge.net
  2. There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this competition.
  3. The competition is open ONLY to residents of Great Britain aged 18 and over as at the time of the competition opening. Failure to comply with any part of this clause will disqualify the respective entry from the competition. Prize will not be posted outside of Great Britain.
  4. Only one entry per person per weekly prize draw competition will be accepted.
  5. Each entrant shall enter the prize draw via Twitter only, in the way of re-tweeting the competition message and following @1stClassLounge Twitter account.
  6. The winning prize is a travel guide from Marco Polo. Destination of the travel guide will depend on the day of the competition.
  7. The promoter (FirstClassLounge.net) will not be liable for any failure of receipt of entries. The promoter takes no responsibility for any entries which are lost, delayed, illegible, corrupted, damaged, incomplete or otherwise invalid.
  8. Prizes are non-negotiable, non-transferable and non-refundable. No cash alternative is available.
  9. In the event of unforeseen circumstances beyond the promoter’s reasonable control, the promoter reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the prize draw competition or these terms and conditions, either in whole or in part, with or without notice.
  10. These terms and conditions and the competition prize draw are governed by English law and subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
  11. Entry into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.
  12. The promoter’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
  13. This promotion is in not sponsored, endorsed or administered by Twitter or any other Social Network.
  14. The promoter’s decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.
  15. The winner’s twitter username will be posted on Twitter by @1stclasslounge after the winner has been selected.
  16. If the winner cannot be contacted or do not claim the prize within 14 days of notification, we will pick a replacement winner.
  17. All guides will be posted by Marco Polo company in the week commencing on the 6th of March.

Good luck everyone!

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Pauline

Jam Hotel in Brussels, Belgium

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As you probably know, a few weeks ago, I traveled with my husband to celebrate his birthday in Belgium. During our 4-days stay we visited Brussels and Bruge and when we return from our day-trip to Bruge we stayed in a modern, design hotel-Jam close to Louise Metro which is part of Limited Edition Hotel chain.

Location:
Jam Hotel is located in the center of Brussels and a short 10 minutes’ walk from the metro station and around 10 minutes metro ride from Brussels Midi-Zuid station. It is situated in a former art-school that was converted into a trendy hotel to meet the demands of even the most demanding travelers.

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Atmosphere:

The hotel has a very informal atmosphere. Due to its great location and just meters away from the shopping it within a walking distance from all major tourists attractions it will meet demands of most travelers. Everything in the hotel is presented to you with a twist-even a simple door hangers display ‘don’t even think about knocking’ rather than the usual ‘do not disturb’ sign. I really enjoyed that originality 🙂

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Facilities:

Jam Hotel has a 24-hours reception, baggage storage room, bar and restaurant and a rooftop terrace and bar.

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When we arrived after a day-break to Bruge, it was lovely to unwind in an extremely accommodating rooftop bar. There was a fireplace in the central-point of it and its cosy décor was very welcoming. In addition, there was a heated swimming pool on the 6th floor and if we didn’t go there in the middle of winter I would love to enjoy it as it offers a great view of Brussels.

All Limted Edition hotels serve a continental breakfast where you can have a  nice selection of cold breakfast items including meat and cheese. I loved the vast selection of the freshly squeezed juices and homemade marmalades. My favorite one was a strawberry one and a freshly baked croissant accommodated it perfectly.

The hotel offers a range of services ‘on demand’ including: comfy bathrobes and matching slippers, a monopoly game with a Belgian twist etc.

 

What’s more, you can also pay a bit extra and get lots of other useful traveler’s items like a shaving kit, toothbrush or a toothpaste.

Room:

Our room was large and had a simple, modern décor.

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We had a bunk bed and a small sofa in addition to a king-size bed in it.

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There were only 2 of us staying in it but there would be enough space in it for a whole family of 2 with 3 children!  In addition, our room had a nice size work-table, flat-screen TV and a safe. The bathroom was modern and simple but had everything you need-a shower, bath, washbasin, hairdryer etc. I loved a little quote on the shower tiles: ‘Save water and shower together’. Very inspiring 😉

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Overall:

If you like staying at the design hotels than you should definitely consider this hotel. Hotel Jam will be perfect for all modern-hotels lovers who enjoy accommodation with a twist and are looking to experience hotels that are original and a bit different. I really liked its location-it is just a short walk away from Brussel’s main attractions in addition to its great facilities (rooftop terrace, restaurant, swimming pool) We only stayed in this hotel for a night but I would definitely recommend you to visit if you wish to stay in the comfortable, spacious room and you don’t want to break your bank as the rooms are reasonably priced. I am sure that you will enjoy its ‘unusual’ quotes and twists as much as I did!

Address:

Chaussée de Charleroi 132, 1060 Bruxelles, Belgium

All my readers can get 10% discount on their reservations with Jam Hotel. The code to use for further reservations is « FIRSTCLASSLOUNGE » and you need to book through the official website listed below:

http://www.jamhotel.be/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Greek feast at Kafenio Restaurant, Brussels, Belgium

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A few weeks ago I was in Brussels with my husband to celebrate his birthday.  On our second night, we decided to book a traditional Greek restaurant as I knew that food is very important in Greek culture and it is tradition for the whole family to get together at the table.

Location:

Kafenio is located opposite of the European Commission building, a couple of hundred meters away from Schuman station.

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Address:

Rue Stevin 134, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 7:00 p.m. When we arrived the restaurant was quite empty but in 30 minutes from our arrival it was buzzing with dinners. We were greeted by Arkoulis and later on discovered that his father owns the restaurant so it is a family-run enterprise. He took us to our table in the corner of restaurant and made us feel welcomed. From that moment on, we were looked after by a friendly waitress Anna.

Kafenio has a stylish, modern decor. There was a live-band laying some Greek songs in the background which made our experience extra special.

The menu:

The menu at this traditional Greek restaurant offers an impressive selection of dishes that are all built around traditional Greek recipes. I had some delicious, sweet wine to start with.

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We decided to share a signature ‘Menu Mega Pikilia’ which was fantastic and will not leave you feeling hungry!

To start with we got very generous portions of some Greek dishes including some calamari, selection of Greek cheese, zucchini donuts, giant baked beans, houmous and pork dices and vine leaves. When we finished this, our waitress arrived with some more food including tzatziki, chtipiti, grilled halloumi cheese, salad, kebab, steak some meat skewers, lamb ribs and Greek pasta.

Wow! There was so much food that unfortunately we weren’t able to finish it all even though it was all very tasty. Everything was presented nicely and I really liked the idea of sharing it with my husband and would recommend it as a great date idea.

Desserts:

As I have a bad sweet tooth, I had some Tiramisu and let me tell you, it was the best Tiramisu I had in a while. I would definitely come back to have some more of it soon!

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My husband was completely full so he decided to only have a digestive (some Limoncello) to finish his meal.

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Overall experience:

We both had a lovely time at this traditional Greek restaurant. Everything was fresh and tasty and portion sizes were generous. The atmosphere was very welcoming and staff made us feel like at home. If you like Greek food then look no further and book it today!

For more information and to book visit:

https://www.kafenio.be/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

X

Pauline

Our stay in Chelton Hotel, Brussels, Belgium

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Last week, I travelled with my husband to celebrate his birthday in Belgium. We stayed in 2 hotels during our 4 days’ break. To start with we booked Chelton Hotel.

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Location:
Chelton Hotel is very conveniently located in the centre of the European Quarter, just minutes away from the European Commission and a short 5-minutes’ walk from Schuman metro station.

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Atmosphere:

The hotel has a very informal atmosphere. The staff was friendly and ready to help with their suggestions of places worth visiting whilst in Brussels.

Facilities:

Chelton Hotel has a 24-hours reception, baggage storage room, bar and restaurant and a rooftop terrace. My husband really enjoyed going to the top floor for a cigarette as the terrace had a great panoramic view of Brussels. There were lots of small tables and modern chairs all around it so it is a perfect place to hang-out during the summer for a drink with some friends.

Our breakfast was served at the restaurant downstairs and consisted of a great selection of continental meat and cheese.

I loved the vast selection of the freshly squeezed juices and homemade marmalades-you should definitely try the strawberry one with some pancakes as it was mouth-watering. There was also a selection of cereals and some pastries to satisfy any hungry travellers.

Room:

Our room was large and had a simple, modern décor. Our king-size bed was comfortable and after a long day of sightseeing it was always great to rest in it while watching TV and snacking on some Belgian Chocolate. The room had a large work-table so would be perfect for anyone travelling too Brussels on business if they had to work a bit during the evenings. The bathroom was again very simple but had everything you need-a shower, bath, washbasin, hairdryer etc.

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Overall:

Chelton Hotel is perfectly located in the heart of European Quarter so would be perfect for anyone travelling there on business or for pleasure as it is just a short walk away from Brussel’s main attractions. I would recommend you to visit if you wish to stay in the comfortable, spacious room and you don’t want to break your bank as the rooms are reasonably priced.

All my readers can get 10% discount on their reservations with Chelton Hotel. The code to use for further reservations is « FIRSTCLASSLOUNGE ».

I hope you enjoyed reading it!

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Paris during the winter, France

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A few weeks ago I travelled to Paris with one of my best friends – Natasha.

Paris is a capital city of France and it has a population of 12 million (2014) which covers 18 percent of the residents of France. In 2015 Paris received 22.2 million visitors, making it one of the world’s top tourist destinations.

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Travel:

We decided to go to Paris by Eurostar as it is the easiest way to travel to Paris from London. It takes under 2.5 hours and trains depart from King’s Cross Station in central London every hour. Prices vary from £29 for a standard single ticket booked in advance to £249 for a business premiere ticket including an access to the Executive Lounge and some complementary drinks and a meal on-board.

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Attractions:

Paris is wonderful and it doesn’t matter whether you travel there during the winter or during the summer.

The Central area of Paris along the Seine River is classified as a UNESCO Heritage Site, and includes many notable monuments. In addition, Paris is the home of many important museums and cultural institutions. There are many places worth seeing however if you are in Paris for a limited time (we were there for 3 days) then you should definitely visit:

  • The Eiffel Tower – an iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars that was named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.
  • The Louvre – the most visited and the largest art museum in the world.
  • Arc de Triomphe – is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées.
  • Notre Dame Cathedral – is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité built in the 12th century.

Furthermore, I would definitely recommend that you either take a walk down the river or alternatively you can take one of many mini-cruises especially if the weather is nice.

In addition, if you love live-shows and cabaret then you should definitely visit Moulin Rouge but be prepared-tickets for a show and dinner are quite expensive and start at 190 Euros per person thus we decided to skip it this time.

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Hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

Dinner at Le Petit Pointoise in Paris, France

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A few weeks ago I was in Paris with one of my best friends and I decided to return to a lovely, small traditional French restaurant – Le Petit Pointoise.

Location:

Le Petit Pontoise is located on a quiet street just a few minutes’ walk from Notre Dame Cathedral in the center of Paris.

Address:

9, rue de Pontoise, 75 005 PARIS

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Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 7:30 p.m. When we arrived the restaurant was almost full and buzzing with tourists and some regular dinners. We were greeted by a friendly waitress-Boom that I met a while ago when I was in Paris with my husband last year. She took us to our table in the corner of restaurant and made us feel welcomed. She attended our table and looked after us well throughout the evening.

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The menu:

The menu at this gourmet bistro offers an impressive selection of dishes that are all built around traditional French recipes. The Head Chef-François Récapet works at Le Petit Pontoise for  14 years and provides his dinners with a high quality, traditional French cuisine with a twist. Before we ordered our starters, I ordered some house white wine that was really fruity and sweet.

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Starters:

To start with I decided to have some signature ‘Petit Pontoise’ roasted shrimps. They were divine! I loved how juicy they were.

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My friend Natasha had some amazing Parmesan Dauphine Ravioles that were cooked to perfection and very cheesy.

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Mains:

There was a nice choice of mains but as I love fish I decided to have a fillet of sea bass roasted with vanilla sauce. It was absolutely perfect. Wow! Wow! Wow! It was the best fish I had in a while. I loved the sweet sauce and veggies that accommodated the fish.

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My friend had a Rack of lamb with some garlic crust that was accompanied by some vegetables and gravy. It was delectable and she cleared the plate which is always a good size.

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Desserts:

As I have a bad sweet tooth, I was looking forward to the last part of our meal. Last time when I was in Le Petit Pontoise I had some amazing Tiramisu ‘Veronese’. This time, i decided to have some gramdms’s secret Tart Tatin. I really enjoyed my little treat that was served with some vanilla ice-cream! Yummy!

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Natasha had some Chocolat Amadeus. With a liquid chocolate in the middle and vanilla ice-cream on top, this cake was divine.

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Overall experience:

We both had a great time at this traditional French gourmet bistro. You should definitely go there if you wish to discover and enjoy some great home-made French cuisine. All dishes were of good size and presented nicely so if you wish to have a good-quality meal in a typical Parisian atmosphere then look no further. I will definitely visit again during my next trip to this magical city.

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For more information and to book visit:

http://www.lepetitpontoise.fr/en/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Hotel Gustave in Paris, France

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A few weeks ago, I travelled to Paris with one of my best friends, Natasha for a girl’s weekend away to celebrate her birthday. As she hasn’t been to Paris for a while we decided to book Hotel Gustave that is overlooking the Eiffel Tower.

Location:
Hotel Gustave is perfectly located on a quiet street just around a corner from the Dupleix metro station. It is served by public transport and located and a short 15 minutes’ walk from the Eiffel Tower. The whole of Paris is within quick and easy reach if you are staying here.

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Atmosphere:

As soon as we entered Hotel Gustave, we were welcomed by a friendly receptionist. He was extremely helpful and assisted us with designing of our ‘sightseeing itinerary’. The reception had a beautiful, modern décor and as soon as we entered we could fully immerse ourselves in our luxurious surroundings. In front of reception, there was a large relaxation area, a bar and terrace.

Rooms and Facilities:

Hotel Gustave has a 24-hours reception. During the afternoons, hotel’s in-house bar opens for a ‘honestly bar’ with a vast selection of alcoholic beverages if you fancy a drink or a bit of socialising in the evening. Other services include:

  • a dry-cleaning service
  • a laundry service,
  • room service.

This beautiful boutique hotel has only 32 rooms and 6 of these rooms offer spectacular views of the Eiffel Tower. Our room had a modern and chic design. As Hotel Gustave is located closely to the Eiffel Tower the room décor displayed a wonderful picture of that monument that starts above the beds and ends at the ceiling.

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The room was of a reasonable size and featured a typical Parisian French window offering an exceptional view of the legendary Iron Lady.

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Our king-size bed was extremely comfortable and equipped with an LED flat-screen television, free Wi-Fi, direct telephone line, mini-bar, safe and a bathroom with a shower or bath.

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The bathroom had a modern, white décor. It was spacious, clean and bright.

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Overall:

If you like staying at boutique hotels then you should consider hotel Gustave. It would be perfect for your weekend breaks, business trips or holidays in Paris. It is in the heart of the city, has lovely, modern rooms and all facilities you need while away from home.

You can find out some more details on the hotel’s official website:

https://www.hotelgustave.com/en/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline