9 Rue de Rieux, 44000 Nantes

Hôtel de la Cité

Name: Hôtel de la Cité
Address: 9 Rue de Rieux, Nantes, 44000, FR
Price range: 84 EUR
Rating: 4.5

Hotel 3-star in Nantes

Presentation

L'Hôtel de la Cité is located seven minutes on foot from Nantes SNCF train station, between the Cité des Congrès and the Château des ducs de Bretagne, in a district that hovers between the bustle of the city center and the calm of the nearby gardens. Guests often arrive still lugging a heavy train suitcase, and the first thing that catches the eye is the size of the garden planted at the entrance, on what was once the banana ripening room of the national wholesale market.

On the ground floor, you set down your bag for a moment before even going upstairs, just long enough to spot the Dukes Bar, whose decor draws on contemporary Gaelic pubs. You will find both passing travelers and Nantes locals who have come after work for a cocktail or a sharing plate. The generous, shaded terrace extends the room well into the evening.

The 97 rooms, designed by the Nantes-based BGC agency, embrace contemporary lines without overdoing it. An air purifier quietly runs in each one, made three kilometers away by a local company. Some open onto a balcony, others overlook the garden. The air conditioning works well, a coffee machine waits on the desk, and a safe fits into the wardrobe.

Parking is available on site, underground, but remains available at an extra cost. Something to keep in mind if you are arriving by car, even if many downtown addresses simply offer nothing at all.

In the morning, the buffet is laid out in a bright room: artisanal pastries, freshly squeezed orange juice, scrambled eggs, cappuccino made to order. It is not included in the room rate, which leaves the freedom, for those who prefer to head out early, to stop for coffee in a neighborhood bakery before leaving on foot toward the castle.

At the end of the day, the Cité des Congrès is only a three-minute walk away, and it is easy to return through the garden to enjoy the terrace a little longer before night falls over Nantes.

A tip in passing: on weekends, breakfast is served until eleven o'clock, compared with 10:30 on weekdays. Enough to linger a little after an evening that carried on at the Dukes Bar.

Summary of a few positive reviews read on the Web

Arriving by bike, loaded like mules, the whole team took care of us, from reception right up to the manager who came by to see us in the dining room. Unpretentious welcome.
Room bigger than expected, clean, and you hear nothing from the street or the hallway. Handy for sleeping after a night out in town.
Three minutes' walk from the Cité des Congrès. For a quick back-and-forth between two sessions without taking the car again, it was exactly what was needed.
No free parking in front of the hotel, but a few paid spaces right next door, otherwise the Cité des Congrès parking lot is just a stone's throw away.
Small detail noticed in the room: the air purifier runs silently. And a water fountain in the bar, handy before heading back up.
Staff available from morning to evening, never in a hurry to answer questions. Good value for money for such a central hotel.