12 Allée Duquesne, Cours des 50 Otages, 44000 Nantes

Hôtel Duquesne

Name: Hôtel Duquesne
Address: 12 Allée Duquesne, Cours des 50 Otages, Nantes, 44000, FR
Price range: 74 EUR
Rating: 4

Hotel 2-star in Nantes

Presentation

Hotel Duquesne. You open the door of this former shipowner’s townhouse on Cours des 50 Otages in Nantes, unaware that beneath its tuffeau stone façade the Erdre once flowed. The river passed right here before being diverted underground in 1929 to make way for this wide avenue that now crosses the city center. High ceilings, light stone, a look that makes no attempt to stand out. Yet it commands respect at first glance.

On the ground floor, the breakfast room is lit by original stained glass windows. In the glass, one can make out the Château des Ducs de Bretagne, the cathedral, and a few familiar silhouettes of the city. The buffet opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 10:30 a.m. Bread, pastries, cured meats, yogurts, cheeses: everything comes from local producers or organic supply chains. Room service is available for late risers, for an extra charge, just like breakfast itself, which is not included in the room rate. A detail to keep in mind if you are counting on an all-inclusive price.

Upstairs, the rooms are divided into several formats. The singles, around 12 m2, focus on the essentials rather than space. The triples and family studios, meanwhile, offer enough room for three or four guests without getting in each other’s way, with a kitchenette included for anyone who wants to cook a light meal between visits to the castle. The décor remains understated, with pastel tones and flat-screen TVs offering Canal+. Double glazing and soundproofing do their job. Despite the avenue just below, silence settles in once the door is closed.

Back downstairs, you’ll find a reception team available day and night, multilingual and used to directing guests to the castle, Place Royale, or Passage Pommeraye, all within a ten-minute walk. Pets are allowed for an extra charge of 5 euros. Luggage storage is available for those leaving late. Bikes can be rented on site for anyone who prefers pedaling to walking.

As for parking, the hotel does not have a private car park. A partnership with the Talensac parking lot, directly opposite, makes it possible to park at a preferential rate, around 10 euros per day. It is best to reserve a space in advance and check your vehicle’s height: the car park has a 1.80-meter limit.

The property is one of the few in Nantes to hold both the European Ecolabel and Green Key, two of the strictest environmental certifications in the industry. This choice is reflected even in the breakfast products.

One last tip for early birds: ask for your coffee before 10:15 a.m. The machine shuts down right on time, and the line grows quickly after 9:30.

Summary of a few positive reviews read on the Web

A stone’s throw from the cathedral and the Dukes’ castle, with a tram stop just a few minutes’ walk away. Convenient for reaching the station with heavy luggage.
The receptionist could see I was exhausted after the journey, so the formalities were kept to a minimum. He even carried my luggage up to the room.
Hearty buffet breakfast, organic and local products, service until 10:30 a.m. I was reminded of the time by phone before closing.
Triple room with one double bed and one single bed, bathroom big enough for three. Quiet despite the large avenue just below, the insulation does its job.
Good price for a room right in the city center, with no unexpected corners or oddities. The kind of place to keep in mind for a future stay in Nantes.
Check-out at 11 a.m., but luggage storage available afterward. Useful when the train leaves late in the afternoon.