Hotel de Bougtheroulde

Hotel de Bougtheroulde Review

One of Normandy's most magnificent hôtels particuliers (family mansion)—a vision of Gothic glamor with soaring stone pinnacles and fairytale turrets—has now become, as of April 2010, the finest hotel in Rouen. Long a landmark on the Place de la Pucelle, this storybook vision of a Gothic urban palace—all lace-like window frames, carved sculpted plaques, and a tower made for a sleeping beauty—was initially built in 1506 for William the Red, leader of the powerful Le Roux family. From the Cour d'Honneur (where guests like to enjoy their sunset drinks) enter the front door to be fast-forwarded to the 22nd century: the lobby is all slick monolithic stone, a vast glass atrium, and a bevy of shocking red leather sofas. Upstairs lie floors of guest rooms, which range from minimalistic Moderne to Tradition (with lovely touches of period woodwork) to the most expensive Prestige (in which the brickwork bathrooms are beauts). There's also a gourmet restaurant, a modern bistro, and a terrace bar.