Miky

Does Anybody have any experience with this hotel chain in France? I'll be traveling to Metz shortly and I'm booked at the Novotel. Even on their web site the room looks kind of small and cramped,although it's classified "***". Please let me know if I dhould maybe look into another option, I still have 2 weeks before leaving. Also, are there any opinions about "turisty" things to do in Metz (and/or shopping)? Thanks.

Rex

This will be a limited answer, as I have never been to Metz, and I have stayed in a Novotel IN France. But I think I know a few relevant things. Partly based on staying in (one) Novotel (in Hammersmith England), twice in Sofitels (Chicago and New Jersey) and some other properties owned by the same company. <BR> <BR>Novotel is "near" the top of the ladder in the budget chains of lodging that collectively make up Accor Group SA, a French company that says it is the largest lodging company in the world: 3500 properties in 90 countries - - see http://www.accorhotels.com for more info. They include Sofitel and Novotel at the top, Mercure and Ibis in the middle (and some others?), Red Roof Inns and Formule 1 at the lower end (I'm sure that some of these characterizations overlap). <BR> <BR>I think that Novotel aims at business guests who want an affordable, dependable room. It might or might not be a "full-service" hotel (restaurant, concierge, extensive room service, business center, fitness room, etc). I suspect that everything will "work" and be clean, if not charming. Based on the three (one Novotel, two Sofitel) stays mentioned above - - none of which were IN France - - the "culture" of the hotel in Metz will be predominantly French, and little, if any, Americanized. There were abundant "French touch" elements to each of the places I mentioned, as if they wanted to remind you that they are a French company. On the other hand, they may want to appear "global", and may actually feature English-friendly touches for that reason. <BR> <BR>Hope this is information you can use. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

Thyra

Years,,,, and I do mean YEARS ago, my family stayed at a Sofitel/Novotel in the South of France.. They are clean and spacious, but utterly without any local charm or character. Similar to a Holiday Inn, or Best Western, very "Americanized". If large rooms and amenities without local flavor are important to you then you would be fine staying at a Novotel.

Miky

Thanks, this helps, I'm OK for the hotel; I still hope that somebody will be able to tell me a bit more abot the town of Metz. The city-hall web-site raves about the Cathedral, as a "don't miss" objective, but I'm interested in the local flavour. <BR>Thyra:I guess I'm a bit spoiled; I love "atmosphere" when talking about food, markets, walking trips with a local guide, not the dreaded tinted-windowed motor-coaches, but when it comes to hotels, I need to be sure that the air conditioning works if I need it and I won't stub my toes on the bed when walking in the door. <BR>Anyway, I'm still hoping for comments about Metz,and promise to post some of my own when I get back.

Alec

I've stopped over a few times in Metz. It's a provincial town, capital of Lorraine with a quite attractive centre. The cathedral is certainly worth seeing, especially the stained glass windows. OK, it's no Chartres, but has Chagall pieces among medieval fragments. Near the citadel is a paleo-Christian church from 4th century, possibly the oldest in France, which is used today for art exhibitions. The walk along the Moselle is pleasant, and there are many restaurants with terraces overlooking the river. The area was under German rule 1870-1918 and during WW2. Shopping? Usual collection of stores in the mainly pedestrianised centre. Quiche Lorraine made locally is delicious (very light). From Metz (pronounced 'Mess' by the French), the sombre WW1 battlefield around Verdun is near and certainly worth a visit.

Christina

Novotel is a budget brand within the Accor group, maybe slightly higher than the Ibis. Sofitel and Mercure are the higher end properties of this hotel group. I think most NOvotels and Ibis are modern structures, although the others aren't necessarily. I saw a website that claimed those rooms in that hotel are 25m2 which is actually pretty good IMO; I've stayed in rooms a whole lot smaller than that in much more expensive hotels. I would probably not choose to stay in such a hotel myself if I had a choice, but at least things should work.

Robin

Last June we stayed at a Novotel in Lyon because it was almost on the same property as the train station, and we had an early departure. It was clean, efficient and basically charmless! Like similar properties in the US, it serves a purpose, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it on that basis. But you won't rave about it when you get home!

Ross

We stayed at a Novotel in Paris and another in Nice a couple of years ago as part of a trip my son's college put together. The rooms are pretty small, but clean. Not much to speak of in the way of amenitities, but the price is reflective of that. They were both fine if you're budget-minded. The Novotel in Paris was a short tube ride to the center of Paris. The Novotel in Nice was about one mile from the center (waterfront), eitehr a 15 minute walk or short city bus ride. In Nice, there was a sister hotel to the Novotel called the Sofitel, which was a bit more upscale, at close to the same prices. <BR> <BR>In any event, the ones we stayed at were fine, just a bit spartan.