I stayed here with my kids on a trip through the region. Access to the hotel was good and we were able to park in the new garage at the Congress Centre (the elevator comes up just outside the hotel entrance). Check in was efficient, and my son was given a choice of toys. Novotel in general is a nice chain of hotels, and this one is a good example of why it is successful. The staff is helpful (though sometimes bland), the rooms are clean and modern and breakfast is ample and fresh. This hotel is a five minute walk to the chateau, just past the famous bisquit factory (LU) and also close to the pedestrian zone. It is right next to the canal, which adds a touch of interest. My kids both liked the hotel and said it was one of their favorites on our trip. All in all, a good place to stay in this town.

This hotel is located a short walk from the city center, where the majority of restaurants and shops are located. The hotel is large and feels updated. The first room they gave us smelled terribly of cigarette smoke, so they moved us to a non-smoking room. The catch was that many of the non-smoking rooms don't have windows that open. That's OK if the air conditioning is on, which it wasn't. The hotel turns it off in the cooler months. So some of the non-smoking rooms may be stuffy and warmish at night. Otherwise, our room was large and clean and well provisioned. We had a refrigerator/mini-bar, and a TV (but not a single TV station in English--all were French but one that was in German). The bed was large and reasonably comfortable, with European square pillows (other pillows are in a drawer). There was also a day bed. The hotel offered a DSL cable for us to use with our laptop, with free Internet access. The bathroom was clean and had the usual amenities (soap, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, hand lotion). There was a hand-held shower attachment, and a shower curtain that sticks to you...you know the kind I mean. The toilet has its own room. One thing we liked was that the room had a little entryway, and there was a door that closed off the entryway from the bedroom, which cuts out noise from the hallway. I'm a light sleeper and didn't have a problem in this hotel even though we were right next to the elevators. All in all, we would stay here again. The only two negatives were the location isn't right in the city center, and the windows that didn't open. There was an excellent bakery and a grocery store a block away so that made up for the negatives.

This hotel is located a short walk from the city center, where the majority of restaurants and shops are located. The hotel is large and feels updated. The first room they gave us smelled terribly of cigarette smoke, so they moved us to a non-smoking room. The catch was that many of the non-smoking rooms don't have windows that open. That's OK if the air conditioning is on, which it wasn't. The hotel turns it off in the cooler months. So some of the non-smoking rooms may be stuffy and warmish at night. Otherwise, our room was large and clean and well provisioned. We had a refrigerator/mini-bar, and a TV (but not a single TV station in English--all were French but one that was in German). The bed was large and reasonably comfortable, with European square pillows (other pillows are in a drawer). There was also a day bed. The hotel offered a DSL cable for us to use with our laptop, with free Internet access. The bathroom was clean and had the usual amenities (soap, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, hand lotion). There was a hand-held shower attachment, and a shower curtain that sticks to you...you know the kind I mean. The toilet has its own room. One thing we liked was that the room had a little entryway, and there was a door that closed off the entryway from the bedroom, which cuts out noise from the hallway. I'm a light sleeper and didn't have a problem in this hotel even though we were right next to the elevators. All in all, we would stay here again. The only two negatives were the location isn't right in the city center, and the windows that didn't open. There was an excellent bakery and a grocery store a block away so that made up for the negatives.

Much more than a congress hotel Actually being my husband on a congress, we decided to bring our 2 years old daughter to Nantes as we found out Nantes is quite a large city located close bothe to Loire valley and the french atlantic coast. Never before we stayed at a hotel of this group so we didn´t know what to expect. What we found was a well decorated, spotless and most of all very spacious double room (must have had at least 24 sqms.). The bathroom seemed newly decorated and had a combined tub/shower, cosy towels and a hair-dryer. Our "room" was not just a room to be entered directly from the hotel corridor, it consisted of a lobby with a large shelf-area which fitted all our clothes, luggage and kid´s stuff easily. There is a separate toilet that can be accessed from the lobby. The sleeping area is separated from the lobby by a door, which was very comfortable for us travelling with a toddler who goes to bed at 7 o´clock every night. We just grabbed all the pillows from the extra sofa (!standard equipment of all rooms in this hotel!) and made ourselves comfortable in the lobby, watching DVDs on the laptop. There was a large, wall mounted working desk, a lockable mini-bar which we used for our food. The crib we ordered in advance was already waiting for aour tired daughter when we arrived (the hotel provides the crib along with french-style blanket an sheets, but no pillow). The double bed was very comfortable (I think this was the most comfortable hotel bed I ever had) - a good mattress on which you don´t notice when your partner turns at night and a large, large blanket for 2 which was really more than big enough for 2 people). The hotel is well located 2 bus stops (bus stop located across the street) from the city center (walking distance about 2 kms.). There is a car rental station (Europcar) nearby - take a rental car rather than a bus if you want to make a trip to the loire o the atlantic coast which is both very worth doing!!! Unfortunately, the hotel stuff was not very helpful with our intention to hire a car - although the hotel brochure says they are helping with car rental they told us they wouldn´t be able to do anything for us in this matter. But with all other questions we had (especially about tourist attractions) they were always very friendly and helpful and provided us with maps and other information. The breakfast buffet was not included in the price for our room (room EUR 108, breakfast buffet EUR 12). It consisted of various hot and cold items (sausages, scrambled and boiled eggs, bacon, baguette, 2 different kinds of butter, croissants, fruit salad, cold cut meats, french cheese, marmalade, apple sauce, yoghurt etc.). If you prefer self-catering, there is a small supermarket across the street which is open mo-sa 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and also a small bakery with lots of delicious french cake stuff and bread. And - not to forget - our 2 years old daughter enjoyed very much the kid´s corner in the lobby, with lots of LEGO. For older kids there is also a Play Station and for adults free french newspapers every day. And for all parents of babies/ toddlers: Take a good babyphone with you. There are 2 or 3 cafés/ bars near the hotel which are still in reach of a baby phone if don´t want to spend your evening in the hotel. All in all NOVOTEL Centre Cite des Congres is a very good hotel at a reasonable price if you are looking either for a family or a business hotel. It is not a design or state-of-the-art hotel, but fits its purpose very well for the money you pay.

Much more than a congress hotel Actually being my husband on a congress, we decided to bring our 2 years old daughter to Nantes as we found out Nantes is quite a large city located close bothe to Loire valley and the french atlantic coast. Never before we stayed at a hotel of this group so we didn´t know what to expect. What we found was a well decorated, spotless and most of all very spacious double room (must have had at least 24 sqms.). The bathroom seemed newly decorated and had a combined tub/shower, cosy towels and a hair-dryer. Our "room" was not just a room to be entered directly from the hotel corridor, it consisted of a lobby with a large shelf-area which fitted all our clothes, luggage and kid´s stuff easily. There is a separate toilet that can be accessed from the lobby. The sleeping area is separated from the lobby by a door, which was very comfortable for us travelling with a toddler who goes to bed at 7 o´clock every night. We just grabbed all the pillows from the extra sofa (!standard equipment of all rooms in this hotel!) and made ourselves comfortable in the lobby, watching DVDs on the laptop. There was a large, wall mounted working desk, a lockable mini-bar which we used for our food. The crib we ordered in advance was already waiting for aour tired daughter when we arrived (the hotel provides the crib along with french-style blanket an sheets, but no pillow). The double bed was very comfortable (I think this was the most comfortable hotel bed I ever had) - a good mattress on which you don´t notice when your partner turns at night and a large, large blanket for 2 which was really more than big enough for 2 people). The hotel is well located 2 bus stops (bus stop located across the street) from the city center (walking distance about 2 kms.). There is a car rental station (Europcar) nearby - take a rental car rather than a bus if you want to make a trip to the loire o the atlantic coast which is both very worth doing!!! Unfortunately, the hotel stuff was not very helpful with our intention to hire a car - although the hotel brochure says they are helping with car rental they told us they wouldn´t be able to do anything for us in this matter. But with all other questions we had (especially about tourist attractions) they were always very friendly and helpful and provided us with maps and other information. The breakfast buffet was not included in the price for our room (room EUR 108, breakfast buffet EUR 12). It consisted of various hot and cold items (sausages, scrambled and boiled eggs, bacon, baguette, 2 different kinds of butter, croissants, fruit salad, cold cut meats, french cheese, marmalade, apple sauce, yoghurt etc.). If you prefer self-catering, there is a small supermarket across the street which is open mo-sa 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and also a small bakery with lots of delicious french cake stuff and bread. And - not to forget - our 2 years old daughter enjoyed very much the kid´s corner in the lobby, with lots of LEGO. For older kids there is also a Play Station and for adults free french newspapers every day. And for all parents of babies/ toddlers: Take a good babyphone with you. There are 2 or 3 cafés/ bars near the hotel which are still in reach of a baby phone if don´t want to spend your evening in the hotel. All in all NOVOTEL Centre Cite des Congres is a very good hotel at a reasonable price if you are looking either for a family or a business hotel. It is not a design or state-of-the-art hotel, but fits its purpose very well for the money you pay.