Hotel Des Arts

The staff I met at the front desk were friendly, especially the man with a ponytail, who was very welcoming and spoke both English and French. My room was tidy, though the sink and shared bathroom could have been cleaner, and the bathroom had no sink of its own. There was just one bathroom for what I believe was a six-floor building, with no elevator. The lights kept tripping, leaving the halls dark at night. They clean the rooms daily, though I would have preferred they didn’t, and guests have to leave their key when going out. I never used the shower on the second floor, and took western baths instead. It’s a budget hotel, and I felt uneasy at times as a solo traveler, especially walking to the bathroom alone at night, but nothing actually happened to make me feel threatened.

For what I paid, it seemed fine: basically a bed near some lovely cafés and pubs. My room was okay, although it was 36 degrees outside and just as hot in the room. The man other reviewers mention seems to be at reception around the clock, so I can understand he might not always be in a good mood. I came back at about 3:30am and woke him because the front door was shut, but he wasn’t especially angry. If you don’t have a shower in your room, there’s one on the second floor.

I stayed here during the 2024 Olympic Games, though I later edited my review to say I stayed in February 2025 this year. I was on the sixth floor and had a hidden view over the city, including the BT tower and a few other tourist sights. The hotel keepers were very nice. I felt bad bringing in pizza from the place across the road without offering them some, but they turned down my slice. It was a great place to rest my head. I also looked into the claim that Vincent Van Gogh supposedly stayed here. I used the controversial AI system Microsoft Co-Pilot, which I personally trust, to feed me that fact. And thanks to Turnin, or Turin, one of the main men behind our AI systems today!

My boyfriend and I only spent one night here, and it was wonderful. The staff made us feel very welcome, and the bedrooms were cute, clean, comfortable, and nicely decorated. Even the soap smelled great, and there were lots of thoughtful little touches. We liked the breakfast too, a typical French one. The location is ideal, with plenty of good restaurants and bars nearby and the sacre coure just a few minutes away. We’d happily recommend the place and come back as soon as we can.