Hôtel Dandy

Charming hotel, in the middle of Rouen, where we stayed for one night on our way to Cherbourg. Friendly staff at the reception, a code to open the front door after nine o’clock, and free parking below the hotel. You do need to make reservations for the car park as there are only a few spots available. The hotel is situated in a no-car area though, so we needed a card to enter the area, a bit of a hassle but we could take out our luggage in front of the hotel. Nice rooms, small but clean; breakfast sufficient.

We chose this hotel for price and location. Arrived by cab but were getting a car. Parking in nearby underground garage for reasonable price (11 Euros for 24 hours). We knew about parking arrangements before arriving. Hotel is clean, well furnished. Our bed was very comfy. Bathroom slightly dated but everything functioned just fine. Our room faced the front - a pedestrian friendly street with half timbered buildings, very convenient to Vieux Marche, restaurants, and sights. I initially thought the rooms might be noisy but we never heard a sound at night so either nearby guests were very quiet or the soundproofing was better than I thought. The rooms don't have individual heat control. A very small soap bar was provided at the sink, bath gel for the shower. Water was hot enough, water pressure fair. There was a hair dryer. There is an annex with additional rooms. We didn't see them. Breakfast was 13 Euros and was OK, canned fruit cup, cold hard boiled eggs, pastry, croissants, breads, yogurt. It's served in a lovely dining room behind reception. The elevator is very tiny - one suitcase at a time fits, but at least you don't have to carry them up the stairs. Vincent, the manager, there most evenings, was very pleasant. He was very helpful with restaurant suggestions, directions, etc. The day reception man was not so pleasant, never a smile or greeting, not too helpful. I was disappointed to see that there was a 1 Euro 50 charge for using the in room coffee machine. When I asked for milk to go with the coffee from this machine, I was told "no". Would I stay here again - absolutely. The quirky little problems were worth the great location and good night's sleep.

Hotel Le Dandy is a lovely building in the pedestrian area of Rouen. It has on site parking available for a small extra charge which is well worth it as it is underground and secure. The owner is a very helpful chap who assisted us through the confusing access, only a temporary arrangement due to roadworks. The rooms are a reasonable size and very clean. The bathrooms are again reasonable and clean. Hotel Dandy's best feature however is it's location right in the heart of the old town.