How the Porte de Clichy has changed! Gone are the dilapidated buildings and untidy streets, and since the construction of the Paris Courthouse and its glass-and-green building, the neighborhood has been transformed, in a constant state of effervescence. Buildings have sprung up like mushrooms, line 14 has been extended to serve the area in less than 15 minutes from central Paris, and restaurants and hotels have begun to spring up.
This is the case of theVoco hotel, opened in June on the other side of the Paris ring road, on the Clichy-la-Garenne side. Opened by the IHG Hotels and Resorts group in place of a former Holiday Inn,Hotel Voco is the solution for businessmen doing business in the area, lawyers expected to plead five minutes away, but also tourists who wouldn't want to sleep in the heart of Paris. And in the run-up to the 2024 Olympic Games, an additional quality accommodation solution on the outskirts of the capital.
Modern and warm, the decoration of this hotel with its unusual shape (similar to the prow of a boat!) is by Oscar Lucien Ono. "This hotel had to become more than just a hotel, it had to become a way of life, a landmark for locals and travellers alike, a place that was welcoming, relaxed, warm, friendly, comfortable, accessible, modern and cosy," declared the architect before the opening. A successful gamble!
On the floors of the4-star hotel, 264 rooms ranging from 18m2 for the bedrooms to 38m2 for the suites. Prices range from €149 for Cosy rooms, €169 for Standard rooms and €199 for Premium rooms, with suites and family suites also available from €209.
All are devilishly comfortable, with top-of-the-range bedding and airy mattress toppers, bathrooms stocked with beauty products, and above all the silence and calm that reign in the rooms - who would have thought, with the ring road just around the corner? - even with the windows open in the rooms overlooking the courtyard. It's also worth noting that all the rooms on the top floor have their own roof balcony, typically Parisian!
On the first floor, the atmosphere is quite different! It has to be said that on the evening of our visit, a Rugby World Cup match had attracted quite a few fans to Paris, and an MMA match was taking place not far away. Alongside friendly Englishmen and bruised-faced fighters, we discovered the Hotel Voco's restaurant, Romcoco, designed by Paris Society.
Open to both hotel guests and hungry outsiders, Romcoco and its chef Samuel Deruschi unveil a menu designed to tempt Anglo-Saxon diners: avocado waffle (11€), Cajun chicken tenders with spicy mayonnaise (11€), entrecote of beef with chimichurri sauce and smashed potatoes (26€), burger and sweet potato fries (20€), all served very generously. Finger food is also on offer, for those with smaller appetites, as well as desserts including a Baba Romcoco.
As the restaurant's name suggests, rum is in the spotlight here. You can enjoy it at the bar, with over 40 references, but also in well-made cocktails (€12). It's also here that we serve a competitive breakfast, which we recommend you don't miss - fortunately for late risers, it's served until 11 a.m.!
Trendy and urban,Hotel Voco also offers conference, seminar and workshop facilities. And after a successful work session, there's nothing like taking advantage of the fitness room on the 8th floor, with its view of Montmartre!
Location
Hotel Voco
2 Rue du 8 Mai 1945
92110 Clichy
Official website
www.ihg.com
