A while ago I discovered this great guide to beautiful B&Bs written by French travel journalist Marie-Dominique Perrin. Dr. Götze Land & Karte is a travel bookshop in downtown Hamburg that sells books in other languages as well (including English & French). It's become one of my favorite bookshops. For me it has been a gold mine of practical information for my journeys. This hotel is one of the few inns featured in that book which is located directly in a city. Hôtel de la Cathédrale is run by Mme Hocine and, as its name says, faces Saint Etienne's cathedral straight on from 25, place de Chambre. Mme Hocine has carefully decorated her 31-room inn with lovely antique furniture thus the travel-torn wayfarer is completely surrounded by a high degree of aesthetics. I opted for the breakfast which consisted of croissants, dark bread (for Germans; Metz itself has been a German city several times in its history and many citizens still speak German), baguette bread, freshly pressed orange juice, a scrumptious selection of cheeses, cold cuts, watermelon, prunes, grapes (you get the picture). Oh yes! And coffee. It's an additional €11,- but worth every cent. Free parking may prove to be difficult and I heeded my hostess and parked the car in the underground parking structure right across the cathedral (follow the parking sign P - Préfecture or Cathédral) which coincidentally was also €11,- for a 24-hour period. Prices range from €58 to €105 a night. Highly recommended. Marie-Dominique Perrin's book is titled "Chambres d'hôtes secrètes" and for €24,- was a sound investment. In her review of these hotel rooms she says the following: Notre préférée est la n° 203, pleine vue, à hauteur du porche de la cathédrale. This is the room with the view to the cathedral.
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