The Hôtel Iena is situated at 27 Marceau Street, a bare 5-minute walk from the train station. I had reserved their cheapest room (41 euros) for one person (one night only) through their website and gotten a prompt confirmation. When I arrived at lunch time, I was greeted nicely. I was given two keys: one for my room and one for a back door to use for my comings and goings. I was shown to my lodgings on the ground floor at the back of the hotel. The receptionist explained to me that the door of the room was sometimes difficult to unlock but that didn't prove to be a problem later on. The room itself was clean and quiet. I had my own bathroom with a small shower and plenty of hot water. A glass door opened on a mini walled-courtyard where a few flower pots tried to provide a little bit of color but without much success. Notwithstanding its small size, it did allow for some fresh air (no window in the room) and a chance to peak at the sky to evaluate the weather. In the bathroom, I found the usual amenities: shampoo, soap, blow-dryer, and towels. The bedroom sported a small t.v., a bed with a hard mattress but clean sheets and a small table. Breakfast was offered at 8 euros and seemed decent (cereal, bread, yogourt, etc.) but I preferred to buy my own. There was a luggage room.

Travel tips:

PASS La clé du temps: 25 euros. The pass enables you to visit a number of popular sites in the Loire Valley. Includes Chambord, Azay-le-Rideau, Chaumont and Fontevraud among others. Buy it at any of the listed sites.

Angers City Pass: Valid for 2-4 days and costing between 14-26 euros, it allows entry to all major sites in town. Buy it at the Tourist Bureau across the Château (see below).

Château d’Angers & the Apocalypse Tapestries: a 5-minute walk from the hotel and definitively worth seeing. The tapestries are very old but in great shape and measure about 104 meters long! Take the free guided tour to understand the story. Beautiful gardens in and around the castle. Excellent view of the city from the towers.

Tourist Bureau: Very helpful staff. You can buy the main souvenirs there at a decent price (Plantagenet caramels, Cointreau candy, Quernons d’ardoise, etc.).

Maison des vins: Situated just beside the Tourist Bureau, it is a good place to sample some of the wines of the region—free. Bottles are sold at the same price as at the vineyard. It was a quiet day and I was able to taste a dozen different wines from the immediate vicinity in a friendly atmosphere. A few locals came in and tasted 2 or 3 wines before choosing something for that night’s supper.

Galerie David D’Angers: the famous sculptor left to his hometown all the plaster casts of his bronze sculptures. The museum is housed in an old abbey with a glass roof. Not a very big museum but interesting nonetheless. Nice gardens right beside.

Resto le 14: 14 rue Bodinier, no more than 15 minutes on foot from the hotel. Cheap place to eat large bruschette (similar to pizza) served on wooden boards. Filled with locals. Cost for large salad, bruschette, glass of wine:15 euros. Internet café on same street, almost across the restaurant.