12-13, place de la Cathédrale, 67000 Strasbourg

Hotel Cathédrale

Name: Hotel Cathédrale
Address: 12-13, place de la Cathédrale, Strasbourg, 67000, FR
Price range: 121 EUR
Rating: 3.85

Hotel 4-star in Strasbourg

Presentation

Hôtel Cathédrale opens directly onto the square in Strasbourg, facing Notre-Dame Cathedral. You step out of the elevator, push open a door, and the Gothic façade is right there, a few meters away, almost too close to photograph in its entirety.

The building dates back to the Renaissance. It served as the seat of the bishopric before becoming an inn, then a coaching inn. You can feel it in the beams running along the ceilings of the attic rooms, in the gargoyles watching over the triple-column staircase, in the sculpted Bacchus you come across without really knowing why he is there.

The rooms vary depending on the floor and the view. Some face the cathedral straight on, with thick shutters so you won’t lose any sleep despite the lively square in the evening. Others overlook the Renaissance courtyard of the Dauphin, quieter, almost secret. The last ones are tucked under the eaves, with sloping ceilings, small dormer windows, and require you to duck a little when entering the bathroom.

The decor changes from one room to another. Aged wood, works by a local artist, sometimes a fresco that echoes a cathedral motif. Nothing really repeats from one floor to the next.

The doors still close with real keys, not magnetic key cards. A detail that slows things down a bit at reception in the evening, but one that fits the rest well.

In the morning, breakfast is served in the dining room, buffet-style from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. (10:30 a.m. on weekends), with the cathedral as a backdrop through the window. It can also be brought up to the room for late risers.

At the end of the day, the bar takes up a corner of the ground floor, with low light and a subdued atmosphere. You mostly run into hotel guests there, a glass of champagne or a strong coffee in hand, with Wi-Fi and newspapers available for those who still want to work a little.

A word about access: the entrance opens onto a few steps before the elevator, which can make it difficult to carry a large suitcase upstairs. The staff is happy to help if you let reception know when you arrive, rather than carrying everything up the stairs yourself.

Around here, everything can be done on foot. The Maison Kammerzell right across the way, the Palais Rohan two minutes away, Petite France a ten-minute walk, and the tram just a stone’s throw away for heading over to Neustadt.

One last tip: if you’re a light sleeper, ask for a room facing the courtyard rather than the square. The square stays lively late into the evening during the Christmas market.

Summary of a few positive reviews read on the Web

We walked from the station to the cathedral. The hotel is right opposite, impossible to get lost.
Late arrival, around 11 p.m. The person at the front desk still took the time to give us ideas for restaurants that were still open.
Small room but spotless. Shutters that close properly, we didn’t hear anything from the square at night. Impeccable shower.
Breakfast in the dining room with a direct view of the cathedral. Decent buffet, coffee served hot, we took our time in the morning.
Staircase with sculpted columns, gargoyles in the corridors. You can feel the building has age, it makes a change from standard chains.
A drink at the bar at the end of the day, dim lighting, calm atmosphere. We mostly saw hotel guests, never crowded.