Style & Character
True to the name of the Hotel, the Joke does serve up a smile. Once you get past the rather indifferent looking Haussmann façade you will see that the whole building has a rather geometrically patterned interior concept. Colors are kept clean and bright with occasional candy pops of colors in corners. Look out for signature touches like cute looking stands on dining tables, soft toys on beds, bull’s eyes spelling out room numbers etc.
Notice the spiral staircases. There are knitted fish hanging in rooms and there are literally “dropped pennies” encased in floors. The architect P Maidenberg has done a good job of creating an oasis of peace and joy with the soundproof yet vast windows and the mirrors that reflect light unabashedly.
Hotel Joke is a member of the Astotel Hotels group that owns several properties across Paris and the rest of the world. This particular hotel is a 3 star property.
The ambience is quirky and modern and there is a lot of attention paid to detail. The reception is always generous with little treats and the staff is super friendly….all this coupled with the fun décor theme always makes the Joke Astotel popular amongst kids, pre-teens and young adults.
Rooms
There are 44 rooms divided into different sub types like standard single room, standard double room, standard twin room, privilege room, connecting rooms (standard parental and a standard single room), superior rooms and family rooms (two rooms i.e. standard parental and standard twin are joined together). The rooms are compact but cannot be classified as “small” and they provide good value for money. However the compact size can allow for some design inconveniences like the sink is in the main room (in most cases) and not the bathroom.
Apart from the standard rooms, all other types have a welcome basket/ tray. There is free Wi-Fi in all rooms and free tea/ coffee trays in all rooms. Standard services include duvet, direct dial phones, lamp fitted desk, hair dryer, flat screen TV, air conditioner and free non-alcoholic drinks in the mini bar. The bathrooms all have toilet and shower or bathtub and modern fittings. All rooms are air conditioned and usually the AC works well.
The privilege/ superior rooms have unique design elements like special tiles, luxury bedspreads and uniquely crafted rafters and these are all on the upper floors of the hotel (this hotel has 6 floors) thus commanding nice views. Most rooms have a small Juliet balcony
The Joke is always kept neat and spotlessly clean though sometimes some of its room fittings may be defective. The housekeeping is efficient and they leave shampoo, soap and conditioner in the bathrooms but sometimes they are stingy about it.
Amenities & Service
There is free WI fi in all rooms. There is no pool or gym at Joke Astotel but you will get a card which allows you to use the amenities of all other Astotel hotels in the nearby area and in fact the whole of Paris. There are 10 other Astotels scattered all over the city including Astoria, Monte Rosa, George, Palm, Agustin, Lorette etc. On check in you will get a map of all of them and then you can drop in to whatever hotel falls within your Parisian tour plans and avail free snacks and beverages.
There is a separate luggage room. There is a laundry service too though it’s not free. An iron and ironing board is provided for use of guests.
Sophia, the lady at the reception is very friendly and welcoming. The manager Oliver goes out of his way to provide tourists with maps, general information etc. and is quite helpful. Overall all the staff is warm and ready with smiles.
There is a bicycle rental facility nearby and a 24 hour tour and travel desk inside the hotel which helps guests plan their sightseeing and travel arrangements. An airport shuttle is available too.
If there is an accessibility requirement then guests need to notify the hotel in advance and they will provide special facilities like roll in shower, in room accessibility props etc. The hotel is wheelchair friendly and has accessible bathrooms.
This is a smoke free hotel and pets are not allowed inside. Kids up to the age of 2 can stay for free.
Food & Drinks
There is a little in-house self-service coffee bar that has open access and runs till 2 a.m. After 1 p.m. the lobby area offers free snacks and coffee to the guests. The minibar free soft drinks and free tea/ coffee trays in the room have all premium quality products; for example all the water is Evian.
For a fixed fee guests can avail a daily buffet breakfast that’s available from 7 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. Breakfast is simple and wholesome and consists of hot beverages, juice, pastries, eggs, cereals. The pains au chocolat, apple turnover and the meat cold cuts and French cheeses are the highlights of the spread.
Upon intimation gluten free menu options can be provided and the kitchen staff are helpful and accommodating towards dietary restrictions and allergies. There isn’t an in house restaurant but a vast array of restaurants surround the hotel so that isn’t really a problem.
Just a few steps away from the Joke is Marianina that serves African and Cajun meals and Moodiz that serves juices, milkshakes and light food. Check out the profusion of French bistros nearby like Les bagels de Chez Lucia, Le Petit Moulin and Au Petit Douai. For a sophisticated meal try the Flesh restaurant Pigalle at rue de Douai and there is a glamorous bar called Pojo right near it.
In fact you will find a whole lot of bars within a kilometer of the hotel like Le Bistrot, Roys Pub (both on Rue Blanche) and Le Valois Chuppa (Rue de Bruxelles). For brunch try Scandle and for tempting pizzas try Pizzou…both are a short stroll away. There is a Starbucks nearby on place Blianche. There are quite a few Japanese restaurants nearby like the Tsubame (Rue de Douai) and sushi Takasaki (boulevard de clinchy).
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Location & How To Reach
The Joke Astotel is at the bottom of Montmarte hill in the 9th androssiment of Paris and its just 3 to 4 minutes away from the Moulin Rouge and the sacre couer.
Despite its proximity to one of the busiest areas (and risqué) in Paris it is relatively insulated from the noise and chaos and stands on a quiet street. If you want to be centrally located in Paris, it’s hard to find a better hotel at a better price.
There is a bus stand just a short walk from the hotel and you can take a bus to the Louvre and other attractions. The open top hop on hop off bus tour facility is also available at the stand. The nearest metro station is Blanche and it takes just a couple of minutes to reach it from the hotel. The next nearest metro station is Place de Clinchy which is just about 400 meters away.
From the metro line you will get direct connectivity to the Champs Elysees and other important tourist attractions. The airport is 28 kms away (bus ride to Gare Nord and then an express train to CDG airport) but the St Lazare train station is just 1.5 km away
The hotel is just 3 to 5 minutes away from Moulin rouge and about 15 minutes (by foot) from Lafayette Galeries (one of the best shopping hubs of Paris). The Eiffel tower is about 6 km away and the Opera Garnier is about 1.5 km away. You will also find that the Printemps Haussmann department stores are nearby. The Carrefour city supermarket is right near the hotel. You can walk down Blanche Street and get to the Haussman Boulevard, Madeleine Church, and Grand Magasins etc. in a short while.
69 Rue Blanche, 75009 Paris
Phone: +33 (0)1 40 40 71 71; Email: [email protected]; Hotel Website
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A travel addict. Still celebrating the day when he quit his high-profile corporate job to pursue his passion for travel writing.