Travel review: Affordable family-friendly hotel in northern France delights

LOCATION

In the sleepy, residential village of Saint-Witz in the Île-de-France region of northern France, tucked just off the A1 motorway and surrounded by rolling countryside, the Novotel Saint Witz offers an undeniably family-friendly haven with easy access to Charles De Gaulle Airport (15 minutes away by car).

You’re ten minutes from Parc Astérix, a theme park offering high thrill rides and family fun, and Disneyland Paris is just a 35-minute drive. Seeking culture? Château de Chantilly is only 25 minutes away and you can be in Paris for the day, exploring wonders such as the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and the Seine in under an hour via excellent train links.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

A hallmark of the Novotel Roissy Saint Witz experience is the personal attention lavished upon you by staff. It may well sit as a four star, but in France where the top hotels are elevated to ‘palace’ status ratings (one notch above five star) our abode for the weekend punches well above its designated weight.

General Manager, Eimear Heniart, is truly a godsend and runs an extremely family friendly operation which feels very much like a country- house resort rather than a chain hotel.

We are even offered lifts personally by Eimear to Parc Astérix on both days. The staff’s no-nonsense approach to hospitality includes a super swift, stress-free check-in experience - a blessing when the kids have clocked the shimmering pool (which they genuinely have unlimited access to during the daytime and early evenings) and play areas outside and are itching to dive in. The hotel is also more than happy to help with baggage holding if you need to check out of your room but have another day out planned at nearby attractions.

Children can roam freely and safely in the hotel’s shared public areas, such as those near the reception desk where a subbuteo table and board games galore await and to come borrow books from the children’s library at leisure.

The lobby features an abundance of books for grown-ups too; you can borrow one and settle into a lounger or find a spot under the leafy trees that fringe a forest with winding trails and freshly mown lawns—one of the hotel’s biggest draws. Here’s where you head for games of table tennis, football, cricket and badminton during the summer.

SUITE DREAMS

After a busy day, the light-filled family suite here is veritable boon for tired feet.

Cleverly designed with soothing neutral interiors and spacious enough to sleep up to five in a comfortable king bed with sofa beds already prepped and an additional single bed on request, there’s still plenty of remaining floor space for children to spread out with toys and books without anyone feeling claustrophobic or in fear of stepping on strewn pieces of Lego.

Beds are thoughtfully laid with soft toys and activity packs gifts of colouring books and puzzles for children - a welcoming touch in anticipation of their arrival and to give you some time to unpack.

All the practical mod-cons you’ll wish for are there; high-speed Wi-Fi, mini-fridges, tea and coffee making facilities and air-con, well-placed USB sockets as well as flat-screen TVs, but our guess is even the kids won’t be watching much with all the fun to be had off screens.

Rooms on the ground floor afford quick access to the forest and the freedom for children to tumble out into the outdoor play area (the swings, slide and climbing frame provide hours of entertainment), while making new friends and testing out their French speaking skills. Bathrooms are clean and minimalist and attractively lit with overhead powerful rainfall showers. Sleep comes thick and fast - aided by pleasingly squishy beds and blackout curtains.

EAT

Only the best seasonal and local produce ends up on tables in the hotel’s Gourmet Restaurant, and you’ll tuck into first-rate plates of tender steak frites, while kids will devour the mini burgers and poke bowls in minutes. For dessert, the tarte Tatin is non-negotiable. Breakfast can be taken on the delightful terrace besides the outdoor pool or inside the sun-soaked name of restaurant and is a whole little gastronomic lesson in Le petit déjeuner; coffees of all sorts, heaps of flaky croissants, pain au chocolat and panettone, a DIY crepe station, cook your own eggs station and all sorts of cereals and museli, fruits, cheeses and hams along with croquettes and sausages. The adjacent lobby bar has a cool laid back and cosy vibe and you’ll find it’s quite the spot for parents wanting a glass of

Voisembert Oudart house Champagne, an artisan beer or one or two of Eric’s well-earned, expertly mixed cocktails (he also makes a mean coconut and cherry mocktail for kids to savour).

WHAT YOU’LL LOVE

· Motorway access makes it easy to explore the region

· Water is free and refillable from stations dotted around the hotel

HOW TO BOOK

Visit Novotel Saint Witz, Route De Survilliers, 95470 Saint-Witz, France.

Prices from £120 per night per room, including breakfast. To book, visit https://all.accor.com/hotel/0459/index.en.shtml

email [email protected], or call +33 1 34 68 69 80. Family packages are available with tickets to Parc Astérix or Disneyland included.