Ariane Hotel, Ieper

We've stayed at this hotel twice, once in 1998 and the last time in August 2004. It's not particularly cheap by Euro standards at �100 for a double room with breakfast, but all the same it represents very good value for money. Compared with English hotel rates it's an absolute bargain, of course.

We had one of the new air-conditioned rooms this time. Nice and big, with a good bathroom and all facilities present and correct. Not everyone would like the high-quality but rather spartan decor, though, in muted plain colours and with no pictures or other decorations to enliven the walls.

We didn't try the bar or the restaurant as we like the brasseries and cafes in the main square. Breakfast was excellent, with a wide choice of bread, rolls, preserves, ham, cheese, etc.

The staff at the Ariane are very friendly and pleasant and, like most people in Ieper it seems, speak very good English. The hotel might not have the quirky charm of an old-fashioned establishment but it makes up for that with a location that manages to be both quiet and near to Ieper's attractions. The free car park is a big plus and the staff were happy for us to leave our car there after we had checked out so we could visit the In Flanders Fields museum in the Cloth Hall.