I got a negative impression of Angouleme the moment I left the train station and saw how ugly and run down the place is. The hotel is an eight euro cab away in a sort of outskirts area. To get to the nice historic center, which is just a ten minute walk, you have to cross several winding roads where people drive rather fast. The hotel grounds are borderline unkempt and under-landscaped. For a country-ish hotel, there are few facilities. One of the reasons I chose the hotel was its offering a fitness center - this turned out to be two machines in a semi public enclosure, no weights, no treadmill. The welcome was snippy and the personnel did not seem eager to please, even though the hotel appeared to be half empty. I think they are mainly a restaurant (so much for the "silence") and if they fill a room or two they are happy. Yes, the room was very nice but thee was no reason to spend any time in the hotel other than to sleep.