We spent the night at the Auberge a la Bonne Idee on the way to Longchamps and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. This was our second time at the hotel and I have to say it is a bit old fashioned (or just a bit French) in its attitude to guests! They strive for such high standards and end... More

Remarkable place St Jean aux Bois, time stood still for a couple of centuries. An excellent starting point to discover the neighborhood - walk through the woods all around many miles, visit Compiègne and the impressive romantic castle of Pierrefonds at close distances. This is the place to be for spending a calm and romantic week-end. Take a drink close... More

This is the second time we have stayed in St-Jean-aux-Bois which is a lovely little village outside Compiègne and we love this place even more now. We were on honeymoon and checked into the Junior Suite we had booked. My wife was not that impressed with room and I was desparate for a room with a shower so we went... More

We stayed here based on the great reviews in the Times. The hotel was nice, room was good though the bed was on the small side. The bathroom looked like it had recently been refreshed and had a smart finish though annoyingly the holder for the shower head was irritatingly low (about 4 1/2 ft...). The restaurant was very expensive... More

Auberge a la bonne idee is set in the beautiful village of St Jean au Bois, surrounded by forest near Compiegne. Our room was fairly simple, on the upper floor of what appeared to be a converted stable block. The bathroom was modern although the absence of a shower screen in the bath made showering somewhat difficult. What makes the... More

A beautiful hotel in the Bois de Compiegne. Excellent room, good beds and an efficient and clean bathroom. Behind the hotel is a beautiful lawn with deck chairs where one can enjoy a quiet drink drink. The room was very attractively priced, the restaurant is much more expensive. It serves haute cuisine, which is served by a large number of... More

I've now stayed at the Bonne Idee on two occasions and am very much looking forward to returning this fall for a third trip. This hotel is an utter gem. A former farmhouse converted into a hotel with a five star dining room, it's situated in the utterly delightful village of St Jean aux Bois. You walk out of the... More

We stayed here two years ago and loved it! We decided, despite it being one hours drive from CDG, to stay here on our last night in France having toured for five days in Bourgogne. St Jean Aux bois itself seems to be more "gentrified" than previously; although still a very pretty village. We surmised, since many well-maintained properties were... More

The main problem with my room was that it is built into the eaves of the roof and this meant only Velox type rooflights illuminate the room. There are blind on the rooflights but if the rooflight is opened daylight floods in! The bath/shower is built under the eaves so it is impossible to shower, only to spray water at... More