Fodor's Expert Review Paradise Inn–Le Metropole

The best value in Alexandria, the turn-of-the-20th-century Le Metropole has an elegance few other hotels can match. The lavishly overdone lobby has gilt mirrors, Flemish tapestries, and bas-relief moldings that cry out for a restraining hand, but the large rooms are a pleasant surprise. The 20-foot ceilings, simple antique furnishings, and flowing velvet drapes project a feeling of luxury. Though some of the fixtures could benefit from a little TLC, the overall feel is of a grand mansion that you've been lucky enough to stumble upon.