In my point of view, the place=* tag should be used on a node. The spatial relation between a feature and the village/town can be deduced with the administrative boundary. Moreover, it is bad to duplicate data (hard to maintain). See also [this similar question (with my answer)][1]. The area is used for giving the administrative boundary, while the node give a more accurate information on the "place" center's position. In some case, there isn't a suitable boundary, but it is mainly for the hamlets, that are commonly attached to a village/town with a administrative boundary (at least in France). In this case, I don't think it is so annoying to not have a geometric inclusion of a feature of this hamlet in an area.area. [1]: http://help.openstreetmap.org/questions/3942/how-to-map-inhabited-places-settlements

In my point of view, the place=* tag should be used on a node. The spatial relation between a feature and the village/town can be deduced with the administrative boundary. boundary. Moreover, it is bad to duplicate data (hard to maintain). The area is used for giving the administrative boundary, while the node give a more accurate information on the "place" center's position. In some case, there isn't a suitable boundary, but it is mainly for the hamlets, that are commonly attached to a village/town with a administrative boundary (at least in France). In this case, I don't think it is so annoying to not have a geometric inclusion of a feature of this hamlet in an area.

In my point of view, the place=* tag should be used on a node. The spatial relation between a feature and the village/town can be deduced with the administrative boundary. The area is used for giving the administrative boundary, while the node give a more accurate information on the "place" center's position. In some case, there isn't a suitable boundary, but it is mainly for the hamlets, that are commonly attached to a village/town with a administrative boundary (at least in France). In this case, I don't think it is so annoying to not have a geometric inclusion of a feature of this hamlet in an area.