Majestic Hôtel-Spa

Majestic Hôtel-Spa

30 rue La Pérouse

Paris, France 75116

Tel: + 33 (0)1 45 00 83 70

http://www.leshotelsbaverez.com/en/home/majestic-hotel-spa/

My Rating: 84%

Price Rating: $$$$

Summary of Stay: I actually had no plans to stay at the Majestic; I was booked at their sister property, Hotel Regina. There was a computer issue and Hotel Regina was overbooked and they called me the day of, asking/telling very politely that I had been bumped to the Majestic. They mentioned it had a pool and I stopped listening after that. 

Hotel Regina, Raphael and Majestic are all 5 star properties owned and operated by Les Hôtels Bavarez. All three specialize in delivering Parisian charm to their guests.

The Majestic is not a grand old hotel—the lobby is clean, modern and slightly underwhelming. Beyond the marbled floors lay colorful couches that lead to an attractive lobby bar and standard concierge desk. Towards the elevators is a very small restaurant that is mostly used for breakfast. Overall the main floor is a bit disappointing compared to the finishes of the rest of the building. 

Check-in and concierge desk at main entrance

Lobby bar

I was upgraded to the Prestige Suite which was a true delight. It was the entire top floor of the hotel and had terraces on both sides. The suite was at least 1200 sq. feet and included 2 bathrooms, full kitchen and dining room, living room and two outdoor living sets on the terraces. All the rooms were decorated in old world French charm with deep rich colours and fabrics. When the suite was last renovated, a lot of thought was been given to the finishes and functionality. Abundant lighting, oversized closets and storage, oversized tub with outdoor view and modern kitchen all add to the comfort and elegance of the suite. You really need to watch the video to be able to take it all in. 

Living room

Bathroom view while having a bath

Service at the hotel, with the exception of the concierge desk, was very consistent. Staff at the restaurant were warm and welcoming. Turn down service was basic but there. The bellmen were quick, efficient and helpful. 

Highlight of the Hotel: The clear highlight of the hotel is it's spa area. It has a full service spa where you can get an assortment of treatments. The rooms are modern, spacious and lit more like a nightclub than a traditional spa. The fitness facility is where I spent most of my time. The gym is surprisingly equipped with all the modern machines you'd find at any top rate gym. It is spacious, well ventilated and bright. The pool is in contrast dimmer lit so that the ambient lighting takes full effect. It is a private oasis away from the hectic city. The area is beautifully tiled and really sets this hotel apart from others. I made sure I came down for a swim each afternoon and morning.  In addition to the pool, there are also infrared saunas and steam showers to use. The pool area does attract families to the hotel - and if I had kids, this would be an ideal choice. 

Highlight of the Stay: The highlight of my stay was my room and the views. The view of the Eiffel tower and the Sacre Coeur was priceless. I spent every moment I could on the terrace. I had champagne out on the terrace at night and watched the light show on the tower. In the morning I had my coffee and breakfast out there overlooking the Parisian rooftops. To have such wonderful outdoor space is a rarity in Paris and I wanted to take full advantage of it. 

Drawbacks: The main criticism of the hotel stem from a few difficulties I had with the concierge staff. Most of these involved getting taxis. On one occasion they asked where I was going and I told them (a popular store on the the Champs-Élyséees) - they called a taxi which I waited 30 minutes for. However, no one told me it was a 5 minute walk. Another time they got me a taxi to the airport, the taxi charged me the 7 Euro surcharge for an advance call, when the surcharge should have been 4 Euro as the concierge had just called them when I came down to leave. Also, the hotel is across from the Peninsula which I saw had a regular taxi line, so you can just walk across the street, get a taxi instantly and with NO surcharge. I also asked them to move back a dinner reservation for me which the concierges seemed very confused about - but they eventually got it changed with a few clicks on the computers. The concierge team was very eager, but I don't believe they have the training that they require to provide the level of service a 5 star hotel requires. Finally, be aware that the hotel is at the Arc de Triomphe - not nearly as central as the Hotel Regina or Hotel Raphael. So be prepared to walk or taxi where you need to go. 

Flowers throughout the property

Lovely common areas

Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme

Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme

5 Rue de la Paix, 75002 Paris, France

Phone: +33 1 58 71 12 34

http://www.paris.vendome.hyatt.com/

My Rating: 76%

Price Rating: $$$$$

Summary of Stay: So this is a difficult review to write. But I'll clarify everything momentarily. The hotel is a 5 star property that I think is best targeted to business clientele. It has almost every amenity you would expect (minus a pool) but also comes along with a cool, impersonal approach. The hotel lacks charm and personality even though rooms start at $1000/night. It is consistently rated one of the top 5 hotels in Paris and one of the top 50 in the world. But lets get down to particulars.

The lobby area is nice and bright and there is a courtyard which is the jewel of the hotel. Flowering trees and canopied tables offer a space that is functional and beautiful. The entrance and check-in area are a long hallway of marble. It is slightly unwelcoming if not for the half dozen 'bonjours' you'll receive from the doormen, security, concierge, hostess, etc as you walk to check-in. 

Restaurant off the lobby

Checking in was quick and easy and the attendants spoke perfect English. Up to my room and my luggage was not far behind me. Also surprising, no luggage tags were given during my entire stay—even when I stored luggage after check-out. I'm going to assume that the staff are just that good that they don't require using them. 

The room was a decent size with plenty of natural light. Upon reserving, I had requested a room with a balcony and that is exactly what I got. It had a small terrace area with trees and shrubs that just added some much needed French charm to an otherwise standard room. Looking back at my hotel room, there are really only two things that set it apart from any other business hotel that I've stayed at. 1) The statues around the room that were incorporated into the lamps, etc. They were interesting and perhaps a bit too much for a small space, but definitely unique. 2) The gold fixtures in the bathrooms that added a nice touch of luxury. 

But first, I like to point out the good things. The closet was well designed and gave enough room for luggage. The bed was comfortable and the view of the courtyard was decent (if I wasn't going to have a view of the Eiffel Tower!). There was an excess of lighting so really you could have any lighting possibility you required. The complimentary oversized bottles of Evian were nice and not common in Paris hotels. Turn down service came very early, but was nice to see. 

So then the hiccups came. I had spent the afternoon in my room unpacking and everything was fine. The room temperature was great and I really did begin to unwind. I went out for a late dinner and when I returned around midnight, the temperature of my room had gone from 18C to 27C. It was like an oven. I checked the AC and it was still reading 17.5C (I'm Canadian—I like a cool room). So I called down to the front desk and a technician was at my door within 15 minutes. He didn't speak English but he figured out that there was a problem when he opened the door. He tirelessly worked on the AC until about 2:15 am. At this point, I was tired and drained from the heat and just wanted to go to bed. I opened the windows and told him I needed to go to sleep. By now there was no more hot air blowing at least. I know hotels are going to have technical failings—and I'm not going to rate them based on that. However, it is how they deal with it that concerns me. At no time did anyone at the hotel offer to switch my room to one that was less tropical. That should have been the fist step.

I slept in as I was tired and didn't fall asleep till almost 3:30am when I finally cooled down. Check out was at noon and I had arranged a late check out until 2 pm. Laying in bed trying to get in a few more winks, I heard my door open and a man came in. Seconds later, after him seeing me sleeping, he apologetically spoke several French words and abruptly left the room. I assume he was another technician that came to look at the air conditioning unit. However, he didn't knock on my door or ring the doorbell. This is unacceptable. 

Now...the hotel's Manager of Rooms and Service did meet me at check-out and apologized personally for everything that happened. They suggested a way to make up for the stay which I accepted. I don't believe that this is something that would normally occur at a stay at any Park Hyatt, but perhaps for them, it was unfortunate that it happened to someone with a blog. Again, they did try and correct the situation as best as they could, which is why they weren't rated lower. 

Highlight of the Hotel: When I think back about the hotel, not a lot grabs me. However, I did enjoy the balcony I had. I had champagne out there after a long day of shopping and it was nice to have a piece of outdoor space in a busy city like Paris. Also, the location really is ideal as it is in the very heart of everything. Great shops, restaurants and the Seine are just steps away. 

Highlight of the Stay: Where the hotel shines is it's concierge team. Sebastian especially should win an MVP award. Every recommendation the team made was impressive—from shopping to food to entertainment. The dinner reservation that Sebastian made for me was perfectly suited to me in terms of atmosphere, quality and charm. This dinner turned out to be one of my best memories of Paris. I really think that they have one of the best concierge teams around.

Drawbacks: I've already discussed the details of my stay and the happenings there. Beyond that, I think the main drawback to this hotel is the lack of charm. This hotel has incredible potential: perfect location, awesome bones, qualified staff, stunning courtyard, palace distinction, etc. However, the hotel is forgettable. The next time they do a redesign or remodel, I think they should lean on stronger French influences and go upscale Parisian chic versus NYC boardroom. 

Maison Souquet

Maison Souquet

10 Rue de Bruxelles,  

Paris, France 75009

Phone:+33 1 48 78 55 55

http://www.maisonsouquet.com/

My Rating: 93%

Price Rating: $$$$$

Summary of Stay: Maison Souquet is a converted 'pleasure house' from the days when the Moulin Rouge was at it's highest glory. Set in Montmartre and a minutes walk to the cabarets, Maison Souquet can easily be classified as the sexiest hotel in Paris. But this is more than just a hotel swathed in silks and velvet—the hotel is a cut above the rest based on personal service and attention to detail.

The hotel is small luxury boutique with only 20 suites. Every guest is greeted by name and the staff make a huge effort to get know each one personally. They make it very clear upon check in that whatever you wish, they can get for you, be it a Belgian microbrew or tickets to a sold out show. They pride themselves on being able to deliver. 

Hallway to the bar and outdoor area

The rooms are ornate and decorated liked the inside of a jewel box in the Belle Epoque style. This style transport you back to the set of the Moulin Rouge movie where you can imagine Nicole Kidman entertained her gentlemen callers. Because of the nature of the building, the deluxe rooms are on the small side as seen in my video. I strongly recommend booking the junior suites as they really are worth every penny. 

The junior suite I was in.

The hotel has an incredible bar on the first floor where I was treated to a complimentary signature cocktail. Again, your wish is their command. They will make whatever cocktail you desire, and considering their collection of rare spirits, it won't be difficult for them. Beyond the bar, is a beautiful sun room bathed in natural light that is used as a breakfast room. But honestly, this is the kind of hotel that I would not expect the crowd to be up early enough for breakfast. This hotel draws an international crowd that enjoys decadence and late nights. 

Bar area

Highlight of the Hotel: Nikolas the butler. It seemed like he worked 24/7 and was always there when anything was requested. Nikolas is exceptional at his job and just makes great things amazing. From assistance with packing, to giving me a tour of the hotel, to ensuring my dinner reservations were looked after, and making sure I booked my spa appointments, Nikolas looked after everything. When I was in the spa, he brought down a signature cocktail adorned with rose petals. When I moved rooms, he and the room attendant packed up everything and moved me into the new suite. When Nikolas saw that I had come back to the hotel with a few bottles of champagne, moments later he was at my door with an ice bucket and champagne flutes. This is the service that often lacks in other 5 star properties. Although it wasn't the case, I felt like Nikolas was my own private butler by the incredible service he provided. 

Lobby

Highlight of the Stay: It's rare to find a 5 star hotel in Paris with a pool. It's extraordinary to find one where you have the entire pool and spa to yourself. As a guest of the hotel, you are entitled to 1 private hour at the spa. It is a treat after a day walking around the city. They have a treatment room as part of the facility where you can book an array of massages and facials. The eucalyptus steam room with star-like lighting was great to renew myself. And then to have to a private pool to plunge into afterwards...well it brought me back to life after a great night out. This really was a priceless experience. 

Private spa area

Drawbacks: Montmartre isn't for everyone. There are some great restaurants and cabarets nearby and the Sacre Coeur is a 15 minute walk, but there is very little shopping nearby. The metro is a 3 minute walk which can get you anywhere you want to be. But the small distance away from the main centre is a small price to pay to be at Paris's coolest address. 

View from the junior suite I had

Marquis Faubourg Saint-Honore

Marquis Faubourg Saint-Honore

8 Rue D'Anjou, 

Paris, Île-de-France, 75008

Tel: +33 (0)1 44 80 00 00

http://www.marquisfaubourgsainthonore.com/fr

My Rating: 87%

Price Rating: $$$$$

Summary of Stay: I spent four nights here at the Marquis on my recent trip to Paris. The hotel is a luxury boutique hotel right in the middle of the world's best shopping. Literally, Hermes, Chanel, Louboutin, YSL and Dior are just steps away. So if shopping is your reason for visiting Paris, this is the ideal location.

Exterior

This hotel is the former residence of the Marquis Lafayette and is an 18th century mansion converted into a 18 suite luxury boutique hotel. There is charm everywhere you look from vintage maps on the walls to historic wainscotting and gilded embellishments. There are orchids in nearly every room bringing a richness and a colour throughout the hotel. 

he hotel's main lobby lounge was always empty even though there was a makeshift bar there. I think the introduction of a happy hour would be a nice way to get the guests down there and have the space used. It really was too beautiful to be under used. 

Lobby

My room was a junior suite and was approximately 400 sq feet. There was a tonne of natural light with 3 large dormer windows that looked out onto the street. There was a small dressing area with a closet that proved very handy when packing and unpacking. Plus it gave a distinct area for me to put all my shopping packages. The combined bedroom sitting area was cozy. While the entire room flowed seamlessly, the desk and TV seemed a bit disconnected. Like they hadn't found the perfect piece of furniture so they just built it and put it there. And since it was there, why not put the small flat screen on it? The TV was small, but I never turned it on once in 5 days. The bed was very comfortable and very high thread count sheets. But the real star of the show was the bathroom. Separate walk in shower, clawfoot bathtub, toilet, bidet and double sinks filled out this very large bathroom. But it was all the little extras that put it over the top. Heated marble floors, heated towel rack, plush bathrobes, Hermes toiletries, wired in TV speakers and so much more. The bathroom really was an oasis. I am a total shower guy but even I had to relax in the tub one night.

Junior Suite

Highlight of the Hotel: I think one of the reasons that I especially enjoyed my stay here was that everything was very well looked after. That is very vague, but its really the only way to describe it. Starting with the property itself, there is not a mark or scuff or blemish anywhere. The hotel is perfectly preserved and maintained. It is rare to find a hotel, especially a historic one, in such perfect condition. Service was spot on. When my luggage arrived late from the airline, it was placed in my closet waiting for me. When I left an unfinished bottle of diet pepsi out overnight, it was thoughtfully placed back in the fridge for me. If I left a sweater thrown over a chair, the room attendant had folded it and laid it on the chair. All the little unasked touches.

Thoughtful welcome

Highlight of the Stay: Again it comes down to the service here as well and all the little touches. There was a welcome tray with fruit and chocolates upon my arrival. When I asked the front desk attendant/concierge about where I might do some shopping for Parisian brands, he headed me in the right direction. However, when I came back to the hotel, there was an additional list of other brands he had thought about for me. At breakfast, after the first day, the server knew my coffee order (even though the server changed - my coffee order came out consistent). A bit surprised, one day the server asked if I would like an omelette, which I said sure. So the breakfast went far beyond just the basic continental breakfast that was laid out. And besides the omelette being oneof the best I've ever had, the server never minded that I came down 10 minutes before breakfast service ended. 

Bathroom

Drawbacks: Just 3 quick drawbacks that held the hotel from getting a higher score. First, turn down service was inconsistent and I only received it my first night. Next, weeks before my arrival I had emailed the hotel inquiring about a private tour to the Champagne region. I generally like a say in what vineyards I go to and don't need to do all the cellar tours, I'm more there for the tasting and less the show. So I tend to move at a quicker pace and like to do it solo. They got back to me with a quote and confirmed it was private and that it was in a Mercedes. I booked it. The morning of the tour, I get a call from reception saying my van was there. I went down to find a big Mercedes touring van. Ok. Then I joked to the driver and said that the van was awfully big for the 2 of us - which he replied that we had other people to pick up. So it was not a private tour at all - it was perhaps a semi-private because we were a smaller group. But the vineyards we visited were disappointing and overall, I wish that the concierge had done a better job of listening to my request because it really did spoil my outing. Finally, the hotel's neighborhood is very quiet at night and expect to have to go for a good walk in order to find your dinner at night. The concierge recommended one place that I found very overpriced and just average. However there is a really small Italian bistro down the street that was a hidden gem—plain and small but great value and wonderful food.