HappyCheesehead

Using points to stay in Paris for one week, April 15-22, 2006. Early planning, yes, but I got my ff tix last weekend and want to get the hotel ressies too while there is still availability.

I have never been to Paris and have all the usual tourist sites on my list. Can you help me determine which hotel is the best combination of location and "nice"? We have no problem walking but would like to be close to a metro for the end of the day. Are there any intangibles that would set one over the other?


1.Renaissance Paris Vendome (formerly the Plaza Paris Vendome)4, Rue du Mont Thabor

2. Marriott Hotel Champs-Elysees, 70 Avenue des Champs-Elysees

3. Intercontinental Paris, 3 Rue De Castiglione

4. Intercontinental LeGrand, 2 RUE SCRIBE

Good and bad about any of the above would be most appreciated!

sandi_travelnut

while waiting for others to reply, you may want to also look at reviews on www.tripadvisor.com

Flyboy

FWIW, our crack research team reports that the IC Paris has been sold to the government of Dubai and it will be rebranded as a Jumeirah hotel.

Patty

Looks like there's a new choice for Marriott redemption in Paris, excellent! I wasn't aware of the new Ren property. Thanks for posting this.

Have you tried a search on the IC and Marriott boards at flyertalk.com for comments?

HappyCheesehead

Hi Sandi - I have been looking at Trip Advisor too, the Renaissance Paris Vendome gets great reviews (well most of them from before the take over) and the Le Grand is a little more mixed. IC Paris and the Marriott Champs Elysees- great reviews too. Kind of hard to choose when they are all pretty complimentary and practically all say great location.

Luckily, seems like I can't lose, but am hoping for a rating from best to least best of the 4.

Flyboy, are you serious or kidding?

HappyCheesehead

oh, Patty - cool - I forgot about Flyer Talk! Thanks!

kerouac

The Marriott Champs Elysées has a spectacular lobby but I can't vouch for the rooms because I live in Paris. I just go to the Marriott for business functions because my office is around the corner.
In terms of the hotels mentioned, I would choose Le Grand Inter-Continental for the location at Place de l'Opéra, because it puts you in touch with the ultra elegant Paris of the photographs (Place Vendôme, etc.) while being within walking distance of the more authentic Paris that real people prefer.

mamc

I don't know any of these hotels but like best the Renaissance Paris Vendome for location. I think the suggestion to check TripAdvisor is a good one.

shellio

Intercontinental Paris is at the corner of rue de Rivoli and rue Castiglione, across from the Tuileries and steps from the Louvre. Some rooms will have a view of the Tuileries, maybe the Eiffel Tower. The Renaissance Paris Vendome is around the corner, but probably doesn't have a view. I recommend staying in this area rather than the Champs Elysees, which is rather boring and distant from most sights.

andy

Intercontinental Paris, 3 Rue De Castiglione is AWFUL--

We stayed there a few years ago--the room was soooooooooo small that when you got out of bed your legs hit the suitcase..True to wonderful Paris hospitality, they said they had nowhere else to put us...room was a FORTUNE -location was GREAT...would definitely stay in this location but a different hotel...

Christina

I don't know anything about the rooms in these hotels, but I would choose the one on place Vendome, also, for location, or maybe the IC over there. I think that would be a good location. The IC at the Opera is just in an area a bit too much for me (congestion in tourists and traffic), but certainly is central. I don't think I'd want to stay at the Marriott on the Champs-Elysees, I wouldn't want to be on that street and I don't like that location as well in general, for ambience.

elaine

I haven't stayed at the hotel but based on friends' comments, and the fact that a renovation was recently completed, I'd pick the IC Grand.
If memory serves, the hotel backs onto Place Vendome?

Patty

elaine,
The Le Grand is right next to the Opera. Maybe you're thinking of the other IC. I believe that one would be closer to Place Vendome.

andy

The IC Paris on Rue Castigileone is right across from the Place Vendome...Great location -HORRID hotel..

Pick another-

LynFrance

The Grand is okay. As with many Paris
hotels, much depends upon the individual room you wind up with. After three tries we wound up in a room facing the Opera, so the view was very nice.
We found the decor not particularly pleasing and the staff not particularly helpful. It's a big busy hotel.
We never went back.

HappyCheesehead

I shall be tallying the results but so far it looks as if, based on all your comments, the location, and the great reviews on TripAdvisor that the Renaissance Paris Vendome might get the nod. It happens to "cost" the least amount of points too!

Anyone else have a good or bad comment regarding these hotels??

Thanks one and all for your responses. This forum is so great in that total strangers will take the time to help answer questions!

valtor

Renaissance Paris Vendome for location.

If I was you, I would take it without any doubt.
Paris has to offer so much to visit, so you will be interested to be in the centre of the centre (as Place Vendome is). I am sure that the time spent in the room is minimum, so is not important so much how small or big the room is, but ... the location and if there is air conditioned.

Have a nice trip!

Patty

HappyCheesehead,
I don't understand your comment about costing less points. The Ren Vendome is cat 7, same as Marriott Champs Elysees. The other Ren La Defense is cat 6 - make sure you don't accidently book yourself into that one. I agree with others that the Ren Vendome location is excellent.

Woody

Happy:

We have stayed three times at the Marriott Champs Elysees using points and were very pleased with each of our stays. (When we are not using points, we stay at places like the Hotel des Grandes Ecole.)

The Marriott CE is a Michelin 5-Star hotel. On our first stay, we had a huge room (king bed, sofa, armchair, desk, amoire, and end table with chairs). The second time, we had a very secluded room that shared a hallway with only one other room. It was like having a private apartment. The third time we had a room with french doors that opened up to a narrow balcony overlooking an adjacent side street. I guess it depends on what's available when one arrives. We find the Marriott CE is an excellent value when using points. Just check the room rates online to see what it would cost per night, and you'll know what I mean.

We have not yet stayed at the Renaissance Paris Vendome, but have reservations to do so later this year, again using points. We are looking forward to staying in that area.

Acording to the Marriott website, both properties are Category 7, and cost the same number of points per stay.

I don't believe you can go wrong staying at either property. Let us know what you decide.

Woody

HappyCheesehead

The Ren Paris Vendome is only 150,000 points for my one week stay as I can get the standard award. The Marriot CE currently only has "anytime" awards available for my dates and will set me back 225,000. I can keep an eye open and check the rates every once in a while to see if the Marriott CE ever offers standard for that week (it happened for me for the Cancun JW Marriott - for a long time they did not have a standard room avail and then all of a sudden did) but since the Vendome appears to be well regarded by so many I may as well use fewer points, right?? More left over for next vacation that way!

I love the way Marriott does their points for one week stays- the difference between the 6th and 7th night is only 10k I think. Intercontinentals charges the exact same points per night no matter how many nights (one week is 210,000 points) so I think they are good option for shorter stays.

Hey Woody - let us know what you think when you get back! I am hoping that the Marriott take over will not negatively effect/affect (I can NEVER remember this grammer rule) the Paris Vendome.