need2travelasap

Has anyone stayed at this hotel in Paris recently? I currently have a reservation at this hotel for late spring 2007, and would appreciate any feedback on this hotel. How hard is it to get public transportation to the main part of the city from this hotel? Was the bedding comfortable?

Thanks

francophile03

No, it's not hard to get public transportation to and from the hotel. It's just time consuming in my opinion. Why stay outside the center when there are lots of nicer, less expensive hotels available?

ira

Hi N,

La Defense is a very large office complex that is pretty much empty at night.

I'd much rather be in the city in the 4-7th arronds.

need2travelasap

Thanks for the info, we will be in Paris only for 3 nights, I got a real good rate on this hotel (less than $140) for 2 people. My other choice was at CDG airport which I know would be further. I will check my other choices (had a list but this hotel seemed to be more upscale than the others) then if you don't mind I will post my other choices for your input. Looking for a Ritz Carlton on a Motel 6 budget!!!!

Robespierre

It takes ten minutes to get from La Défense to Châtelet on RER A - about half the time from École Militaire on the Métro (for example).

Ignore the naysayers, and shop for lodging <u>value</u> out away from the high-rent district.

BTilke

To answer your question about transportation, you are close to a stop on the #1 metro line or on the RER A. So you won't have much trouble getting into central Paris.
But I'm baffled by this choice. It's usually frequented by group tours (which is why the hotel offers bus parking) or business types who need to be near La Defense. It's not a hotel I'd recommend to the individual traveler, even at that rate. You're NOT going to get a Ritz experience (but you won't get a Motel 6 experience either).
For $140, you have plenty of much better choices in central Paris. You'd be better off a nice 3* or even 2* hotel in the 4th through 7th arrondissements.
Why did you book this hotel so far in advance? Is is something you're getting with a points/loyalty program and this was the best option available?
If that's the case, well, perhaps, although I think you're being eurocent wise and euro foolish. Out of the hundreds of hotels in Paris, I don't understand how you settled for this and why you only had this and one other to pick from.

need2travelasap

The company that I work for has a very good corporate rate with Sofitel/Accors Hotels and I was advised that one should book early as to get the discount. This is my first time traveling to Paris (we will be staying in Italy for 6 nights prior) and I thought this would be a good opportunity to see Paris as well.

Has anyone stayed at any Sofitels or Accors that are more centrally located?

Thanks

Dukey

I'm afraid there is a good REASOn some of those so-called &quot;high rent' districts exist but even if you aren't IN them you can get closer than La Defense (and you'll be GLAD you did IMO)

I've stayed in this hotel and even though it isn't TOO hard to get into the center at the time it seemed like a pain in the butt to do so.

The rooms were very non-descript if that is an issue and yes, it was loaded with tour bus folks if THAT is an issue.

BTilke

We usually stay at Sofitel Le Parc in the 16th arrond and generally pay less than 200&euro; per night for a double. We love the neighborhood and the hotel is very comfortable and much nicer IMO than the La Defense Sofitel. Two other Sofitels are near Le Parc--Sofitel Dokhan and Sofitel Baltimore. Both are also quite nice, but we're partial to Le Parc (which has, arguably, the prettiest hotel terrace in Paris).
The Le Parc is located just a few minutes stroll from the Trocadero, where you get wonderful views of the Eiffel Tower. It's also in the middle of a very nice residential area with plenty of good shops, restaurants, cafes, yet it's not as touristy as other parts of town.

Christina

I think the above sounds like the best idea, I really like that neighborhood also.

However, if you did stay at La Defense, I do like the shopping center out there, so that's one thing. As for Accors, there are lots of them in Paris, but those have a wide range in hotel level, so can't be comparable to a Sofitel. They range from very budget on up to at least 3* (not sure if there are 4* Mercures in Paris).

francophile03

need2travelasap, don't pay attention to robesbierre. He is on a RER crusade. While traveling is simple within Paris there are much better hotel choices in the city center. The Sofitel that's located in the 16th district would be a better choice, for example.

Beatle

need2- I agree with Franco and others. I stayed in La Defense, the name should be changed to La Depressing. I wouldn't care if the RER passed by the front door of Sofitel. Heed the advice and go for the 16th.

Robespierre

First &quot;francophile03&quot; tells you that public transportation to La D&eacute;fense is &quot;time consuming.&quot;

So I point out that the RER direct to Ch&acirc;telet takes ten minutes. The M&eacute;tro from Trocadero takes 24 (with a change).

So f3 tells you I'm on an RER crusade. No, actually it's an anti-stupidity crusade. But much remains to be done.

The Grande Arche is probably twice the accommodation you get for the same money in the XVIe.

francophile03

Onward RER crusader...

Christina

actually, I agree with the idea that this isn't an issue of how long the RER/metro takes to get places from La Defense, as it will take just as long as from some other places. I think it's simply an issue of ambience, and what kind of enivironment and neighborhood you want to stay in while in Paris. Some people truly don't care about that at all, as you see folks occasionally asking about some cheap hotel out in some suburb so they can just &quot;commute&quot; to/from Paris as a tourist as they don't care about the idea of the hotel's neighborhood being part of their travel experience.

However, I don't think hotel value is very meaningful in this case. There isn't any hotel out there that is going to be so great for the money that the value affects anything IMO. Not enough to base a decision on that. I think a bigger issue might be what kind of places you wanted to dine at, as you'll be limited out there.

I don't feel that way (that the hotel's neighborhood is irrelevant), but some people do, and the travel time isn't the issue for me. I think if you were to stay at La Defense, the metro would be better, though, than the RER. That's an issue that hasn't been raised here, I don't think (and I'm surprised Robespierre hasn't raised it). La Defense is in zone 3. That means you'd need to buy a zone 1-3 Carte Orange, Mobilis or special single ticket to go to/from it on the RER, rather than the usual zone 1-2 tickets/pass that is all you usually need for cental Paris. However, the regular metro ticket covers the La Defense metro stop as it covers the metro wherever it goes. So that's why I think using the metro out there can be a better idea, or else you'll pay more to use the RER somehow. I know that difference in cost is minor compared to hotel room cost differences, but some folks on Fodors are very concerned about very small differences in transportation ticket costs, I've noticed.

Robespierre

By the way, I don't think of the difference between an inner hotel and one further out as &quot;part of the experience&quot; vs. &quot;cheap.&quot;

When you get out of town, two possibilities present themselves: the same accommodation for less money, or more accommodation for the same money. I invariably choose the latter (or even spend <u>more</u> than I would in the city center and get <u>much more</u> space and amenities).

kerouac

I have stayed in hotels all over the world, from less than 0-star ($1.75 for a room in Luang Prabang, Laos) to 5-star (the Sevilla in Havana, the Raffles in Singapore, or the Mamounia in Marrakech, among others). Frankly, if this were my first trip to Paris and I had a discount deal with Accor, I would prefer a 2-star Ibis in the center (there are 50 Ibis hotels inside the Paris city limits) to a 4-star Sofitel in the suburbs. Or at least a Novotel or Mercure.

ira

Hi n2,

My reason for not staying at LaDefense is that after a day of sightseeing you will want to go back to the hotel to freshen up and rest.

Then you will want to go somewhere for dinner and to walk around. That means going back into the city.

Then you have to go back to la Defense.

It's a lot of extra traveling.

Robespierre

The same pertains if you stay in the VIIe or the Marais.

Unless you do all of your sightseeing, dining, and evening events within walking distance of your hotel, you have to have wheels. And the difference in transit time is negligible regardless of which arrondissement you hang your hat in.

francophile03

No. It's not the same. There is more chance that if your hotel is located in the city center you will not need public transportation as often unless you choose to do so. There are more sights you can see by walking if you're located either in or closeby the center. In La Defense this is not true.