anyone stayed at Novotel ladefense, or knows the area well?
 

hi
anyone stayed at this hotel? how far is nearest RER station. is it a safe neighborhood, any possible walkable places of interest.
thank you

La Defense is just outside of Paris. It is the premier french business district with a bunch of glass towers a la americane. I have not to the hotel but have been to La Defense. There is a shopping center and a big RER terminal which I dont think is too far from the hotel. You could go up on top of La Grande Arche for a view of paris but that is about all that is of interest there. I wouldnt stay there if you can stay elsewhere inside paris.

thank you Morgan
anyone else???

Agree w/ MorganB. Doesn't seem much like Paris at all, at least not what a new visitor would want. The ride back into Paris-central is too inconvenient to make it worthwhile. I don't have personal experience with la Defense at night, but it seems to be all businesses, doubtful much is stirring at night.

Agree with other posters. La Défense is an enormous business complex, NOT the Paris visitors are seeking. It's too far out, it's not attractive, and there are SO many other choices!

You might as well be in downtown Dallas if you stay in La Defense! If you want to stay at a Novotel, go to the one in the 1st arrondisement (I think the address is Place Marguerite de Navarre). Excellent location - literally a stone's throw from the Chatelet les Halles metro station and easy walking distance from major attractions (Louvre, Place Rue St. Honore, Ile-de-la-Cite and everyhting on it, Ile-St.-Louis, D'Orsay Museum, Pompidou Center, Boulevard St. Michel, etc...).

Hi lol,

La Defense is a huge, sterile business complex. Don't stay there if you don't have to.

Last spring my husband was on a business trip we stayed in La Defense for 2 weeks. The metro/RER station is directly under the large shopping centre by the Grande Arche. Although this part of Paris is not what tourists would call "Paris", the architecture is amazing. The metro system in Paris is so good that there is never a problem getting to central Paris to see whatever sights you would like.
The only real draw back is that many restaurants in the La Defense area were not open on the weekend (Sat & Sun nights), because of course there are not the numbers of business people that are there all week long.
I am returning there with the husband on June 14th and staying again in La Defense. It's not going to ruin my trip to Paris & France.

I was a little disappointed in May. My Dad and I went all the way out to La Defense to see an antique car museum only to find out it is no longer open.

We wandered around a bit and the rest of the posters are right. It's very business-like and wasn't that appealing. I do certainly like Adelle's take. If it's La Defense or nothing, I'd take La Defense everytime.