Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - AVOID HOTEL DE LILLE, PARIS

Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)

- Europe (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/)

- - AVOID HOTEL DE LILLE, PARIS (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/avoid-hotel-de-lille-paris-241009/)

AVOID HOTEL DE LILLE, PARIS

Message: BEWARE OF HOTEL DE LILLE. I am sorry to have to report, but this was a very poor choice. I normally would hesitate to post this type of response, but I also believe, "caveat emptor". As we just returned from Paris last night, this information is current. We booked Hotel de Lille for a total of 7 nights, 3 at the front end of our trip, and 4 nights at the back end. We GUARANTEED our room with our AMEX card, and communicated extensively with the hotel in advance, including flight information several days before, and a request that they hold our room as our flights from SFO and then from Munich would get us to the hotel at about 10PM the night of July 3. We arrived at the hotel without sleeping for about 40 hours, at precisely 10PM, only to learn that our guaranteed room had been given away. Please note that the hotel has a current policy of requiring 10 days notice of intent to cancel, or you are charged for the night. As you can imagine, we were exhausted, and the hotels in the area were all fully booked. The hotel finally found us a room several blocks away, and without any assistance, we got our bags to the hotel and spent the night at the alternate. We then checked into the HOtel de Lille the following night. Big mistake. We are quite used to Paris hotels, and do not mind the usually small rooms and "quaint" bathrooms. Nothing, however, could have prepared us for this. There was no room on one side of the very small and saggy double bed, and no furniture in the room save for a very small table. Literally, it was closet sized. The bathroom was worse than any we have ever experienced. The absence of a shower curtain is not normally a problem, however, the small tub had only a handheld shower, nothing wall-mounted, and the bathroom itself was small and barely functional. The room was not well-lit, and we could not open our luggage, we could only do so when not using our bed. There was nothing charming about the room, and nothing to recommend it. In fact, I would avoid it at all costs. As an example of the night-time person, when we asked if there was a restaurant or bistro in the area that was nearby (in French, I might add), we were told, "probably". This was the same fellow, I might add, who gave away our room the night before. We booked an alternate hotel (the one we spent our first night in and had to leave to check in to the de Lille), and had a very nice stay in a more kindly two-star hotel at virtually the same price point. The hotel is Hotel St. Thomas D'Acquin, and I recommend it as an alternative. The location is actually superior to the de LIlle, and the rooms and baths, although small, are nicely done, wuite charming, and the personnel at the hotel cheerful and very kind. We will stay there again without question. My apologies for having written this lengthy report--longer than I intended--but I believe that the hotel was nothing even close to what was advertised, and extremely unprofessional. The fact that they have a cancellation policy that should have guaranteed our room (had we not shown up, we certainly would have been charged for the room that never existed!) makes their conduct inexcusable and unforgiveable during a time period, the week of haute couture, when hotels are fully booked. As I said, "caveat emptor"...you have been forewarned. Regards, Denyse

top, top, toppy-top-top!

I'm very curious why you stayed one night given the size and appearance of the room. Granted its dreadful that your room was given away the first night, and that the hotel you stayed in the first night was unable to accommodate you further, but why did you bother to stay at the Hotel de Lille even one night. You would think that you would have not bothered since your guaranteed room was given away. I think you have to accept a small amount of responsibility for staying at the Hotel de Ville for even 1 night.

Um...Anonyimouse....did you read the post? She arrived at the Hotel de Lille at 10 PM, after 40 hours of no sleep. You would have marched out the door of the hotel at that hour in that condition and found another place to stay? I don't think so......

I fully understood and understand the post thoroughly. Denyse returned to the Hotel de Lille for her second night. Her guaranteed room for her first night at the Hotel de Ville at 10pm was already given away. The desk clerk was very unhelpful but relocated Denyse to another hotel where she slept her first night and then returned to the Hotel De Ville for her second night. That is when she found the accommodations so awful. My question is why did she stay there the second night, it seems that besides her guaranteed room being taken, the desk clerk being uncooperative, and with the general appearance of the room, I wouldn't have bothered to even check in. That's what I am questioning. Possibly, StCirq, you need to read more carefully.

You're right, Anonyimouse, I failed to read the post through...again. I'd read it before and thought I had the scenario down pat. Nonetheless, when she left the Hotel de Lille at 10 pm for another hotel, presumably for just one night, she hadn't seen the room, but she HAD booked a room there for a total of 7 nights. It seems to me that a jet-lagged family that has gone to the trouble of booking a hotel for 7 nights, even if they get turned away the first night, might have a hard time locating another hotel to take them in for 7 nights. I think I would have gone back to the hotel the following morning, too, assuming they'd put things right and make amends. Far easier to do that than to arrive in Paris and suddenly have to book new rooms for 7 nights, plus possibly getting back money that the Hôtel de Lille has charged to your credit card - THAT's not easy on the spot in Paris. I can't see why the poster is to blame for anything in this particular case.

StCirq - in case you need further clarification of Denyse's post, it appears that the hotel that Denyse spent her remaining nights in Paris at the hotel she stayed in the first night. She only stayed at the Hotel de Lille one night - her second night. I also have to wonder why after receiving such poor treatment at the Hotel de Lille, and especially after much communication prior to Denyse's sojourn, that she checked in for her second night. Hindsight might be 20/20, however since you were able to give such a vivid description of the room, I would think that the appearance did not change from the time you checked in to the time you crawled into the bed. Why did you stay there for one night (at that point you had already slept one night after your 40 hours of being awake)? So many say that they ask to see the room, and if it is not satisfactory, they ask for another one. Even if this was the only room available, the Hotel de Lille had broken its contract with you. I have to agree, you have to accept some responsibility. You should have turned on your heel and checked out immediately. You obviously were happy at the Hotel St. Thomas D'Acquin where you spent your first night and remaining nights.

Denyse, is that the Hotel de Lille in the 1st arrondissement? Do you mind giving us the address of the hotel? And could we have the address of Hotel St. Thomas D'Acquin? And phone/fax #s? Also, you mentioned that the prices were similar but you didn't state how much. I'm sorry that you had such a horrible time the first 2 nights but am happy that your situation turned out well in the end.

Mary: Hotel de Lille (the one Denyse stayed) is in the 7th arr. on 40, Rue de Lille. www.hotel-de-lille.com H™tel Saint Thomas d'Aquin 3, rue du PrŽ-au-Clercs 75007 PARIS Tel. 33 (0) 1 42 61 01 22 Fax: 33 (0) 1 42 61 41 43 Email : [email protected]

Denyse: OMG, you lived through my nightmare! I'm going in October and have been planning all year. I dread the possibility of the hotel screwing up my first experiences in Paris. We arrive noon-ish, though. It seems many of the problems occur when one arrives late, but I'll be so much happier when we are ensconced in our private chambres!

Why was this post repeatedly topped, even by the initial poster? Is it a warning or an attempt to elicit reaction?

It sounds like she's mad and wants everyone to know it, as a way to get back at the hotel and have some little satisfaction. Sounds like a pretty normal motivation to me. I might do the same myself in a similar situation.

I can second Denyse's recommendation of the Hotel St. Thomas d'Acquin. I've stayed there on four different occasions and have always had a good experience. It is a very charming two star hotel and centrally located near Boulevard St. Germain.

toppy toppy toppppppppppppp