elaine

Denyse<BR>You might want to add your comments elsewhere on this Fodor's website, under Paris hotels, as a Rants and Raves comment, if the Lille is listed.<BR>Also, if www.paris.org is still taking comments, you can add your comment there.<BR><BR>Finally, I'd email the comments to <BR>bonjourparis.com which prominently recommended the hotel a couple of years ago. The website has their email address.

RnR

Denyse, very sorry about your experience. I can confirm that Hotel Thos. D"Acquin is nice - have stayed there twice. Just a block or so off St. Germain de Pres, short walk to D'Orsay. Probably a two or three star - acquired by new owners, and they have refurbished since I first stayed there in December 1982 (BTW, at $32 per night, incl. breakfast). Much higher now, but great value. Visited it six months ago and talked with the owners. BTW, the Lenox is down the block on Jacob or Universite (forget) and an excellent place for a late afternoon champagne, just to restore the spirits after a long day out.

Pam

This bad experience causes concern for those of us who have credit card guarantees on our rooms. I did read in a travel book that hotels aren't legally responsible to guarantee a room just with a credit card number. However, if the guest agrees to charge one night's deposit then the hotel is required to hold the room. <BR><BR>I myself have made several upcoming room reservations with only a credit card number as that's all the hotel says it requires. Now I'm wondering if all will really be well-hopefully my hotels will be more considerate than Hotel de Lille.<BR><BR>There was a post a while ago by someone else who made reservations at Le Clos Medicis (through a reservation service I believe however) and she claims she communicated to the last minute with the hotel as to their arrival time. When she and her husband arrived at the hotel, the room had been given away anyway.<BR><BR>So is the main reason for giving away a room is because there is no legal hold on it?

xxx

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Wayne

With all this hullabaloo about de Lille, I will suggest an alternative hotel even closer to Musee' d'Orsay and the Seine. It is the Libertel Bellechasse, literally a stone's throw from the museum and the river. Some rooms are small, but it has an elevator (but no A/C, which is typical of these smaller hotels). When I was there, the breakfast spread, served in the cellar, was very good. When reserving, ask for one of the larger rooms. This is part of the Libertel chain, and you can reserve on www.libertel.com. It is also part of the larger Mercure group of hotels, and I think you can get to the Libertel website through www.mercure.com. If you give up on the de Lille, you might give this a try. I was never disappointed.

Tina

I tried to make reservation for the Hotel de Lille last year. But when they wrote me that they will charge two nights deposit to my credit card and they do not give refunds on ANY changes or cacelation, I knew I shouldn't deal with them. <BR>There are so many wonderful places to stay in Paris

xxx

They actually wanted to charge 2 nights? Avoid them.

Christina

I don't think that is at all professional or acceptable to not give you a room when you have confirmed it, however, a hotel is not inferior because it does not have a shower. I have been in many very nice French hotels without showers (in fact, the nicest ones have not), there is nothing remotely wrong with that. A small sabot tub with handheld sprayer is quite normal and not inferior. You may not want it because you insist on a shower but that fact does not make a hotel inferior. Also, a very small room is quite normal for the price you paid in that part of town for a lower-end hotel. Rooms not being well-lit is also a problem in many hotels of all levels. I agree their cancellation policy is unfair and not guaranteeing the room, but these other things are just normal.<BR><BR>I stayed at the d'Acquin several years ago and they were nice, but I thought the hotel was quite charmless and basic, I myself would not recommend it to anyone, although it is fairly cheap for that area, I suppose. Perhaps their double rooms are better than the single I had which was quite bad. They stick the TV in the corner of the ceiling like a lot of cheaper hotels do. They do sound a lot better than Hotel de LIlle, though. Maybe this is a warning, although you did everything right, to avoid hotels with such cancellation policies, that might be a sign of what they are like. I've never stayed in a hotel, nor would I, with a 10 day cancellation requirement (except a resort area where it is more expected in small hotels, but not in Paris).

x

It helps, Christina, if one speaks french satisfactorily. You may then avoid the lesser rooms. We never have your problems, I notice. Apparently this hotel stuck you in a bad room. Why didn't you move? TV in the corner sounds some low-rent place in the carribean.

denyse

Christina,<BR><BR>My complaints were not based on the shower! If the hotel hadn't given my room away, I would have dealt with the shower. Truly, if that's what you think I am complaining about, you have misread my post, and my intent.<BR><BR>The hotel Thomas D'Acquin has been refurbishing rooms, and we ended up in one such room, with no complaints.<BR><BR>Frankly, I think the de Lille is a bad choice for anyone, but do feel free to try them and see for yourself. If you have a contrary experience, I am happy for you!<BR><BR>Regards,<BR>Denyse

Surlok

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