Hotel du Champ de Mars-revisited
 

I just returned from a wonderful week in Paris and wanted to say that my experience at the Hotel du Champ de Mars was VERY good. I feel that it is important to post this in light of the previous thread which indicated an experience that was quite different.
After reading the previous thread, I was going to cancel my reservation. But, I changed my mind based on having read only one side of the (previous thread)story and knowing people who had very successful stays there. We had never stayed there, though we usually stay in the rue Cler area. We were prepared for the worst and I had even decided on a back up plan if the situation soured.
Francoise was very gracious when we arrived. Check in was easy - she gave us the key as we had provided necessary info in our reservation fax. Our room met our expectations.
The next day we met Stephane. He, too, was quite charming. He was at the desk most of the days that we were there. We had several very enjoyable conversations with him.
The two young men who were there in the evenings were also very nice, though we did not have extended conversations with them.
I do not know why the experiences were so different, but I felt it important to post my experience. We are glad that we stayed there and will stay there on our next visit to Paris. (Pardon any typos, but we have just arrived at home and I am tired.)

ttt

I'm glad you posted this. We had a very pleasant experience at this hotel, so I was saddened and surprised when I read the negative report not too long ago.

We also stayed at Hotel du Champ de Mars last September for two weeks, soon after the episodes mentioned in a previous negative post.

On our return I was very saddened and angry to read of the negative replies posted by people who hadn't ever stayed at the hotel. It was the second time we had stayed there and both times were very pleasant and enjoyable. Francoise and Stephane run a very professional hotel and we have recommended it to a number of our friends. We would stay there again in a flash.

One way to interpret the sequence of events is:

The hotel screwed up big time.
It was reported here.
People started avoiding the property.
Word of the boycott got back to them.
The hotel got their act together.
Everybody is happy with the service.

For myself, I won't spend my money where the management have to be threatened into behaving in a civilized manner.

YMMV

Is it just possible that different people can actually have different experiences in the same hotel?

How do we know whether anyone has "ever stayed" at any hotel???

I hope you posted your positive experience on TripAdvisor so it will reach far, FAR more people than those who occasionally hang out here.

Paris,

I totally agree with you--I felt the same when I recently booked Grand Hotel Jeanne d'Arc in Paris.
A recent post had trashed the place, but prior to that, I had only read positive reviews both here and on other travel websites.
It's good to weigh different viewpoints and then go with your gut.
Happy Travelling!
--Betty

Intrepid1:

We have found Trip Advisor to have mixed reviews in many cases as well. And, to your point, how do we know someone who posts on Trip Advisor has actually stayed at the hotel?

You don't have to stay at the hotel to have a mixed feeling about it. I, and a few others (I think they posted here or on tripadvisor.com), have tried to make reservations in the past, but the staff doesn't answer email requests all the time. There's nothing wrong with the email systems on both sides as they do respond but randomly. I was always told they're full to try again later. Next visit I tried again-several months in advance-and was told it's too early to make reservations. Just found another hotel to stay and didn't regret it. I would rather email the hotel instead of faxing. If they don't answer I move on. I realize I can fax or telephone but I want to send emails only.