Hôtel Le Saint Germain

There’s no elevator, which is the one downside. Otherwise the hotel is good for the price: the interior is new and clean, and it has air conditioning, which was welcome with summer weather already setting in around Paris. It’s not too far from CDG, and a nearby RER B station goes into Paris.

The breakfast was good, and the staff were really friendly and helpful. The rooms are a bit old, though, and the road in front is busy. They even leave earplugs beside the bed, which tells you something.

Getting into Paris or to CDG was straightforward for me. The station is a 10-15 minute walk away, and the SER B line goes directly to either the airport or city center. Staff were friendly and helpful, housekeeping did a good job, and I appreciated having bottled water in the room. The cigarette smell was the main problem. When we came back around 10pm on the first night, the hallway and stairwell smelled so strongly that it felt suffocating. Our room smelled too, even though its door had been shut all day. We left the window open overnight, which helped, but the hallway still reeked the next morning. The smell had cleared by the time we returned. On the last two nights, we caught occasional whiffs. They weren't as bad as the first night, but we had to choose between an open window and street noise or keeping out the cigarette odor. The air conditioning didn't really cool the room either, which could be unpleasant in warmer weather. The other things mentioned in reviews didn't bother us much. There are automatic window covers to block the streetlamp, and I didn't find the area especially sketchy. The shower could use a curtain or door, though it is possible to shower without soaking the whole bathroom. Without the smoking issue, I'd call it good value. Still, with public transit costing a little more from zone 4, I might look for somewhere closer to the city center next time.

We booked through the AMEX/Expedia platform, where the hotel advertised soundproof rooms. In reality, sound carries through the place. With the door shut, there was a small gap you could see through, as in the photo, and we could hear what was going on elsewhere in the hotel, including other rooms. The windows did little to block the street either. Probably the worst hotel experience we've had. If you don't like being kept awake at night, this place is for you.