16 - Atelier Paris Lafayette

The location is handy, close to independent shops and restaurants, and the decor is nice. The rooms and shared areas were spotless. But we only got one uninterrupted night’s sleep out of four, so I’ve rated it 2/5. Our room, 105, was on the first floor right above the front door. At midnight on the first night, laundry trolleys were wheeled through the ground floor to a truck directly below our window, and the noise went on until 12:30 am. On night two, something else was wheeled through below us at 4:50 am. I told a staff member the next morning and asked about moving rooms. The only option was directly above 105 on the second floor, which didn’t seem much better. The staff member offered no suggestions or help. We weren’t disturbed the third night. On the fourth, a truck across the road was emptied or cleaned out around midnight for about half an hour, again very noisily. We expect some traffic noise on a city break, but this was unusually bad and mostly caused by the hotel.

We stayed four nights and didn’t have one of our better travel experiences. The location is convenient, with a couple of metro stations nearby and Gare du Nord within walking distance. Staff were generally welcoming and polite to us as foreign guests. But the price makes it hard to recommend when better options seem available, with more room, stronger service, cleaner conditions, and more reliable security. Sleep was badly affected by poor sound insulation. We could hear the corridor and neighboring rooms through the night. One morning, a false fire alarm at around 5 am sent all the guests down to the lobby, causing a lot of disruption and chaos. Security also worried us. Rooms use physical keys, the front desk was often unattended, and that could let unauthorized people in. Our interior safety lock was broken. We reported it on the first night and were told it would be fixed the next day, but it stayed broken for our whole visit. There was a persistent peanut butter smell in the lobby, which we found unpleasant. The shower water temperature kept changing and often became uncomfortably hot. Room servicing was inadequate too, for example, they didn’t replace the tissues after we’d used the box.

The room was comfortable and clean, and the staff were so friendly. It’s a cute, very Parisian hotel with a relaxed vibe and a great location. Gard Du Nord is a short walk away, and the metro is just around the corner. They were really kind and left a lovely card and prosecco for my daughter’s 18th birthday, which made our trip extra special.

The room worked really well for a short visit, and it was very clean. The shower was a little annoying, but check-in and checkout were smooth. The location is central and very close to Gare du Nord.