Hotel George Washington

We came to Paris for my nan’s 80th birthday, and this stay seriously affected what should have been a special celebration. On arrival, we were told we couldn’t check in because of an air-conditioning issue. Later, another receptionist said there was no fault, the AC just doesn’t run in winter. The explanations kept changing throughout our stay. We had booked and paid for a two-floor suite with separate rooms and larger bathrooms, but were given a small single room with one bed and a pull-out bed. When I complained, I was told, “What do you expect when you book a room for four people, of course it’s going to be small?” One staff member said this was already the largest suite; another said we could move on our last night when the suite became available, but would have to pay. We saw the suite opposite our room while it was being cleaned, and it was clearly the one we’d booked. The room we were given was in poor condition, with mould and visible leaks on the walls and heavily stained carpets. The bathroom was also a mess. The shower kept cutting in and out, the pressure was very low, and the water swung between hot and cold. Both shower heads malfunctioned and dripped unpredictably, and the curved mirrors distorted the view. Several sockets in the room didn’t work either. We were given just two large towels and two face towels for four people. When we asked for more, a staff member rolled his eyes and huffed. We only had one room key, and additional keys kept deactivating, so we had to return to reception repeatedly to have them reprogrammed. Organization across the hotel was poor. Breakfast was disappointing, including stale Madeira cake, and the same staff member seemed to handle breakfast and room cleaning. When we asked for tea, it was refused because she wasn’t available. When we first arrived and couldn’t check in, we were told to leave our luggage in the dining area, where anyone could get to it and nobody was watching it. We were also asked for a €200 deposit on arrival, which felt unjustified given the state of the hotel and the service. I wouldn’t recommend staying here. Customer service and maintenance both need serious improvement.