Hôtel Istria by Magna Arbor

For my work trip in January, I had a clean, comfortable, warm room in a good location. The staff were friendly, I slept well, and it wasn’t noisy at night. My only complaints were that the shower leaked onto the bathroom floor and the towels were very thin. The hotel asks guests to leave the key card at reception when they go out. Every hotel I’ve stayed at in Paris has done this, so it’s standard practice there. It’s a pleasant hotel and good value for money.

We’ve stayed at the Istria from 1998 through 2026. It’s been updated and is now a nice, quiet hotel. The rooms are on the small side, but that doesn’t matter to us since we’re only there to sleep. Breakfast is good, though there are no hot items. When we had trouble with the shower faucet, they replaced it the next day. The staff are friendly and very helpful. We’ll definitely stay again when we’re in Paris.

We were extremely disappointed. The room was a tiny shoebox, nothing like the advert, and the sink was so small that washing your face sent water onto the floor. After a long day exploring in cold weather, we wanted somewhere cozy, but the room felt cramped and uncomfortable. There was also lots of dust under the bed and on the bedside table, which made it feel poorly maintained. You’re required to leave your room key at the desk whenever you go out. They said people lose keys and it’s needed for emergencies, which sounded ridiculous to me. When I said I’d rather keep mine, the woman at the desk asked if I was afraid they would steal from me. Completely unprofessional and unnecessary. At checkout, nobody was at the desk. We waited around 6-7 minutes and were told the staff had gone outside. We had a train to catch, so we had to leave. They said they’d email me a receipt or invoice, but I never received anything. The whole stay was disappointing. There are much better options for the same price, so don’t book here if you want a comfortable, pleasant stay.

Breakfast was a real highlight, with lots of choice and everything tasting delicious. The woman making yogurt with fresh fruit clearly put care into it, and you could tell. The hotel sits on a calm little street, just a minute from Raspail metro, so getting to the main sights was easy. Our room was small but charming and had everything we needed. The hotel and room were spotless, too. The staff were kind and helpful at any hour, always greeting requests with a smile and making us feel at home. A well-earned 10/10, and our stay made Paris even more special.