Hôtel Le Marcel - Paris Gare de l'Est

The junior suite on the seventh floor had a lovely morning view of the train station, and the room had what we needed to freshen up and sleep. This was a good family stay and a great overall experience for a four-star hotel. Breakfast was a good continental spread, with coffee, orange juice, milk, eggs, croissants, Nutella, and fruit. There are also nearby options including MacDonald, Burger King, Japanese food, other restaurants, and a mini mart. Check-in was quick since everything had been done online; we only paid the local tax by credit card. The small front door might put you off, but press the bell for reception to let you in for security, then take the lift to level 1 to check in. A couple of minor issues didn’t affect the stay overall: one of the bathroom lights didn’t work, and you can feel and hear the floor as you walk around the room.

The room looked pleasant and clean at first, with a bathtub, basic amenities, and a warm shower with strong water pressure. For the shower, you need to push the bottom button in before turning on the tap. We stayed one night for the location and had a wonderful, acceptable overall experience. We arrived around 9 pm, rang the bell at the small main door, and got an answer right away. Then we took the lift to the first floor to check in. The male receptionist was friendly and made check-in quick. The breakfast room is small but cozy, with the sort of food you can expect around Paris. Ask staff when it’s likely to be quiet. I went down at 7:30 am and was first, but by 8 the crowd had arrived, so I’d already left. Photos are as they were. P.S. excuse the messy room photo, it was taken before we left.

The metro is just around the corner, with three lines that get you quickly to the inner center. Staff welcomed us and could speak English, which was great for us. Our room was always clean and had a street view. It’s a perfect choice for a solo trip or a couple, with very good quality for a reasonable price. Breakfast was standard continental: pastries, scrambled eggs, sausages, vegetables, fruit, ham, and cheese, plus two juice options and coffee or tea. We were very satisfied with our stay and recommend the hotel.

The reception staff were rude and arrogant, with no sense of customer service. They kept lying to make excuses for not doing things and blaming colleagues from the previous shift. We’d filled in the pre-arrival survey, but the twin beds still weren’t set up, and staff argued about it. Then they asked us to leave the room because they were scared to be in there with us. Insulting. The AC wasn’t working, and we were told someone would look at it in the morning. Reception didn’t know how to operate it. After some arguing, they switched on the central AC that had been off. I have more examples like this. Avoid this place. There are much better hotels in Paris. And it isn’t the advertised four-star standard; it doesn’t deserve more than two.