Mercure Paris Bastille Marais

The renovation didn’t get in the way at all, and our rooms were new with very little street noise. We liked the room size and how clean everything was, plus having tea and coffee available all day. The staff were friendly, and the Metro was handy for sightseeing. There’s also great food and shopping nearby. Very pleased.

Aux Bons Crus is just around the corner and was really good. There seemed to be other places to eat nearby too, though we didn’t try them. The hotel has no restaurant of its own, but there are plenty of options. It’s being renovated at the moment, but we hardly noticed any disruption. The hotel was neat, with a pleasant atmosphere, friendly staff and a good range at breakfast. It’s practically right on top of the Metro, which is handy, and the price reflects that it isn’t right in the city center. The main drawback for us was the neighborhood. On the 4 km walk to Montmartre and the 1 km walk to Père Lachaise, we saw several people sleeping on the street and low-end shops. I never felt unsafe, but it wasn’t very pleasant, so I’d take the Metro and walk around elsewhere.

Voltaire metro station is right beside the hotel, and there’s a lot to see on foot toward Place de la Bastille. From our room, the Eiffel Tower and rooftop view was beautiful. Staff were friendly and helped us with an early check-in. The shower pressure was a little low and the bathroom towel warmer didn’t seem to work, though the room heater worked well.

The room had nice decor, and everyone from reception to housekeeping was exceptionally friendly. The hotel is near the Metro, but it’s in a residential area, around 30 minutes by train or longer by bus from the main tourist sights. There’s renovation work underway, so drilling noise may happen during the day. There’s only one lift, and the wait can be long. No mini fridge is in the room unless you ask; even then, there isn’t a proper place for it, so it ends up on the floor. I have mixed feelings about the stay.