Hotel Monte Cristo

We were very disappointed when we arrived, even though we’d chosen Hôtel Monte Cristo for its rating and what looked like a good discount through Booking, so I didn’t pay the original price. For what we paid, there are better options in Paris, both for service and the overall experience. The location didn’t feel ideal either, with little around the hotel to justify the price. I wouldn’t recommend it. The photos and concept look nice, but the real stay doesn’t live up to that promise. The reception team were professional and seemed to know how to deal with guests. Still, at a hotel in this category, I shouldn’t have to keep pointing out problems or reminding staff of basic hospitality. The service wasn’t acceptable for the price. The hotel looks beautiful in photos, but our room was generally clean and had design choices that made it uncomfortable. The wallpaper was so visually overwhelming that it was hard to relax or spend time in the room. Several details also felt out of place for a hotel claiming four stars. The wardrobe smelled like the kitchen, and our clothes absorbed the odor, so we had to take everything out because we couldn’t use it. The bathrobes were old, stiff, extremely worn, and uncomfortable to wear. We got a disposable wooden spoon instead of a proper metal one, which felt cheap and strange for this kind of hotel. The coffee came from a basic machine, more like budget self-service than the freshly prepared coffee I’d expect at this level. Even our cups still had stains and hadn’t been wiped clean, which was shocking for a hotel advertising four stars.