Hotel Raphael

We felt very comfortable and welcome here, even though Paris isn’t always kind to Asian tourists. The building is historic and beautiful, and the other guests had an elegant, classy air that made for a pleasant atmosphere. The staff were friendly and responsive, especially the concierge. We’re sorry we couldn’t thank him as we left. He was speaking with other guests, but still greeted us with eye contact.

The staff were friendly and professional, and the location was good. But the building felt very worn: the corridors were dark and eerie, paint was peeling, mirrors were stained, and old appliances had cables running across the floor. I’ve stayed in plenty of beautiful old hotels, and this didn’t feel like charming old-world Paris. We booked because we were told we could use the rooftop for my birthday. We’d first asked for an Eiffel Tower view room, but were refused because we had a toddler, which was fair enough. My husband then asked about breakfast or a birthday meal on the rooftop and was told no, but that we could come up and use it during our stay. When we arrived Friday, the rooftop was closed despite the sunny, pleasant weather. I asked again Saturday and was told it was closed for the rest of our stay. We explained that we’d emailed and booked because we’d been assured we could use it. Later we read that the rooftop had been closed for a while, so that felt like false advertising. After the visit, I also think a lot of these reviews are fake. The stay was pleasant in some ways, but the reviews don’t reflect the real experience.

The front desk and concierge were top notch, treating me and my teenage son like VIPs. We stayed in a suite with a nice regal, historic feel, and had a very good view of the Eiffel Tower. The Arch was an easy walk away.

The hotel is beautiful and well located, but the suite I booked for my family was worn out, with some broken furniture and cleanliness problems. Room service was very slow and didn’t bring what I’d asked for. For the price, I think there are better choices.