Hotel Ile de France Opéra

The location was fantastic, within walking distance of Palais Garnier, Galeries Lafayette, Louvre, and Jardin de Tuileries, with the latter two about 15 minutes away. For elsewhere, the metro or RER is easy from Quatre-Septembre, Opera, Pyramides, or Auber. Staff were lovely and even called the Palais Garnier ticket office to check whether we could buy tickets in person, since visiting hours were greatly reduced and online tickets were sold out. They also stored our bags after checkout so we could sightsee before our evening train. We liked leaving our keys at the hotel whenever we went out, since it meant no risk of losing them and being locked out. We booked a double with a bath for six nights, but were given a room with a queen bed and a single, not the room type we’d booked. It was on the first floor, facing the street, and the elevator was handy. The layout was odd: the kettle table by the entrance had no plug, so we had to heat water beside the single bed. I was worried about noise, but luckily it wasn’t a problem. We only heard neighbors from the bathroom, not the room itself. The AC was useful when the room felt stuffy after a day out, even though it was fairly mild while we were there. It was bigger than some other hotels we considered, but still felt small. I can’t imagine fitting three people in that triple room.

The room was cramped, but for the price I can’t complain. The bed was clean and very comfortable, and for two nights there wasn’t much else I needed. The staff were always there to help, remembered our names, and welcomed us whenever we came back. It was a short, pleasant walk to the Louvre, with several metro stations just minutes away, so the location was excellent for the price. I was 17 and traveling with my girlfriend, and the hotel let us stay with a signed parental consent form.

The two good things were the staff and the location. The street is near lots of Korean and Japanese places to eat. But the room was tiny and dirty: I found another guest’s ticket in the desk from a month earlier, and there was a lot of hair in the bathroom. We paid 400 euros for two nights, which felt incredibly expensive for what it was. The air conditioner looked 20 years old and was very noisy. If you’re travelling with a pram or need a wheelchair, be careful, because you have to climb stairs to get to the lift, and the lift itself is tiny.

They discarded our luggage without explaining why or apologizing, then refused to admit they had made a mistake. The manager showed no respect for us or our belongings and was a disgrace to the hospitality industry. Hotel ile de France was a nightmare. Save yourself the trouble and avoid this dump. A park bench would be better.