Maison Albar Hotels Le Pont-Neuf

The location seems to be what you’re paying for here. The superior room, which is their version of a standard room, was extremely small and warm even with the heating off. We could hear people in the corridor, and because the door opens straight across from the bed, there’s no privacy when room service comes. The furniture, bedding, and bathroom were nice, but it didn’t feel five-star. The common spaces didn’t help: the lobby is almost nonexistent, the restaurant is small, and the spa is tiny. Service was snobbish and dismissive, apart from the woman at reception. Someone brought slippers at 8 a.m. on a Saturday despite the do not disturb sign, and our coffee pads weren’t replenished between days. For me, the rooms, service, and shared spaces don’t match the price.

The breakfast was the best we’ve ever had at a hotel or resort, and honestly it made the stay worthwhile. If you’re after the convenience of the Pont Neuf area, this is a very good hotel. I’d call it a solid four-star place, though it doesn’t compare to a five-star hotel like The Savoy in London. We were asked to wait in a sitting room before getting our room, which didn’t feel luxurious to me. At check-in, the whole second floor had no power. Instead of moving us up, they put us on the first floor. We lost the balcony and couldn’t leave the windows open because of smokers in the street. The room itself had a nice seating area. The bathroom was odd, with too little counter space and a shower bench that got in the way. Still, the toilet had a bidet feature, and a wall-mounted drying rack made it easier to wash clothes in the sink. The automation for lights and curtains was unnecessarily complicated. Even with those frustrations, that breakfast was amazing.

The front desk replied promptly, but didn’t come across as friendly. The room could use an update: the chairs were stained, the bed felt unstable at one corner, there were scratches on the walls, and the closet lights flickered. The preset lighting options didn’t give enough flexibility, and the bathroom mirror lights were too dim. It felt more like a four-star hotel and didn’t seem worth the price next to other five-star places.

The included breakfast was very good, with eggs cooked to order as well as a buffet of pastries, fruit, fresh juices, coffee, tea, and cappuccinos. Our room was quiet and I loved facing the courtyard, even though there wasn’t much of a view. We had booked a deluxe double and got room 403, I believe, on the fourth floor. It had a large king bed and a spacious bathroom with two sinks. We were told we could switch to a balcony room in the same category if one became available. When a fifth-floor one opened up, we went to look, but stayed in our original room. The balcony was lovely and faced the main street, but the room was much smaller, with a double bed and only one bathroom sink. There was no chair or table on the balcony either. That room might suit someone travelling alone. The balcony rooms are on the second and fifth floors, and I’d suggest asking ahead for your preferred bed type and whether you want a balcony. The location made this a great choice for us. We’d spent hours comparing areas and wanted to be near the river, the Latin quarter, and other central spots. There are lots of restaurants one or two minutes away, many with daily happy hours. Public transport is also very close, which came in handy when we were tired of walking.