Normandy Le Chantier

Greta welcomed us at reception, and she was so kind and charming. We’d booked a superior room but were pleasantly surprised with a free upgrade to a deluxe. The room was spacious and had a large bathroom. Breakfast was delicious, and the room where it’s served was stunning. Its very high ceiling brought Louis XIV to mind, and the long carpet on the curved staircase added to the atmosphere. My one suggestion for management is to deal with the restaurant smells from the ground floor, which travel up the corridors and into the rooms. Other than that, we had a wonderful stay. Thanks to the whole team.

Breakfast was awful, with cold food and very little choice. We ate there once, then went across the road to Erik Kayser Boulangerie for the rest of our breakfasts, even though we’d paid for them at the hotel. There’s a crepe restaurant downstairs without extractor fans, so the corridors and every floor smell of burnt sugar and butter or oil. The hotel is in the middle of a major renovation. The corridors and rooms sit between unfinished sections, the carpets look old and dusty, and the rooms are in very bad shape. It feels like a building site. Staff were hard to find, and there was no concierge to help with bags, something I’d expect at a four-star place. The room itself was spacious and clean, and the location is great, but the stay was poor. In its current condition I’d call it two stars at best, definitely not four. I wouldn’t stay again.

The renovation is thoughtful and original, and fits the building’s architecture really well. This is a hotel with character, not a boring room. Breakfast was excellent too. There was construction noise while I was there. Sound kept coming through the central light shaft, though closing the bathroom door helped. From the next room and farther away there was loud drilling and shouting. Reception dealt with it, but I was surprised it happened.

The Louvre and the metro stations are both about a five-minute walk away. Breakfast had everything we needed, and the staff were really friendly and helpful. We enjoyed our stay very much!