St Germain des Prés, Paris

The location is the main reason I’d pick this hotel again. The area felt safe and was really convenient. We only stayed two nights and weren’t at the hotel much. The small room was expected, but it badly needs updating: the carpet seemed dirty and it smelled as though someone had smoked in it, despite the no-smoking policy. The elevator was very slow and felt claustrophobic. The AC only blew freezing air, so we left it off. Luckily, the weather wasn’t too hot, so that didn’t bother us much.

We had trouble with the Wi-Fi, which barely worked, and were charged for amenities we hadn’t used. The hotel refused to refund those charges. There were cleanliness problems too: the room and bathroom were dirty, and the sheets had visible hair and stains. When we raised it, the reception worker handed us a pile of clean sheets and told us to change them ourselves. The shower head kept breaking and staff did nothing about it. Towels we left on the floor were sometimes hung back up instead of changed. We reported all of this, but staff did very little to help and were very dismissive. I strongly encourage people not to stay here.

We’re halfway through an eight-night stay and have been very comfortable. The room is typically small for Paris, but it’s quite nice, and the AC works well. Everyone on staff has been lovely and speaks English. The hotel’s in a great spot, with plenty within walking distance, and the nearest metro station, line 4, is about four minutes away.

The staff and atmosphere were excellent, and it’s close to the metro and lots of restaurants. Rooms are small and no-frills by American standards, but still very comfortable.