Liag Stafford
Nov 14, 01, 10:42 am
I stayed at Hiltons in Paris, Brussels, and Vienna recently - here is my highly subjective report.
CDG - airport H is very impressive as you enter lobby. My room was very large and quiet. The breakfast buffet in the lobby rest. was fabulous. RER train behind H will get you downtown in 30 minutes. But of the dozen H Intl. I`ve stayed in, it had the worst Clubroom. Its shtick is champagne in the evenings, but you never knew when, and sometimes it was at room temp. Sometimes snacks were good, sometimes lousy. The worst was it can be terribly smokey, lung and life threatening. Obviously the smokers are mindlessly oblivious to other peoples` asthma. The hard liquors brought out in the evening were not the high quality stuff. Poorly managed Clubroom, but other wise very nice ( inc. nice pool and free papers in the lobby in the morn). Surprising even though they seem to bill themselves a business hotel, there is not Bloomberg or CNBC Europe on tv. I stayed at downtown H 2 years ago, which was nicer but more expensive.
BRU - checked both BRU H and Residence.BRU H has feel of big city hotel. Fitness center was minimal. Executive level was more than adequate (nice view) but nothing out of the ordinary. Clbroom was very, very nice. Had a high quality feel.Large no-smoke area, very enice snacks inc. great desserts in the afternoon and Belgium beer and sparknling wine available all day. Really liked it. The evening liquors were put in those clear crystal bottles so you don`t know the brand so I avoided them. Except for the lobby concierge, no one in the hotel seems to know anything about Brussels, tourist wise. But they were nice, and it is a good location. By the way, if you go I highly recommend the Michelin starred rest. at the Conrad just a short distance away, and check out the fascinating picture of a physics society mtg (Einstein, Mme. Curie, et al) that is hanging in the lobby of the Metropole hotel. I did not like the Residence H. It is more of an apt. than a hotel - kitchenettes for ex. It is in a quiet neighborhood across from a park, and the furnishings are more luxurious than at the BRU H. While everyone gets breakfast on weekdays, nothing is provided on the weekends. Many people seem to stay many days at a time, but if you want a regular hotel experience like taxis out front and a news stand, forget it. There is also a new H in town, a recent convert from Scandic, called the BRU city H.
VIE - stayed at both the VIE H and Plaza H. The H has the feel of a big city hotel. I got a magnificent room on the non-smoke exec. level. The Clubroom breakfast was okay, but the eve. liquors were really the good stuff - Grand Marnier for ex.Nice snacks and desserts. I`ve noticed ther seems to be a penchant in Europe to bring out dessrts in the afternoon for some reason. The location can`t be beat. A nonstop bus goes from the airport to a side door of the H. The Plaza is a smaller hotel, billing itself as a designer hotel. Works of art all over the place. Has a really high class feel. Haed a magnificent exec. level room. Clubroom small but very nice. It is slightly more upscale than BRU H, but it is more expensive (10% more expensive and 10% nicer) but the ease of getting from the AP to the regular is a big draw if you`re squeezed for time. Both are very nice.
CDG - airport H is very impressive as you enter lobby. My room was very large and quiet. The breakfast buffet in the lobby rest. was fabulous. RER train behind H will get you downtown in 30 minutes. But of the dozen H Intl. I`ve stayed in, it had the worst Clubroom. Its shtick is champagne in the evenings, but you never knew when, and sometimes it was at room temp. Sometimes snacks were good, sometimes lousy. The worst was it can be terribly smokey, lung and life threatening. Obviously the smokers are mindlessly oblivious to other peoples` asthma. The hard liquors brought out in the evening were not the high quality stuff. Poorly managed Clubroom, but other wise very nice ( inc. nice pool and free papers in the lobby in the morn). Surprising even though they seem to bill themselves a business hotel, there is not Bloomberg or CNBC Europe on tv. I stayed at downtown H 2 years ago, which was nicer but more expensive.
BRU - checked both BRU H and Residence.BRU H has feel of big city hotel. Fitness center was minimal. Executive level was more than adequate (nice view) but nothing out of the ordinary. Clbroom was very, very nice. Had a high quality feel.Large no-smoke area, very enice snacks inc. great desserts in the afternoon and Belgium beer and sparknling wine available all day. Really liked it. The evening liquors were put in those clear crystal bottles so you don`t know the brand so I avoided them. Except for the lobby concierge, no one in the hotel seems to know anything about Brussels, tourist wise. But they were nice, and it is a good location. By the way, if you go I highly recommend the Michelin starred rest. at the Conrad just a short distance away, and check out the fascinating picture of a physics society mtg (Einstein, Mme. Curie, et al) that is hanging in the lobby of the Metropole hotel. I did not like the Residence H. It is more of an apt. than a hotel - kitchenettes for ex. It is in a quiet neighborhood across from a park, and the furnishings are more luxurious than at the BRU H. While everyone gets breakfast on weekdays, nothing is provided on the weekends. Many people seem to stay many days at a time, but if you want a regular hotel experience like taxis out front and a news stand, forget it. There is also a new H in town, a recent convert from Scandic, called the BRU city H.
VIE - stayed at both the VIE H and Plaza H. The H has the feel of a big city hotel. I got a magnificent room on the non-smoke exec. level. The Clubroom breakfast was okay, but the eve. liquors were really the good stuff - Grand Marnier for ex.Nice snacks and desserts. I`ve noticed ther seems to be a penchant in Europe to bring out dessrts in the afternoon for some reason. The location can`t be beat. A nonstop bus goes from the airport to a side door of the H. The Plaza is a smaller hotel, billing itself as a designer hotel. Works of art all over the place. Has a really high class feel. Haed a magnificent exec. level room. Clubroom small but very nice. It is slightly more upscale than BRU H, but it is more expensive (10% more expensive and 10% nicer) but the ease of getting from the AP to the regular is a big draw if you`re squeezed for time. Both are very nice.