SFOTerry

Oh no, I think they have WiFi in the lounge, but it's not free (unless everyone was using satellite cards).

If I had known about the perk for plats, I would have asked at the front desk. However, I was just as glad to limit my online time to the free terminals.

fly_yag

I just won a 4 night stay on Priceline for this hotel in mid-September. It will be my first time to Paris and I've got a few questions that I'm hoping someone can answer.

-As a gold member on a Priceline stay what are my chances of receiving upgrades, lounge access, etc?

-What is the easiest way to get to the hotel from CDG - I understand that the subway and RER is nearby. The hotel website also mentions an airport bus.

-Any other recent experiences with this hotel?

CarolDisney1

Easiest way to the hotel for me is the RER to the Denfert Rochereau stop (I hope I spelled that right) no changes on the RER. You can then either change to the Metro line 6 to Nation and go one stop to the Marriott or just exit the station and walk down Blvd St Jacques to the hotel (right side of the street, 2 to 3 blocks?)

I was given lounge access on a PL stay as a Plat, but don't know about Gold. I would NOT pay the 50 Euros for it, although I have had none of the issues with places to sit or food that others have reported. My last vist was in May however. I will be there in October and will see.

gardener

As a gold you are guaranteed lounge access even on a PL stay. Upgrades - wouldn't count on it.

RER to Denfert Rocherau is the way to go. Not worth it to transfer to the Metro to change a 3 block walk into a 1 block walk.

I stayed in April of this year, as a Plat on a 199 euro rate got upgraded to a 1 BR suite with great view of the city and free HSIA.

I found the restaurant very good and the concierge also recommended a great place down the block toward Nation Metro and then across the street.

dayone

Care to share the particulars of your winning bid? Price, hotel rating, area requested, etc.?

allset2travel

Elites are treated well here.
Nothing new, simply confirming what others said. RER is your best means of transportation to hotel. Alight at Denfert Rochereau. Don't transfer to Metro Line 6. Why? It's only 7 minutes to hotel on foot, and its downhill. Minus many up/down stairs both at Denfert R & Glaciere. Don't do it if you have luggage.
CL is good, definitely not "dumppy". Service surpasses that of many other international properties. Plats are offered (at least when I stayed here) daily free in room wifi (every day, you call front desk for a new log-on code). 3 free computers in CL with 1 printer.
I like the location simply because it is not touristy, and convenient. About 4 minutes to Metro station.

fly_yag

After a fair amount of bidding over a few days the bid was finally accepted at $130/night for a Sunday-Thursday stay. Slightly more than I was hoping for but I can't really complain as the current rate on Mariott.com is listed as €209

My bidding was as follows (all bids were for 4*)

Day 1
$115 Champs Elysees - Opera Quarter West
$118 added Opera Quarter East - Les Halles
$120 added Eiffel Tower - Port De Versailles - Montparnasse
$121 St. Germain - Latin Quarter - Montparnasse

Day 2
$124 Champs Elysees - Opera Quarter West
$126 added Eiffel Tower - Port De Versailles - Montparnasse
$128 added Montparnasse, Opera Quarter East - Les Halles
$130 added St. Germain - Latin Quarter - Montparnasse

CarolDisney1

Just an FYI. There is an elevator at the Defert R. Folks seem to miss it a lot and complain about stairs, but if you take it, you can avoid stairs.

I walk IF it's not REALLY cold or raining. In those cases, I take the metro, but just to the next stop, not Glacier. (I think it's St. Jacques) Fewer stairs, and you can "sneak" in via the conference center to get out of the weather quicker.

b1513

I did not take the RER but wish I did. It ended up costing us over $100.00 for a cab because the traffic was so bad on our return. Then we almost missed our flight. We came in from Geneva so the cab was not expensive.

Have a great time.

Bobette

weezl

I agree with everyone here on the RER. With luggage and even without, the walk without rain is easy. With rain and no luggage, the extra stop to St Jacques makes sense if you hate walking. Heavy Rain + Luggage that does not do well wet = taxi if you are not budget-oriented. If you are on a budget, run from the RER, don't do the up/down stair (or elevator) thing for St Jacques, it only saves you about a (short) block or 2.

You will like the hotel, not a european hotel by any means, good for Anglo-centric travelers, and although it won't give you a true Paris flavor, just step outside and its all there. The location borders a seedier side of Paris, but nothing like Moulin Rouge. Those restaurants mentioned above are indeed trendy, worth the short walk. For the price, it is a steal, well-done!

I found the concierge extremely helpful, and communcated wants/needs by email ahead of time. He was great in person also.

I worried that the tours and the flight attendants and staff that often end up there would have made for long lines, but we never ran into that (though we did see a lot of this type of traffic in//out of there).

HAVE FUN!!

aamilesslave

I wouldn't call the area seedy at all. It's not a very posh area, it's not an area tourists seek out, but it's certainly not dodgy or unsafe.

weezl

I said borders a seedier side, that SW of the hotel towards Italie, Tolbiac, etc (Chinatown is near there also, good eating!). The walk NW towards the aforementioned RER and Rue Daguerre is fine, although even there, you can see some jobless (not homeless) young gents hanging out on Saint-Jacques along the way from time-to-time.

CarolDisney1

Using this definition... A LOT of Paris "borders" what you seem to think is seedy.

I am a single female and have stayed at the hotel 4 times. Walked around the area at night ect. Never been bothered. (Which is more then I can say for the area near the Eiffle Tower for example)

weezl

Mais non, c'est vrais. I am a regular, with an uncle on Tolbiac, and cousins throughout Paris. I agree that it is generally safe, but the area it abuts is seedier. Just because you've walked down Hollywood Blvd 4 x at night and did not get mugged doesn't mean I would send my wife there to walk alone at night. Visitors should beware, and not be surprised when they see loiterers and the like nearby. And personally, I would not let a young woman walk there (beyond 2 blocks from the hotel) alone at night, unless it was something urgent they needed to do.

But for me this would be true in a mojority of areas around Paris, so hopefully this adds some perspective on my (lack of) risk tolerance.

CarolDisney1

Ladies for those of you reading this. There's a youth hostel a very few blocks from the "seedy" area Marriott and .... I spent some time there because I was researching putting a youth group up there. I talked to both management of the youth hostel and some group leaders staying there. NONE of them raised any issues of concern regarding the safety of the area. Nor did any of my research turn up a concern.

The honest truth.. in Europe your big crime is likely to be "pickpocket" and that's likely to happen in the tourist areas because the theifs KNOW that's where the tourists with cash are.

As a single female, one can use common sense or one can sit home waiting on "Mr. Right" to "protect" them. I chose to keep living while waiting.