Yes- I am in Competitours and unfortunately for our team, the room we got at the hotel chosen, had no other rooms available. With the lift broken, we listened to people up and down the stairs all night, luggage thumping. THAT was outside our door, about 2 feet away. UNDER us was the lobby, filled with tourists (mostly college kids) and a tv blaring. Outside our window was the hotel steps (we were ONE floor above) where they all congregated and smoked (I'm allergic to cigarette smoke and asthmatic). ABOVE us was a party! The manger was very kind and tried to get them quiet but it wasn't to be. So we'd drift off for 10 minutes if we were lucky and then we'd hear ka-boom! People w/luggage going up/down stairs. Then we'd hear the lobby, the people outside and the party upstairs. My partner and I were just in shock. It wasn't the hotel, it was the room. I offered to pay for another, but again, no extra rooms.
This has NO bearing on competitours! It could happen (and did) to anyone. So I was glad to have points and SO thrilled to find Pulitzer! We still did our challenge that day on zero hours sleep and then got some rest at the new hotel.
I'm in Paris right now and don't want to disparage the competition in any way. We were just unlucky with our room assignment. And we hadn't slept the night before, so you can imagine the way we felt. Not in shape to compete, that's for sure!!
Today was our free day and I found Le Meridien near Arch Triumph, and am impressed with that, as well. I stayed in the newly remodeled executive room and then switched to the older section for a suite tonight. I had a great free day and again, good sleep, which is important as I have RSD, a disease affecting the nerves in my legs and foot and nervous system. Too many nights w/o sleep and I can barely walk. But we leave in a few hours. I can sleep a few hours here and a few on the plane. So far I have a wake-up call at 430am and it's already past midnight!
The hotel rooms have all been fine, just not all quiet. I'm a light sleeper anyway so when the earplugs I brought that I use in NYC didn't help, I knew we had to get sleep to get back in the game. And thank the kind lady at Pulitzer for that! I still can't believe we stayed there on points a a tiny bit cash and got all we got.
And yes, we got the waffle cookies! I get those in Europe and love them but never see them in stores.
It was a great stay and a nice discovery! I can't believe it's all over!