The ride from CDG took about 45 minutes as we ran into a bit of traffic on the way. After getting off the bus near the Opera House, it was a pleasant 10 minute walk down Boulevard Haussmann to our hotel, the Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador. The property was formerly a Radisson Blu. It was reflagged as a Marriott in 2013. Renovations are still ongoing, primarily in the lobby area. But it’s my understanding that most of the rooms have been updated to the Marriott standards.

A bellman greeted us as we entered the lobby and relieved us of our bags. The lobby was quite classy in design but not particularly spacious. I liked the dark wood finishes and the high ceilings. The front desk clerk acknowledged my Platinum status, and explained we had been upgraded to a larger deluxe room. Unfortunately, the room was not ready yet since we arrived at around 10:30AM, so he invited us to enjoy the lounge while we waited.



The lounge was located on the 8th floor of the hotel. As we entered the lounge, the very friendly club attendant greeted us by enthusiastically saying, ”Bonjour! Comment allez-vous?” Without thinking, I answered “Ca va”. He immediately became excited and asked if I spoke French. “Je parle francais et tres peu mal, Monsieur.” He laughed and said, “Still better than none, Monsieur.” I should probably explain I took two years of French in high school, and it was with doubt my worse subject. In fact, I even ended in summer school for it. Anyways, my last trip to France in 2011 went badly on the language front, as anyone I tried speaking to in French answered me in English. This time around the people I spoke to in French answered me in French, and I more or less understood it. Perhaps Parisians are more used to hearing badly spoken French than their countrymen in Nice, but I’m sure I elicited one or two well-deserved eye-rolls during our short time there. Nevertheless I knew just enough to read signs, order at restaurants, and communicate a bit which helped us out on this trip greatly. Considering how poorly I did in French class and the fact I haven’t practiced it in 10 years, I was kind of proud of myself.

Anyways, the lounge itself was a medium sized space, with a good number of seats and tables. If you’re able to snag a seat near the window in the narrow part of the lounge, there is a nice view of the Eiffel Tower.





On that first day, we got there just as the breakfast offerings were being broken down, but the aforementioned friendly attendant offered to get us anything we liked. We politely declined, still full from the meals on the plane, but relented at the offer of de jus d’orange. Breakfast is served in the lounge on weekdays. Offerings were fairly typical including scrambled eggs with all of the trimmings, along with a nice selection of pastries, bread, and fruits. However, breakfast is served in the restaurant downstairs during the weekend, with a much greater selection of offerings. They even had ramen noodles available, which seemed to cater to the large number of Chinese and Japanese tourist staying at the hotel.

The evening spread in the lounge was minimal with just some hors d'oeuvre, crisps, and petit fours. Complimentary alcohol is available as well. Interestingly, as friendly as the lounge attendant was in the morning, his counterparts during the evening were downright dour.

Rather wait a couple of hours in the lounge, my mom and I headed out to do some sightseeing, before returning to the hotel at 4PM. Our room was ready then. We were assigned to room 218, which faced Boulevard Haussmann. Even by American standards, the room was large. Furnishings were quite nice, and the beds were comfortable. There are also two large wardrobes available, as well as a Nespresso machine in the room. And most importantly, it was quiet and clean.

We did have a couple of minor gripes with the room. I requested a two twin bed room, but that is kind of pointless when you push the two twin beds an inch away from each other. A minor gripe, but it is a valid concern if you’re traveling with someone you’re not familiar with. Additionally, the comforters were much thinner than what I’m used to getting at full service Marriotts, making for some chilly nights. Judging by the color scheme of the bedding, I assume it’s a vestige from the property’s Radisson Blu days so hopefully that gets updated soon










Overall, we were quite pleased with the hotel. The property itself is very nice, and the elite benefits are good as well. Location wise, the hotel is located a block away from a Metro stop and is just a short walk from the Opera House and Galeries de Lafayette. It is within normal walking distance from the Louvre. The Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysees, and the Arc de Triomphe are a bit further away, but we were able to walk to them without any issues.

I used a total of 120,000 points (40,000 per night) for this stay, compared to the revenue rate of €300. It certainly wasn’t a bargain, but given the location and how nice the property is, I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again for the same amount of points.