The Hotel de Berri is one of the most unique and opinionated hotels I have stayed at in a while. There's a lot to get into here as first impressions are bizarre - Rue de Berri is not the most pleasant street in Paris and arriving to a bizarre glass facade next to a boarded-up and abandoned hotel is a bit disconcerting. Past the glass facade, you arrive into a hotel that feels like it was built simultaneously in 1930 and 2020 - the mix of old furniture and tablet controls is a major contrast. While the building creaks sometimes, it also has heated bathroom floors. I leave in complete confusion of when this building is from, but it adds an element of fun to this hotel.

Let's get it straight, though - while Prince de Galles is easily the safer option, I think this property is branded correctly and is quite nice - it's just less consistent and much more confusing. Let's get into the pros, cons, and photos:

Pros:

• SNAs cleared into the Signature Suite category (highest SNA category available) - I was very happy to receive the ostentatious decor pictured on the website - the associate claimed this was his favourite suite and that every room is designed differently
• The bed is quite comfortable - medium plush mattress (just right), plush covers, and while the pillows were soft, stacking two worked well
• Shower pressure was fantastic
• I loved the padded wall fabric - very unique
• Service was friendly and well-meaning - the associate at check-in and checkout was on days 1 and 2 of his return after a long break, so things were a bit slow - but he was nice, knowledgeable about the hotel, and walked me to my room
• Had to ask after check-in, but was given 4 PM late checkout by default after I asked for late checkout
• AC worked well
• Breakfast tasted good and was supposedly the American breakfast, which includes an egg dish (extra charge for Benedict or Royale, according to the menu) - my ham and cheese omelet was quite superb, and the croissants were good along with the coffee and juice - no charges appeared at checkout
• April, the hostess in the morning, was very friendly and helpful
• Heated bathroom floor was very nice

Neutral:

• Welcome gift was some flavorless meringues - I admit my disappointment comes from the fact that these French hotels don't seem to know how happy a macaron would make me

Cons:

• Shower drain did not drain quickly
• The room is very dark, even with the curtains opened
• One of the wall sconces was missing from the wall
• The electronic control system was not reliable and not responsive - you'll find yourself using the manual buttons
• I couldn't figure out how to use the tablet to control the TVs - tapping buttons didn't seem to do anything, and one of the speakers on the ceiling made a horrible buzzing noise when the living room TV was on
• While April was very friendly, the rest of the breakfast staff left me sit in the middle of the restaurant for 10 minutes with no drinks, food, or interaction - they just never came to me - I noticed several other parties getting frustrated - you basically had to raise your voice or make ridiculous motions to get them to come to you - April was very helpful (again, not a server) after she was done helping several of the parties that seemed to only speak Chinese and asked me if someone had helped me yet
• Parents shouting at their children at breakfast was not a very good vibe

Overall, PdG is a safer bet, but this is a property that is an experience.

Photos: