Name of the hotel: Novotel Roissy CDG

- What is your ALL status? Gold

- Were you (or for multi-stayers were you generally) happy with the hotel/stay? No

- Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive? Superior Double booked, after some negotiation i got un executive double (just to see if it was possible).

- How are the rooms? Plain, nothing exciting about it. Although it was clean and had a bed. Soul-less - a concrete box with a bed and some MDF furniture. And a 1990s sink in the bathroom.

- What was good and what was bad?
Really Bad: All Staff were terrible at most contact points during our Friday night stay.
5 or 6 people or couples queueing to checkin with only 1 receptionist. I went directly to the empty priority desk on the other side and as a staff member came from the office to help the checkins she asked "what do you want? checkin queue is there". With a friendly smile I picked up the priority sign and waved it at her. With a sigh she checked us in first, but made us feel very unwelcomed to be there. Even though it's a stated ALL benefit, and they had a specific desk with a sign showing it.
Asking if it was an upgraded room she said no. It was possible but only prepared for 1 person. I accepted it, just to see what would happen.
In the restaurant having been shown to our table, no-one came back to our to take our order for at least 15 minutes. So i went to the bar and the lady serving couldn't be much less interested. While offering to pay for a gin and then get a tonic water and beer with my 2 drink vouchers it was if i had asked for her first born. "It's Impossible". Ok, i'll have a beer and a tonic then - no problem. As my next order i got a gin and charged it to the room. So what was that all about. After almost throwing the drinks at me she went back to the office behind the bar.
Back in the restaurant, our food arrived and i asked for water and bread when it was delivered. After 5 mins, nothing. 7-8 mins later i asked the same server, but nothing. I approached a different server and asked again, "ok". 5 minutes, nothing - we had almost finished. I went to the front of the (breakfast) serving area and asked a 3rd server, (who seemed harassed preparing for <nothing>) and I got some there and then.
I get it, the hotel was almost empty and not many staff are required. But really, is friday night DGAF night?
normal bad: The air con was turned way, way down in all the hotel public areas. Outside it was around 18C, inside the AC was turned down low. "why so cold?" The temperature has dropped and the AC hasn't caught up. Huh, BS - It hasn't just changed from 35C. I needed to wear my jacket both at dinner and breakfast. Fortunately we could warm up in the room with the AC off completely.

Good:
convenient location.
Um....

- Did you get club lounge access? How was the lounge? N/A

- What about welcome drinks, welcome amenities or any other special perks? 2 drinks provided without asking. room upgrade offered only when pushed. Why they only have exec rooms available to upgrade into when only prepared for 1 person i don't know. So my wife got the bath robe. "Priority checkin" that i feel resented for using.

- Value for $ or Vouchers? Would you return? value for money? No - at almost any price. If it wasn't for the location and convenience i'd be elsewhere already. I have a couple of work stays already booked over the next few weeks. If they don't get the staff sorted i'll be trying the Pullman nearby as reported by another FTer elsewhere.

I've stayed here multiple times over the years, but recently it's been going downhill - fast. I don't know if it's olympics fatigue, and i realise that 99% of guests are only there for 1 night, but the staff are getting worse by each visit and the whole place lacks any character or sparkle. If it's not the Pullman (because my company won't pay for work trips) then i'll try the Ibis or others near the RoissyPole if it doesn't get better in the next few weeks - there has to be a more enjoyable experience. I'm sure management don't care (It's a french Accor hotel - would they anyway?) but one would think as one of the "primary" hotels in their portfolio that regular international visitors would see on arrival and may use as a yardstick by which to chose other hotels, that they would pay more attention to actually making sure guests have a base level "enjoyable" experience. I don't expect a cabaret when i get out of the elevator, but actually seeing someone, let alone a with smile would be nice.