FlyerGoldII

I am a medical oncologist - attending EMSO (European Society of Medical Oncology) conference in Paris (starting on Fri Sept 9) - currently booked to stay at
MERCURE PARIS MONTPARNASSE PASTEUR

Conference to take place at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.

I want stay at a L'Accor hotel - for a variety of reasons - including benefits related to my status (I am a Diamond member)

But Ideally I would like to stay at a L'Accor Hotel within easier walking distance to Paris Expo, than the Mercure Hotel.
RIght now, from what I understand from the hotel -it might 30 min from point to point (hotel to Paris Expo) whehther I use the subway or walk the 2.5 km


I would like to stay at one of these hotels - within 1 km convention centre of he Paris Expo.

• Novotel Paris Porte de Versailles: [email protected]
• Novotel Suites Paris Expo Porte de Versailles: [email protected]

The Mercure Hotel was booked directly through my travel agent- so it is not at a conference rate. The Mercure Hotel reservation can be cancelled almost at the last moment - room rate/deposit is totally refunable.

My travel agent asked about the guaranteed reservation benefit for Diamond L'Accor members at the 2 Novotel Hotels- no possibility of using this benefit as likely ESMO housing bureau has booked every room in both hotels. I am not surprised and I am therefore not disappointed at this turn of events.

ESMO housing bureau no longer responsible for hotel reservations or rooms (which have not been booked and those rooms which are cancelled) from Sept 1.

So I am hoping for cancellations, so I can snag a reservation at 1 of the Novotels.

My travel agent is monitoring for cancellations on his computer screen.

I have emailed the general customer service email for both Novotels- no response yes.

I wonder if you can (perhaps pm) forward me the manager's email addresses of these 2 hotels and/or the general manager of all L'Accor hotels in Paris.
I ask because a similar situation with the conference occured a few years ago- but in that case, I had no reservation and I was trying to find a reservation at the last moment. So I emailed the general manager of a Marriott hotel near the convention centre in that European city - manager gave me a room even though the public and travel agent web sites continued to show no vacancy at the time the general manager informed me there was a room to be booked, due to a recent cancellation.



PS-any other ways to try to get a Novotel Hotel room, at time of cancellation

MSPeconomist

Ask individual hotels whether you can be put onto a wait list for a room. Be sure to mention if you would be willing to take a room for only part of the conference and switch hotels if necessary.

Watch availability on the computer yourself, when logged into your account (in case the hotel releases a guaranteed availability room). Don't count on your travel agent to do this as diligently as you would like, and don't count on the hotel giving any last minute rooms to people on the waitlist (if they permit a waitlist).

IME, some conferences will help even after the deadline for hotel arrangements. Ask them nicely.

FlyerGoldII

Thanks. I do not plan to use the conference- I want to get L'Accor benefits when I say, and L'Accor credit for my stay. That will not happen with a conference booked room.

I am not interested in switching hotels mid-conference.

Yes, I can look at the L'Accor web site. Yes, I can ask to be be put on the wait list.

But I still think the best way to get a room upon cancellation of a previous reservation is through the general manager- who ?may put give me that room by virtue of my Diamond L'Accor status (even if there is a wait list). I suspect that is what happened all those years ago, when the general manager was able to offer me a room at the last moment.

Goldorak

By m�tro, from the Mercure, it’s more 10-12 min and not 30. Only 2 stops (from Vaugirard to Porte de Versailles). Walking will be indeed around 25 min.
Although I understand the convenience of staying very close to the convention place, do not expect miraculous Diamond benefits at either Mercure or Novotel.
If I were you, I would call the Novotel and ask them to contact you in case of availability. Unfortunately, I have seen a very strong tendency now for Accor hotels to not monitor anymore the generic email address mentioned on their website.

FlyerGoldII

Thanks.
Of note, if I go from the Mercure Hotel to the subway eparture station (some walking time); wait for the subway, then walk from the arrival subway station to the conference centre (more walking time): I suspect the time going to the conference centre as a pedestrian is not that much more than going via subway?

Goldorak

Clearly a minimal 10 min difference. If the weather is nice, I would definitely walk and take the metro if it�s raining.
FYI, the interval between metros is only 2-3 min at rush hours, even less sometimes. So you never wait long.

ABG

H�tel Mercure Paris Porte de Versailles Expo, 36 38 Rue du Moulin, 92170 Vanves, France
seems to have rooms 9 to 13 September

FlyerGoldII

How is this hotel compared to my currently booked Mercure? Trip Advisor has some good and some bad reviews on thIs Mercure Paris Porte de Versaiilles Hotel.
Interesting that the L'Accor (Fairmont) customer service (when I called last weekend) did not name this as a hotel close to the convention centre - even if it had no availability last weekend for my dates. That agent was looking for all hotels - whether booked or not- and named the 2 Novotel hotels listed above in this thread. She a few other hotels within 2 km of the convention centre as well - she and I decided they were not of the qualify that I would like in a hotel.


How does it compare to the 2 Novotel hotels?

PS-Both Novotels' customer service have in the last couple of hours, or so- now responded to my email - no room availability. One of the 2 Novotels has a wait list and put me on it (the Novotel Paris Expo Porte de Versailles).

Goldorak

No importance but you keep saying “L’Accor”. The name of the company is simply Accor

ABG

I always believed a Mercure was "better" than a Novotel. Plus you can walk to your conference centre