Apr 5, 2014, 7:57 pm
Last edit by: skj
I'm making this thread a wiki since there are issues that keep getting repeated (breakfast and transportation from/to CDG). Feel free to add whatever you feel is important - stick to facts of please and not one off exceptions (eg if you get an upgrade to the Presidential Suite on an award stay without any status - that's definitely a one off that doesn't belong in the WIKI - obviously you can do a regular post on it).
Public transport to the hotel from CDG
The best option is to take the Roissy bus to Opera. From there, the hotel is about a 5 minute walk.
The next best option is to take RER B to Chatelet-Les Halles. All trains from Roissy/CDG head south into Paris so no worries there. Some go express all the way into Paris (Gare du Nord, so Chatelet-Les Halles is the second stop); others are locals, in which case there are a lot of stops; some are half-express, half-local ... but all stop at Chatelet-Les Halles; and there is no point waiting for an express because it is rare if ever that an express will overtake a local. So get on whatever comes first. At Chatelet-Les Halles, transfer to RER A for one stop to Auber (which is joined to Opera station). You will be heading westbound, toward the termini St. Germain-en-Laye/Poissy/Cergny. You have to go up the stairs and back down for the Auber-bound train. Do not race across the platform for the RER B because that will be heading eastbound, to Gare de Lyon, Nation, Vincennes (and, depending on which one you get on, eventually Eurodisney!) The walk from the Auber exit closest to the RER stop takes about 10 minutes.
Public transport to the hotel from Orly
Take the Orlyval train to its end at Antony, then switch to RER B to Chatelet-Les-Halles and continue as above. In this case you can just cross the platform from the RER B to get the RER A headed to Auber.
Breakfast
The breakfast at Cafe Jeanne is free for Globalist members but is 40-50 euros per person otherwise. A modified but still very good version of this buffet breakfast is also available in the room and is also free for Globalists. Tips are not covered but then again the theory in France is that the service charge is in the price.
Museum tickets & pass from the concierge
You can buy "skip the line" tickets to the Louvre or Orsay for 18€ each, which is higher than the regular tickets via the Louvre & Orsay websites. But being able to "skip the line" obviously adds some value. They will also sell you the two day Paris Museum Pass for 55€. That is a 7€ markup.
Phone/data recommendations:
Lebara worked really well for me. What you need to do:
• You must unlock your phone (you can do this for free online with ATT through their website if you are out of contract)
• Order free SIM card at Lebara.fr a few weeks before your trip. I don’t think it took more than 2 weeks for my SIM card to arrive
• Activate SIM card at https://www.lebara.fr/activate-sim-detail?isoCode=en_GB or search “activate SIM” at Lebara.fr
• Load your SIM card with what you need. I paid 10 euro for 3G of data, unlimited SMS and local calls for 10 days (this should be plenty for most tourists)
LeFrench Mobile did not work so well for me: I paid 20-30 euro for local and international calls for my sister but was only able to make local calls and SMS
restaurant recommendations:
Nearby:
(We're here on 1 Oct 2021 and it appears this restaurant is closed permanently ...) Le Cap Bourbon- good, inexpensive, our server was nice and attentive (by French standards), great local crowd, menu has English translation
We ate a local Thai restaurant - Yo - its about a 5 minute walk from the hotel and very busy. I had a guinea fowl green curry - a first for me. Very good food and friendly service.
Other:
L'Avant Comptoir is a wine bar with great,relatively cheap eats and a great atmosphere and friendly, English-speaking staff. Standing room only and tight.
Public transport to the hotel from CDG
The best option is to take the Roissy bus to Opera. From there, the hotel is about a 5 minute walk.
The next best option is to take RER B to Chatelet-Les Halles. All trains from Roissy/CDG head south into Paris so no worries there. Some go express all the way into Paris (Gare du Nord, so Chatelet-Les Halles is the second stop); others are locals, in which case there are a lot of stops; some are half-express, half-local ... but all stop at Chatelet-Les Halles; and there is no point waiting for an express because it is rare if ever that an express will overtake a local. So get on whatever comes first. At Chatelet-Les Halles, transfer to RER A for one stop to Auber (which is joined to Opera station). You will be heading westbound, toward the termini St. Germain-en-Laye/Poissy/Cergny. You have to go up the stairs and back down for the Auber-bound train. Do not race across the platform for the RER B because that will be heading eastbound, to Gare de Lyon, Nation, Vincennes (and, depending on which one you get on, eventually Eurodisney!) The walk from the Auber exit closest to the RER stop takes about 10 minutes.
Public transport to the hotel from Orly
Take the Orlyval train to its end at Antony, then switch to RER B to Chatelet-Les-Halles and continue as above. In this case you can just cross the platform from the RER B to get the RER A headed to Auber.
Breakfast
The breakfast at Cafe Jeanne is free for Globalist members but is 40-50 euros per person otherwise. A modified but still very good version of this buffet breakfast is also available in the room and is also free for Globalists. Tips are not covered but then again the theory in France is that the service charge is in the price.
Museum tickets & pass from the concierge
You can buy "skip the line" tickets to the Louvre or Orsay for 18€ each, which is higher than the regular tickets via the Louvre & Orsay websites. But being able to "skip the line" obviously adds some value. They will also sell you the two day Paris Museum Pass for 55€. That is a 7€ markup.
Phone/data recommendations:
Lebara worked really well for me. What you need to do:
• You must unlock your phone (you can do this for free online with ATT through their website if you are out of contract)
• Order free SIM card at Lebara.fr a few weeks before your trip. I don’t think it took more than 2 weeks for my SIM card to arrive
• Activate SIM card at https://www.lebara.fr/activate-sim-detail?isoCode=en_GB or search “activate SIM” at Lebara.fr
• Load your SIM card with what you need. I paid 10 euro for 3G of data, unlimited SMS and local calls for 10 days (this should be plenty for most tourists)
LeFrench Mobile did not work so well for me: I paid 20-30 euro for local and international calls for my sister but was only able to make local calls and SMS
restaurant recommendations:
Nearby:
(We're here on 1 Oct 2021 and it appears this restaurant is closed permanently ...) Le Cap Bourbon- good, inexpensive, our server was nice and attentive (by French standards), great local crowd, menu has English translation
We ate a local Thai restaurant - Yo - its about a 5 minute walk from the hotel and very busy. I had a guinea fowl green curry - a first for me. Very good food and friendly service.
Other:
L'Avant Comptoir is a wine bar with great,relatively cheap eats and a great atmosphere and friendly, English-speaking staff. Standing room only and tight.
Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme REVIEW - MASTER THREAD (Aug 2011 onward)
Dec 17, 2018, 8:40 am
#3691
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,052
I have an upcoming stay this week and just received a notice from the hotel that the housekeeping staff are on strike. The hotel says it shouldn’t be a problem but having just experienced the noise in San Fran of striking unions and lack of service wondering if there are any first hand reports?
Last edited by Aventine; Dec 17, 2018 at 11:24 am
Dec 17, 2018, 11:18 am
#3692
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 320
Spoke with the front desk who let me know that the protesters are banging their buckets and chanting between 10 - 3 (so better than San Fran). The hotel says that occupancy is low so they'll do their best to give me a quiet room. Hoping that is the case, if not may have to move to another hotel. If I didn't have plans for the week I might have chosen a different city altogether with the weekend Gilets Jaunes protests.
Dec 17, 2018, 12:06 pm
#3693
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
I have an upcoming stay this week and just received a notice from the hotel that the housekeeping staff are on strike. The hotel says it shouldn’t be a problem but having just experienced the noise in San Fran of striking unions and lack of service wondering if there are any first hand reports?
Conscience > Not quite so good housekeeping > a bit of dis-ease of entry > noise > 0
Confess to having enjoyed stay all the same.
Dec 18, 2018, 7:24 pm
#3694
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Atlanta and the Big Island, Hawaii
Programs: DL Diamond, SPG Gold. I share these affiliations so that you can ask me questions about the programs
Posts: 812
Late charge of points
Hello frequent Park Hyatt Vendome guests,
I stayed here for three nights in April, 1 night paid and two nights on points. I am just now being charged, with points, for one of those nights. I do not remember if they took the correct number of points from my account.
It seems frustrating to me that they would take this long to charge me, even if it is a correct charge.
What, if anything, would you recommend be the correct course or action.
I stayed here for three nights in April, 1 night paid and two nights on points. I am just now being charged, with points, for one of those nights. I do not remember if they took the correct number of points from my account.
It seems frustrating to me that they would take this long to charge me, even if it is a correct charge.
What, if anything, would you recommend be the correct course or action.
Dec 18, 2018, 9:50 pm
#3695
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,052
Hello frequent Park Hyatt Vendome guests,
I stayed here for three nights in April, 1 night paid and two nights on points. I am just now being charged, with points, for one of those nights. I do not remember if they took the correct number of points from my account.
It seems frustrating to me that they would take this long to charge me, even if it is a correct charge.
What, if anything, would you recommend be the correct course or action.
I stayed here for three nights in April, 1 night paid and two nights on points. I am just now being charged, with points, for one of those nights. I do not remember if they took the correct number of points from my account.
It seems frustrating to me that they would take this long to charge me, even if it is a correct charge.
What, if anything, would you recommend be the correct course or action.
Dec 19, 2018, 12:33 pm
#3696
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 404
Spoke with the front desk who let me know that the protesters are banging their buckets and chanting between 10 - 3 (so better than San Fran). The hotel says that occupancy is low so they'll do their best to give me a quiet room. Hoping that is the case, if not may have to move to another hotel. If I didn't have plans for the week I might have chosen a different city altogether with the weekend Gilets Jaunes protests.
That said, if you are on an American time zone and wanted to sleep in, there is absolutely no way you would be able to sleep through the drumming after it begins at 10am.
Dec 19, 2018, 7:31 pm
#3697
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mountain Time Zone
Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador
Posts: 5,990
I stayed for four nights recently. The protest was initially quite jarring because the drumming is very loud when you exit the front door and you have navigate the sidewalk "gauntlet" between all the protesters in the immediate vicinity. Since we had a courtyard-facing room at the back of the hotel we found it minimally disruptive. We stayed out until after they had left. They do come into the breakfast room at 10 and are allowed to silently protest with cardboard signs. Other than looking out of place they don't really bother anyone in there.
That said, if you are on an American time zone and wanted to sleep in, there is absolutely no way you would be able to sleep through the drumming after it begins at 10am.
That said, if you are on an American time zone and wanted to sleep in, there is absolutely no way you would be able to sleep through the drumming after it begins at 10am.
Jan 8, 2019, 2:52 pm
#3698
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/1MM, DL DM/2 MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 11,967
Some updates on room types: PHV is now selling the Diplomat Suite as a 1 bedroom suite (used to be 2 bedrooms) at a lower rate. The newly added Prestige Suite is very similar to the Diplomat Suite (you have a larger living room with two sofas) but this suite is facing Rue de la Paix instead of the courtyard (which I like better).
OMAT reviewed the Prestige Suite recently and I have stayed in one during my last stay as well: https://onemileatatime.boardingarea....-paris-review/
If you are a Globalist, they usually entertain upgrades to higher suites by paying the rack rate difference: you could book a standard room using points, use a suite upgrade voucher to secure a entry level suite and then pay to guarantee a higher level suite.
OMAT reviewed the Prestige Suite recently and I have stayed in one during my last stay as well: https://onemileatatime.boardingarea....-paris-review/
If you are a Globalist, they usually entertain upgrades to higher suites by paying the rack rate difference: you could book a standard room using points, use a suite upgrade voucher to secure a entry level suite and then pay to guarantee a higher level suite.
Jan 29, 2019, 12:53 am
#3699
Join Date: Oct 2018
Programs: WOH Globalist
Posts: 258
Visiting this property in April, no standard suites were available but I needed an Executive suite(to accommodate 4) anyway. My concierge was able to work with the hotel to redeem points/TSU and pay an upgrade rate of 190 Euros per night to guarantee me an Executive Suite.
Jan 30, 2019, 6:49 am
#3700
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mountain Time Zone
Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador
Posts: 5,990
Visiting this property in April, no standard suites were available but I needed an Executive suite(to accommodate 4) anyway. My concierge was able to work with the hotel to redeem points/TSU and pay an upgrade rate of 190 Euros per night to guarantee me an Executive Suite.
Jan 30, 2019, 12:47 pm
#3701
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,527
Had a cash and points reservation I switched to full points. Asked for upgrade options and was offered 100 Euros for a Deluxe Room and 360 Euros for a Park Suite (ex Junior Suite category) per night. They all still look very small.
Given the Junior Suite is only 45-50sqm difference is it worth the price differential? I realise it’s a premium property but that could be spent on cocktails and meals outside the hotel.
Given the Junior Suite is only 45-50sqm difference is it worth the price differential? I realise it’s a premium property but that could be spent on cocktails and meals outside the hotel.
Jan 30, 2019, 1:01 pm
#3702
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
Had a cash and points reservation I switched to full points. Asked for upgrade options and was offered 100 Euros for a Deluxe Room and 360 Euros for a Park Suite (ex Junior Suite category) per night. They all still look very small.
Given the Junior Suite is only 45-50sqm difference is it worth the price differential? I realise it’s a premium property but that could be spent on cocktails and meals outside the hotel.
Given the Junior Suite is only 45-50sqm difference is it worth the price differential? I realise it’s a premium property but that could be spent on cocktails and meals outside the hotel.
Jan 30, 2019, 1:04 pm
#3703
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,527
FWIW, I've never bit on these upgrade offers. The hotel's footprint is funky, and I've found that the variation within nominally equivalent rooms can be pretty large, and also what I get offered for a room when I show up is some combination of availability and who is checking me in and other stuff that may be luck and may be systematic in a way I haven't doped out yet.
I might wait for check in and if the room is not to my liking ask for a tour of alternatives and offer a cash upgrade which should be a better rate
Jan 30, 2019, 1:37 pm
#3704
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
Had a cash and points reservation I switched to full points. Asked for upgrade options and was offered 100 Euros for a Deluxe Room and 360 Euros for a Park Suite (ex Junior Suite category) per night. They all still look very small.
Given the Junior Suite is only 45-50sqm difference is it worth the price differential? I realise it’s a premium property but that could be spent on cocktails and meals outside the hotel.
Given the Junior Suite is only 45-50sqm difference is it worth the price differential? I realise it’s a premium property but that could be spent on cocktails and meals outside the hotel.
All rooms are nice, but range in size from “moderate” to relatively spacious. There are some beautiful junior suites on lower floors, and others that are basically a deluxe room with some added sitting space. For that reason I would want to see the actual rooms available to me at check in before deciding to pay anything. It really could go either way and be not worth it, or totally worth it depending on the specific suite or room they allocate.
Jan 30, 2019, 2:14 pm
#3705
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,527
Sounds like the PH MEL where despite the few room categories, there are over 37 actual room configurations and room vastly larger than others. Some of the Club Deluxe rooms are larger than the Park Suites if you know the right room numbers to request.
Thank you all for your input.
Thank you all for your input.