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)
Jul 10, 2015, 12:36 pm
#2611
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mountain Time Zone
Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador
Posts: 5,992
It's not a policy per se your best bet rather than an "entitled" approach is walk up smile and politely inquire After they have gone through check in process. I can not tell you how many times I have stood there and overheard someone not so politely or even demanding an upgrade or free breakfast. It is a Diamond Amenity and if you stay 50 nights a year breakfast should be free ! Sorry I was a PLT and someday soon I will taper my business travel off and revert back to PLT.
Jul 10, 2015, 8:46 pm
#2612
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Osaka
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, UA
Posts: 3,158
But PHV is very generous with these things. Even if the promo is over, you can politely ask if they are still offering it and there is a chance that they will offer you something.
Jul 10, 2015, 9:15 pm
#2613
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
Just got back from a stay ending Sunday. For anyone who goes there when it's hot, apparently they have the air conditioning set so that Americans can't turn the thermostat down to make it comfortable. 
The trick it to tell the front desk you would like the room to be cooler and they will send a technician to your room to set it so that you can make it cooler. It was 97° (36°) outside Friday night at 9:15 p.m.
The trick it to tell the front desk you would like the room to be cooler and they will send a technician to your room to set it so that you can make it cooler. It was 97° (36°) outside Friday night at 9:15 p.m.
I would tend to think the system was just malfunctioning in that room. It could not possibly be deliberate on the part of the hotel...at least one would hope not!
Jul 10, 2015, 9:47 pm
#2614
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,055
Just got back from a stay ending Sunday. For anyone who goes there when it's hot, apparently they have the air conditioning set so that Americans can't turn the thermostat down to make it comfortable. The trick it to tell the front desk you would like the room to be cooler and they will send a technician to your room to set it so that you can make it cooler. It was 97° (36°) outside Friday night at 9:15 p.m.
Other than that (and the usual French Hyatt problems with accounting), everything was wonderful. The friendliest staff of any hotel I've ever been to.
The trick it to tell the front desk you would like the room to be cooler and they will send a technician to your room to set it so that you can make it cooler. It was 97° (36°) outside Friday night at 9:15 p.m.Other than that (and the usual French Hyatt problems with accounting), everything was wonderful. The friendliest staff of any hotel I've ever been to.
Jul 12, 2015, 10:05 pm
#2616
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: Accor Platinum, Marriott
Posts: 175
Stayed here for four nights earlier this month. Even though extremely hot in Paris during the day, there was no problem with the air con in the suite and I like it very cool much to the the disapproval of my wife!
We were impressed by the all-round outstanding service at the Park Hyatt.
We were impressed by the all-round outstanding service at the Park Hyatt.
Jul 12, 2015, 10:26 pm
#2617
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: PHX and LIH
Programs: AA: 2 MM
Posts: 85,577
It was a temporary promo specific to the hotel, and not published. Other hotels sometimes do this as well. PH Sydney offered it to plats once when I was there.
But PHV is very generous with these things. Even if the promo is over, you can politely ask if they are still offering it and there is a chance that they will offer you something.
But PHV is very generous with these things. Even if the promo is over, you can politely ask if they are still offering it and there is a chance that they will offer you something.
Well, our friends, also staying at the hotel, were advised that they could have a technician come to the room and do this manipulation. They then told us, I asked the front desk, and they said they would send a technician up. He arrived and told me what he had done. Seems like it must have been "malfunctioning" in quite a few rooms.
Jul 13, 2015, 5:55 am
#2619
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Houston
Programs: UA - 1K, Marriott - Gold, Hilton - Gold, Global Entry,
Posts: 633
Anyone know if you can add a rollaway to the park suite twin room? I have a p+c+dsu stay with 1 night in a park suite twin and 3 nights in a park suite king. I added an extra night to my original reservation and could only confirm the ps twin. HGP said that they couldn't put a rollaway in the room because of fire code, but the website shows that a rollaway is available on request.
Jul 13, 2015, 1:24 pm
#2620
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BOS and ...
Programs: UA 2MM, AA 600k, DL 500k, Hyatt GP 1M, HH Gold, Rad. Gold, CP Gold, Miracle Fruit-su Club
Posts: 9,950
Have been looking at TripAdvisor reviews of properties around Europe. Reviews of the last couple of weeks have moaned to high heaven about the lack of air conditioning - especially in luxury hotels. I think - first - it's possible that it's a rarity - even in five star properties - and second - the ones that have it need to tweak it or turn it on in the event. Reminiscent of the 2003 "summer from hell" when we were there. Only just now learned from articles mentioning it that the number who were dying around us was 70,000 - 20,000 in France.
Jul 13, 2015, 1:29 pm
#2621
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
I was in Italy in 2003 - Milan area - for 2 weeks working
The heat was so bad that I couldn't sleep hardly at all. I finally got some free time at the end of the stay and went to Rome - to the IHG at the top of the Spanish Steps where they had all the A/C I could have wanted.
Still, I was so sleep deprived I actually fell asleep while I was eating on the way home.
Never again - if the hotel doesn't have adjustable A/C I simply won't stay there in the summer.
The heat was so bad that I couldn't sleep hardly at all. I finally got some free time at the end of the stay and went to Rome - to the IHG at the top of the Spanish Steps where they had all the A/C I could have wanted.
Still, I was so sleep deprived I actually fell asleep while I was eating on the way home.
Never again - if the hotel doesn't have adjustable A/C I simply won't stay there in the summer.
Jul 13, 2015, 1:36 pm
#2622
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Chicago
Posts: 425
Have been looking at TripAdvisor reviews of properties around Europe. Reviews of the last couple of weeks have moaned to high heaven about the lack of air conditioning - especially in luxury hotels. I think - first - it's possible that it's a rarity - even in five star properties - and second - the ones that have it need to tweak it or turn it on in the event. Reminiscent of the 2003 "summer from hell" when we were there. Only just now learned from articles mentioning it that the number who were dying around us was 70,000 - 20,000 in France.
Air conditioning is almost always installed in European luxury hotels but it's not the United States - turn the AC down to 65 freeze your butt off - type of air conditioning. Same goes with cold drinks and ice. There are some cultural differences that should be expected when one travels abroad, even to luxury properties. Air conditioning is Europe is typically not equivalent to air conditioning in the United States.
Jul 13, 2015, 2:02 pm
#2623
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: PHX and LIH
Programs: AA: 2 MM
Posts: 85,577
Air conditioning is almost always installed in European luxury hotels but it's not the United States - turn the AC down to 65 freeze your butt off - type of air conditioning. Same goes with cold drinks and ice. There are some cultural differences that should be expected when one travels abroad, even to luxury properties. Air conditioning is Europe is typically not equivalent to air conditioning in the United States.
We met a friend who works in Paris for lunch on one of the hot days. I asked her if her office had A/C. She said, "Yes, but French A/C!" No explanation necessary.
While I don't need "freeze your but off A/C," in a luxury hotel, you shouldn't break out in a sweat when you move or have to have to lie on the bed in your underwear to be comfortable.
Jul 13, 2015, 2:11 pm
#2624
Moderator: Midwest, Las Vegas & Dining Buzz
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 17,976
Jul 13, 2015, 7:04 pm
#2625
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 208
