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 25, 2015, 10:34 am
#2656
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: PHX and LIH
Programs: AA: 2 MM
Posts: 85,576
They seem to be sticklers on the max occupancy, but you could try calling them about it. I had upgraded to a suite and called to see if we could have 4 in the room - 2 adults, a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old and they wouldn't allow it. They ended up giving me a reasonable deal on a connecting room.
Jul 25, 2015, 11:02 am
#2657
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 3,457
Does anyone know if it's OK to book an award room (non-Deluxe) room (Park Queen) and check-in with a 3 year old and another adult?
It seems the reservation system only allows 2 people to stay in the lowest room type, which is the only available for payment using Gold Passport points.
An additional child seems to be allowed in the Park Deluxe King. I am Diamond, so I assume I would likely get upgraded. Does anyone have any experience with this? I would like to book 2 nights using the 2 free nights gained from the Hyatt credit card. But the last thing I want to happen would be to pay some exorbitant extra person fee for my 3 year old.
It seems the reservation system only allows 2 people to stay in the lowest room type, which is the only available for payment using Gold Passport points.
An additional child seems to be allowed in the Park Deluxe King. I am Diamond, so I assume I would likely get upgraded. Does anyone have any experience with this? I would like to book 2 nights using the 2 free nights gained from the Hyatt credit card. But the last thing I want to happen would be to pay some exorbitant extra person fee for my 3 year old.
Fdw
Jul 25, 2015, 5:00 pm
#2659
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
I like this hotel a lot. A pleasant goof to stay at. Stay there when I can, which is not often enough, in part due to their price. Which is to say that I would (or could) rarely if ever pay their lower prices or their higher prices, without some sort of scheme, like Points+Cash, a Diamond Suite Upgrade, an FHR reservation (stronger chance of an upgrade, then hope that succeeding nights booked on points we get left in same room), needing a Hyatt night's credit (as some sort of rationalization of $100 or so of the price), etc. So I frame my response to "reasonable" in that light.
If you have to pay straight-up cash for a room, it is possible but very unlikely that you will find one there for under €600. In that sense it is a "reasonable deal."
If you have to pay straight-up cash for a room, it is possible but very unlikely that you will find one there for under €600. In that sense it is a "reasonable deal."
Jul 25, 2015, 7:30 pm
#2660
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: PHX and LIH
Programs: AA: 2 MM
Posts: 85,576
I like this hotel a lot. A pleasant goof to stay at. Stay there when I can, which is not often enough, in part due to their price. Which is to say that I would (or could) rarely if ever pay their lower prices or their higher prices, without some sort of scheme, like Points+Cash, a Diamond Suite Upgrade, an FHR reservation (stronger chance of an upgrade, then hope that succeeding nights booked on points we get left in same room), needing a Hyatt night's credit (as some sort of rationalization of $100 or so of the price), etc. So I frame my response to "reasonable" in that light.
If you have to pay straight-up cash for a room, it is possible but very unlikely that you will find one there for under €600. In that sense it is a "reasonable deal."
If you have to pay straight-up cash for a room, it is possible but very unlikely that you will find one there for under €600. In that sense it is a "reasonable deal."
Jul 25, 2015, 9:52 pm
#2661
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
I understand all that and agree with it. We've stayed there several times and never paid for anything other than food and drink - and still paid more than we would have at other hotels for the room. My question to the poster concerned a "reasonable deal" for an adjoining room that they had to get because of the occupancy restrictions.
I would not be surprised if families with older children could also negotiate a substantial discount on a connecting room.
Jul 26, 2015, 4:14 am
#2662
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 3,457
Hyatt has a deal that offers a connecting room at 50% off. The primary room must be paid (at BAR I believe) and the occupants of the second room must be children (no more than 12 years old IIRC).
I would not be surprised if families with older children could also negotiate a substantial discount on a connecting room.
I would not be surprised if families with older children could also negotiate a substantial discount on a connecting room.
Fdw
Jul 26, 2015, 7:28 am
#2663
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mountain Time Zone
Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador
Posts: 5,992
I understand all that and agree with it. We've stayed there several times and never paid for anything other than food and drink - and still paid more than we would have at other hotels for the room. My question to the poster concerned a "reasonable deal" for an adjoining room that they had to get because of the occupancy restrictions.
Jul 26, 2015, 9:02 am
#2664
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
I don't believe they the primary room necessarily needs to be paid at BAR. I've booked this twice without having to pay BAR. Once with a third night free promo and once on a Costco rate with DSU . That all being said; it was a game of HUACA both times. Both times the first time I tried they said no; big times all it required was a polite thank you and good bye and another try.
Fdw
Fdw
Jul 26, 2015, 9:20 am
#2665
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Houston
Programs: UA - 1K, Marriott - Gold, Hilton - Gold, Global Entry,
Posts: 633
I understand all that and agree with it. We've stayed there several times and never paid for anything other than food and drink - and still paid more than we would have at other hotels for the room. My question to the poster concerned a "reasonable deal" for an adjoining room that they had to get because of the occupancy restrictions.
Jul 26, 2015, 10:31 am
#2666
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: PHX and LIH
Programs: AA: 2 MM
Posts: 85,576
The rate for the 2nd room they offered was 50% of the normal rate. I was originally offered connecting room at full rate, told them I'd think about it, called back a couple days later to try to negotiate a better rate or see if they'd let me book a c+p room and the agent I spoke with offered me the lower rate without me asking for anything.
Jul 26, 2015, 12:26 pm
#2668
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 3,457
Fdw
Jul 26, 2015, 10:30 pm
#2669
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
The people at the hotel are not stupid... I would say slim to no chance if only one night paid with C+P. If you had a positive ratio of paid nights to award nights your chances would be better.
Jul 27, 2015, 12:10 am
#2670
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,267
Doesn't seem to stop them, though. It's all about maximising at any cost these days.