HadesNL

Thank you for reconfirming that i am not "cool" but quirky

You've got an excellent taste !

Atacama40

Mrs A on a bike .... are you kidding Hades? Yes I do consider myself an honorary Dutchman given my twice a week visits for way too many years but moi? her? on a bike? .... it's not the prettiest sight. I prefer reserve that 'in mind; image for those attractive long limb blonde ladies peddling down the Nieuwezijds

Thanks for the pointers. I'm ok with Paris itself, a monthly office visit for me in the past, although in all honestly, the city in Europe I never quite managed to feel as though I knew. But the hotel I confess to being out of touch with.

So on the hotel you would go for Eiffel view as an optimum? It looks promising. And ordinarily would one book category to achieve that upgrade? Unusually I don't have any names for PLG. Do you have an understanding ear and name at the hotel you could PM me details of? I think those Eiffel view rooms are the ones that CNN uses to report in the Summer months on TV.

Shopping wise I don't mind a little freedom. Although in fairness I'm way higher risk shopping wise than Mrs A. Hands up. She is more restrained than I am.

Thanks for the links. Will be watched when Mrs A goes to work tomorrow. Any sepia tones flick with Dianna Rig in is time well spent. And although folks may laugh, the hop on bus being outside the IC is a bonus. Hop on buses in cities are a really easy cheap and accessible way to get a basic navigation of a place. And almost against the odds, I never visited Paris with Mrs A. So that is a great call.

And the Cafe de la Paix out front, I'm guessing you would have tried that on stays? In the evening did it live up to expectation? Sounds a little cheap but I'm starting factor the odd IC in-house restaurant into the year spend mix. And I'm wait listed on Jules Verne for the Saturday.

Many thanks for the suggestions. I feel a promising stay coming up.

Atacama40

Nice links Nicolas, many thanks. Will take a read tomorrow.

And your recommendations for ICPLG booking might be? Also your suggestion for dinning out right now in Paris might be?

Many thanks resident experts Nicolas75 and HadesNL. Always nice to get the other persons experience and views.

Richelieu

While the Café de la Paix is definitely not bad, I think the bill include the scenery and the location. It could up its game a little, in term of audacity and innovation, given its price point. You'll get an enjoyable, yet very classical, dishes. Depending on your expectations, it can be a good thing, though. Since you're considering it once, I'd say it's worth it, but do not hesitate to explore around for the rest of the stay.

I'll be there soon to update on the club lounge offering, if anything changed now the festive season is over.

HadesNL

So you want to know all my secrets of IC PLG ?

Like a blushing bride on her honeymoon night i can only divulge to initiates in the mysteries

The upgrade chain is :
Cozy
Classic
Premium

But starting from Classic, the hotel adds the sub catagory of "Balcony"

The hotel makes a sharp distinction in its sub catagory in views:
- inner court (if description makes no mention of view but is utterly quiet)
- street view (can be requested but hotel will mention more noise)
- eiffel tower view (was official sub catagory but seems to depend on season)
- opera view (was most desirable view : opera is now being renovated)Upgrades on view : $ or complimentary depend on season & occupancy

Eiffel tower view :
- ask for a room facing Rue des Capucines
AND
- a high floor as possible, so you need to look over the trees & buildings
* the Ambassador suites do have Eiffel tower view but because the hotel facade is lit up there, it has a bit of a bright gleam

After the room types it goes further

Junior Suite
- in all its facets: interior facing / street facing / eiffel tower / opera view
- scattered on all floors

1 bedroom suite : ex Prestige suites
Almost all of them on the attic level with true seperate bedroom and livingroom and bathroom
Some could have inner court view
Some look out to the streets ( 1 bedroom balcony suite)
Some with opera views
Some of which have superb Eiffeltower views because they are on the top floor of Rue des Capucines : level 5

nicolas75 apologies, shameless copying your photo from the Kimpton Paris thread to illustrate Atacama40 the balcony locations


As you can see the hotel offers a lot of rooms in all directions and with all kinds of views

The hotel is built like a triangle : for Eiffeltower view opt for rooms facing the Blvd des Capucines




Blvd des Capucines has its axis south west orientated so rooms on level 3 / 4 / 5 can gaze over the rooftops towards the Eiffeltower

PS: it is almost like a secret treasure map à la Da Vinci Code & Nicolas Cage 's national treasure ....


And refering to Nicolas his photo:

one bedroom suite balcony on level 5
https://parislegrand.intercontinenta...tion/suites-2/

La Parisienne Suite with Eiffel tower view
https://parislegrand.intercontinenta...nature-suites/

Ambassador suite : opt for level 3 because on level 2 you might get a washout from the facade lightup
https://parislegrand.intercontinenta...tion/suites-2/

The higher up, the better the view .

But there are many many many many many many many variations on the room types themselves so it is YMMV

=====

Café de la Paix is fully EQP earning so very easy to rack up points and activates 'hidden' F&B consumption treshold for RA
Very easy dining especially if it rains, hails , snows, freezes outside ....
After you told me Mrs, A is not going traverse Paris on high heels with her Gucci handbag juggling on a unicycle with you in tow in a sidecar ...
Café de la Paix can be an easy first night dinner just for the sake of conveniance.....
But do explore out for other restaurants

Good luck on Jules Verne at the eiffel tower,
never been but heard many (Americans);find it the most romantic spot on the planet.
Be prepared that Mrs, A might get moody for flowers, chocolates, serenade, a new model updated Carbon-based ring and the whole works.

Honestly i reserve via the app and forward my requests to
[email protected] i add a request to make a reservation for dinner at Café de la Paix via above,
Someone from [email protected] will answer back,
As they know you are RA and stay at the hotel,
The restaurant is wise to allocate you a table served by fluent English speaking waiters or those focused to the foreign travel mindset.
However you can ask for opportunity to request your prefered table: booth, awning terrasse, outdoor etc.

If contacting [email protected]
Ask for your requests to be forwarded to the Club Intercontinental lounge,
Monsieur Gilles or his colleagues will reply back for any extra attention details ....
I do not have his email anymore .... darn auto timer clean up mailbox on my servers !

As you are travelling in February, ask them about special Valentine's possibilities to surprise Mrs, A.
Don't be like my S/O who can only manage with Valentine to present me with limp rhubarb stalks ....
which i still need to prepare & cook myself as Valentine's meal.

Atacama40

Utterly perfect 'work to' list .... you done this romantic 4 dayer far to many times .... it's obvious

No seriously the room analysis is super. Very helpful. And whilst complicated, it's a breeze compared to the mind numbing 3d chess game that is ICPL.

I now have way too much homework to do this afternoon. Another Hades reference work. I will let you know how I get on sir.

All the best

Richelieu

My campaign ended with the result of "no sir, but we'll happily bring you a plate of potatoes from the main restaurant". Which is satisfying from a service point of view, but not the expected outcome :-)

With regard to the current lounge spread, no change compared to my latest photos, except the addition of a rotation of foie gras toast with gingerbread and foie gras on moricette bread. The slice of foie gras is noticeably generous.

edgewood49

these photo's and pictures of the interior are great but continuous posting is taking up a lot of space. I know some with admonish me for writing this and thats ok, just a cranky old man.

HadesNL

No worries,

Noted, i'll try not to forget to add photos in spoilers exactly as mentioned in
Limit Pictures in Posts to 10 large or 20 small or use spoiler function

I do understand though .... it seems to cast muddle on the -like+ button functionality
The "The 13 Oct 21 FT 'Like' Feature - [now restored to prior version]" thread

GentleGiant

Keep the photos coming

Phantomchickenz81

Is it still 120 EUR for lounge access as the thread highlights t the top? And I presume that is per night rather than per stay? Looks like pretty good value to me particularly using it to avoid booking a breakfast inclusive rate.

Richelieu

It is still, 150 € for non-AMB, 120 € for AMB.

drod

I enjoyed my 2 night stay at this hotel. I arrived around 12pm but my suite wasn't ready, so I went out and returned shortly after the stated check-in time. My suite still wasn't ready, so to make good I was offered a basic room to freshen up until the suite was ready and was also pro-actively gifted complementary access to the lounge for the duration of my stay.

HadesNL

That is a very service oriented gesture of the hotel,
It is always a slight disappointment is the room is not ready at official check in time but it is good recovery to offer a temporary hospitality room.
You got the RA treatment !

ARR72

Is champagne (or sparkling wine) served or available with breakfast at Cafe de la Paix?