stimpy

Looks like the Grand Opening is today. Anyone going?

stimpy

An excellent video was just posted with lots of details. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=MMGf092ZppY

If you can't understand French, you can at least look at the nice images.

HappyCheesehead

Nice Video.

I will be there a month from today to celebrate my 30th wedding anniversary. Looking forward to the visit. I made the reservations a long time ago, when the nights were 30k points per so pretty happy about that as well!

youhavebeenupgraded

Here some pictures ...

Junior Suite:
http://youhavebeenupgraded.boardinga...le-hotel-dieu/

Hotel:
http://youhavebeenupgraded.boardinga...-hotel-dieu-2/

stimpy

So how did it go?

HappyCheesehead

It was a beautiful hotel, a beautiful room, and I could not be more impressed with the management and staff.

As I mentioned, we were staying on points, and 30k per night at that, now it is is 40k.

We were upgraded to a king deluxe harbor view room (which was over 350 euro per night on the IC site) and when we arrived there was champagne on ice, a tin of Marseille specialty cookies/bisquits, and a beautiful big vase of hydrangeas and roses. I was so pleased and it was so thoughtful of them. We are nobody special in the Priority Club rankings, just base members, and the way they made our 30th anniversary arrival so special meant the world to me.

Based on the above, I would highly recommend the hotel to anyone. But what happened next made the IC Marseille Hotel Dieu my favorite hotel for life.

So, we arrived Monday evening with our rental car and checked in and got our bags etc up to our room. We then needed to return our rental car to the train station and after a bit of driving in circles made it to the gate of the car rental return lot. We buzzed the attendant to let the gate up so we could enter and at that very moment a motorcycle pulled up right behind us, the passenger jumped off the bike, yanked open our back car door, grabbed a bag that contained our iPad and whizzed off. It all happened in less than 5 seconds.

Well, of course we were upset. Both with the thief and with ourselves for making such a rookie mistake as to have left the car doors unlocked. They HAD been locked but I had jumped out at the HI Express across from the train station to ask them where the rental return was, and when I got back in they didn't get re-locked. dumb dumb dumb.

We filed a report at the police station and went back to the hotel all upset. I wasn't happy with the loss of the iPad itself but I was really worried that the they might be able to open it (it was password protected, but still) and get access to personal financial info. Identity theft would be a nightmare. The concierge at the hotel helped us make calls to the US on their phone so we didn't have to use our cell and let us use his computer to get on line to look for info and change passwords. Since it was 10 pm in Marseille and Memorial Day in the US we didn't get anywhere too fast.

The next morning (our 30th anniv) we went down at 8am and they helped us again - for at least 2 hours - to call Apple, AT+T, get on line again to take care of some other items to try to protect our info. I just cannot say enough about how kind they were to us and calmed us down and helped us through the issue. They also called their local police contact to see if there was anything more that could be done. That night, they even called the restaurant where we were having dinner and arranged for very special treatment for us, and some free goodies and champagne there as well.

So, while I would not expect that anyone one else would have an incident like ours, if you need assistance the staff is there for you! They treated us so kindly during all of our stay I cannot say enough for them. They really turned the situation around for us so that we could go on and enjoy our 30th annniversary. The GM, Madelijn Vervoord, whom I met while there and had a nice discussion with, is running a top notch operation and has hired excellent employees to represent their company and hotel.

I cannot imagine anyone not enjoying a stay there, even one that is hopefully less eventful than ours!

nicolas75

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20947007-post1504.html

stimpy

Thank you Nicolas. Did you happen to notice any cafe or boulangerie nearby where I could get a simple breakfast (juice, croissant) rather than at the hotel?

Also is there a city parking garage nearby? Or is valet just a few bucks more?

nicolas75

You can have local breakfast at cafés just outside the hotel (direction to the Vieux Port).
Some good boulangeries in the Panier (with fougasse, frangipane: yummy)

There is a parking just opposite the Hôtel de Ville (but not quite sure it is a good idea for Marseille to let your car in the street).

mitpat474

Has anybody booked a a junior suite, and been further upgraded? Assuming prestige suite.

stimpy

Wow I am very pleased with this new IC. As this was my first stay, I was offered a tour of the hotel which I gladly accepted. This place reminds me in a way of the MO Barcelona. Both seem to be about the same size and both Mediterranean of course. And both the same excellent level of quality. The pictures I have seen of this hotel do not do it justice. It is far more impressive when you see it in person. I'm in a nice junior suite with a huge terrace overlooking the port. At 30K points per night for those who booked a few months ago. ^

Across from the hotel there have been impromptu concerts each night, a nice ambiance, but rather loud at times. However the terrace doors when closed completely shut out the sound.

We had an excellent dinner in the restaurant Fenêtres last night. When I saw the name, I thought of the famous restaurant Windows in Geneva. Both are high quality but still quite different. This restaurant is more modern. For instance they have a unique take on traditional Marseille bouillabaisse. They poured it in a funky glass and called it a milkshake! It was excellent, but not at all traditional. Make sure you reserve a table in advance. We couldn't get a table til 10pm, which ended up being fine as we didn't get back to the hotel from our outing til 9pm. I think the restaurant is a hot spot now for local foodies.

RA's get complimentary drink coupons for the bar since there is no club. Champagne, cocktail or whatever. They seem very accommodating.

Another thing that reminds me of the MO Barcelona is the small indoor pool, and excellent steam and sauna facilities.

And a note for drivers, the circulation has changed a bit in this area and my TomTom, which is about 1.5 years old, could not find its way here. Fortunately Google Maps on the iPhone had no such problem. And cruising up the very impressive driveway is cool experience in itself. ^

nicolas75

Very cool video of the lightshow for inauguration of the property

SanDiego1K

Has anyone stayed here who has also stayed at the Radisson Blu? What is your impression of one versus the other?

How much does it cost to get here from the airport? We will have a rental car and don't need it after this stay. It sounds challenging to drive here and drop off the car close by. We might just want to drop the car at the airport before we come to the hotel.

nicolas75

Radisson Blu Vieux Port is not a bad hotel, but definitely does not play in the same category as the IC: tiny - but comfortable - rooms looking more like a good Holiday Inn/Crowne Plaza rather than a luxury hotel (pleasant but small outdoor pool, friendly staff).

Airport shuttles are cheap from MRS airport (EUR 12.80 round trip to Central station).
http://www.navettemarseilleaeroport.com/index.php

You can also leave your car at the central station (driving from the airport is not that terrible).

Dark Blue

When did they start this show? Is this just seasonal?

When I stayed there, only live music was performed on the site. It looks very cool, I have to go back!

Did the construction of neighbouring red(dish) building come to completion now?