Points Poppa

Staying with my family in Paris next January for 5 nights, and I have mostly narrowed the hotel down to either the Marriott Champs-Elysees or the Starwood Prince de Galles.

We have two kids, a toddler and a baby, so square footage would be nice. I have MR Gold status which I believe should translate to Platinum in the merged program. Other than free breakfast at either property I'm not expecting much in the way of upgrades, although a suite would be a godsend.

I see that the CE will go from 45k points to 60k on Aug 1, while the PdG will come down from 90k to 60k until 2019, when it returns to 85k. So there is savings to be had in either choice.

We have seen most Parisian tourist sites, although we will of course make an obligatory Eiffel tower visit, sightseeing is not our focus, especially with two little ones.

Would appreciate any advice, I am also a Hyatt Explorist with unused club access certs, so the PH Vendome is also a possibility, but the family reviews i've read make me hesitant.

Merci

UA-NYC

Haven't stayed in the Marriott, but the PdG is absolutely amazing, so for the same price of a Marriott, if you can live without a lounge...

CJKatl

There is no lounge in the CE Marriott. I have stayed there with kids who love the busy elegance and location of the hotel, but your chances of a suite with points are below zero. Even booking a room large enough to accommodate a baby and a two-year old (assumed age, slightly older should be the same) would be points plus 240 Euro/night. A regular room you would get on points just does not have space for more than two people and maybe a baby and the hotel will turn you away if you just show up with two children. A few people report having snuck children into the hotel but there really is no room, it is a fire hazard and it is likely not the message you really want to send to your kids; that it is okay to ignore the rules.

The hotel will provide free breakfast for two, but unless you are paying for the larger room you probably won't want to be bringing the kids you are sneaking into the hotel into the restaurant for breakfast and asking for them to be comped.

In short, the CE is probably not the right hotel for you in this circumstance.

hockeyinsider

There is an entire thread dedicated to Marriott hotels in Paris, although like so many of the discussions it will be somewhat irrelevant after August 1 as folks will now want to discuss legacy Marriott properties and legacy SPG properties within the same thread.

Regardless, I think the real question is what do you want to do and see in Paris. That should be the guiding factor in where you stay along with, of course, budget.

January is a great time to visit Paris. I've been going over Christmas for a couple years now. The crowds are very light. Going to Paris in the summer is crazy.

Personally, I wouldn't pick the Marriott on the Champs-Élysées for three reasons: First, you're paying a huge premium, both on cash and points, because it is along the Champs-Élysées. Outside of the Arc de Triomphe, this is really an overrated part of Paris -- and it is basically 100% tourists, 24/7, 365 days-a-year. Second, it's going to be heavily American no matter what time of the year. Three, it's one of the most popular award-redemption Marriott hotels so upgrades, no matter what time of the year, are going to be difficult.

You said you've seen most of the sights so why do you want to stay in the most touristy part?

3rdworldresident

Points Poppa

I think my logic is the inverse, it is because I've seen most of the sights that I can be location--agnostic. That being said, centrally located would still be ideal, and since it's winter, being walking distance from shopping and dining is also important.

Also a consideration is the confluence of events due to the merger resulting in a brief window in which to redeem my points for outsized value. Which has me leaning to the PdG over any of the Marriotts.

​​​​​​The point the earlier reply raised regarding a toddler being counted as a guest is one I had not realized. The little guy is only 2 so not really a guest in my mind, but I am aware that the Euros can be sticklers on this point.

hockeyinsider

There is fine shopping and fine dining throughout Paris.

CJKatl

Both the Marriott and SPG websites make it clear that when you search for a room you need to enter the ages for all children age 0 and up. Yes, European hotels will enforce occupancy rules strictly. Friends once called me from the CE where the hotel would not give them their room because they were trying to put four in a room after making a reservation for two. They wound up getting a second room for the first night then moving out to the suburbs for the remainder of the stay. Having stayed in the hotel a number of times getting two rooms to fit everyone I have seen many rooms each of which has one bed and none had room for a crib let alone a cot. I know there are larger rooms but I have always done points redemptions and the rooms are very small, even when I was PP.

Also, some of the rooms do not have exterior windows. The window overlooks the interior lobby.

Newman

Mrs. Newman and I stayed at the Marriott Champs Elysees about 10-12 years ago.
What stands out in my memory more than anything else was all of the smoking in the hotel lobby
At that time, smoking in public areas of the hotel was legal and socially acceptable.. And I walked thru the lobby as quickly as possible to try to avoid entering my room smelling like an ashtray. Smoking was also permitted in the hotel restaurant.
For years Europeans (at least then) had/have their heads in the sand when it comes to smoking and the effects of second-hand smoke.
This put a damper on my entire hotel stay.

Anyone know if things have changed in the last twelve years?

NEWMAN

CJKatl

I seem to recall that the hotel is smoke free. I hung out in the lobby, sat with my nieces in the lobby and in my first two visits had to use the internet in the lobby - no access in the rooms at that point - and do not recall there being smoke. I would not have stayed there or invited my nieces to stay there if it was smoke filled.

hockeyinsider

Unfortunately, Marriott's international properties are not smoke-free, unless required by local law, unlike those in North America.

CJKatl

While Marriott does not require international properties to be smoke free, many choose to be. The Marriott website identifies when a property is smoke free. I just checked the CE and the website shows it is smoke free despite smoking being allowed in Paris hotels.

From the official CE website: