robyng

I have booked a junior suite which has "executive lounge" access. I gather from reading other posts here that the lounge isn't much - but that it does serve breakfast. I don't eat breakfast - and my husband doesn't eat much - some cereal - granola - milk - yogurt - fruit - stuff like that. Will he be able to get things like that at this lounge?

Also - I did ask for a coffee maker in the room (I must have my morning cup of coffee before I wake up). Request granted .

FWIW - this hotel has been very responsive in terms of replying to email requests. And the person who mentioned months ago to book a room then was right. I was checking availability (sometimes there are cheaper rates available as you get closer to the date of arrival). But I found that it is very hard to get a room anywhere in Paris for a week-long stay at one of the better hotels during fashion week.

Also note that I just got an email offering double or triple Starpoints for stays at this hotel from now until December 2008.

I realize that a lot of you are staying at this hotel as a "reward" - but for those of you who are over 50 and paying money - take a look at the "senior discounts" when you check rates. All you need for a senior discount is an AARP card (which costs $12/year). The discounts are generous but seem to be capacity controlled. Robyn

abk

as for the breakfast, your husband will find exactly what he likes there.

robyng

Thanks for the information. I am debating whether to stay at the Westin versus a luxury hotel (which - for a smaller room - will cost more than twice as much). The Westin is starting to look like a winner .

Just FYI - there was a post on Tripadvisor in the last week or so that said the Westin rooms are 100% non-smoking (like those in north America). I checked (because I smoke) and that is not the case. All of the public areas are non-smoking (in accordance with French law) - but smoking rooms are available. Robyn

bbklumpur

Hi Robyn and everyone

You might want to reconfirm with the Westin if it actually has an executive lounge.

I stayed there at the end of July 08 and, as an SPG Plat, was upgraded to a junior suite but not on the SPG floor as no other junior suites were available.

I was told on 2 different occasions that there was no executive lounge.

The other thing to note is that the Westin didn't provide SPG amenities such as Molton Brown bathroom amenities or a complimentary bottle of water in rooms or suites on non-SPG floors to SPG members who are given rooms on those floors. (I've stayed also on their SPG floor so I can compare).

In contrast, SPG hotels in Bangkok and Jakarta made the effort to provide SPG amenities when I was given rooms on non-SPG floors (when they ran out of non-smoking rooms on the SPG floors).

robyng

My confirm says executive lounge access - but I will check with the hotel. No point having access to a lounge that doesn't eixst .

I happen to like Molton Brown products - and use them at home in the winter (different brand/fragrance in the summer). Would be nice if they were provided - but it wouldn't be a "deal breaker" FWIW - one of my favorite MB products is the oatmeal soap - whidh is only available at hotels these days (not available anywhere in terms of retail sales). A person at the desk at the MO in Munich became my best friend for life when he got me about a year's supply of that soap to take home last year .

I am an SPG member (very inactive since Starwood banned smoking in NA) - but - since I have requested a smoking room - I don't have a clue what kind of floor I will wind up on. As long as my husband can get his bowl of cereal in the morning - we will be ok. I will try to get more information and report back. Robyn

robyng

I wrote email to the hotel - and the executive lounge is gone. Not a deal breaker. With west ---> east jet lag - we frequently wake up too late for breakfast anyway. And I'm sure there are plenty of nice lunch places in Paris . FWIW - the reservation desk is extremely good in terms of replying to email. Robyn

dingo

Wow...that's a huge loss in my opinion. Why would they take it away? It's not as if they stocked it with a ton of great quality food. It was a very continental breakfast in the a.m. and two bottles of water for the rest of the day but still nice to go have some OJ in the a.m.

robyng

I don't know why they did away with it.

Bigger problem for me is that I have now seen on the internet (for the third time - this time on Travelocity) a warning that the hotel is 100% non-smoking. It wasn't when I booked many months ago - but perhaps it is now. I am going to have to get that straightened out (will probably call the hotel directly). Robyn

SkyTeam777

This is a major loss to not have the executive lounge. We often "took shelter" in the lounge when one of us was up late or early from jetlag and didnt want to awaken anyone else. The lounge had coffee/tea and Internet making insomnia more bearable!

robyng

My husband and I use executive lounges the same way. In particular - my husband likes to have a small "healthy heart" breakfast - cereal - fruit - yogurt - milk - that kind of thing - and he doesn't like going to a big deal restaurant in the hotel alone to get it (I don't eat breakfast). Perhaps they did away with the lounge because it wasn't much to begin with?

BTW - I checked with the hotel - and it still has one "smoking floor". Robyn

abk

you and your husband have interesting preferences for this hotel. he wants a "healthy heart" breakfast and you appear to be focused on smoking in the room.

zero savings

Is anything replacing the lounge - breakfast options? Welcome gift? Anything?

mrEzE

bbklumpur,

How was the junior suite? I saw today today that my reservation details we no longer available and when I called the Plat line, was told I was upgraded to a Junior suite (sweet!). How was the size of the room?

Hopefully it will have two beds - the plat concierge called the hotel and verified it does, but I do not see that room type on the website.

EWR ATC Hold

Following a trip to Mauritius, we spent two days at the Westin Paris to take advantage of the free layover (was using points for my flight) and get to see Paris in the process. While the hotel was very elaborate, I have to say it is simply overrated and not worth its cost. Through my Company, I was able to secure a €280 per night reservation and checked in on Wednesday evening. My check-in process was the only real plus to my stay--I was waiting in line when two independent people cut in front of me in line and after making a face while holding my SPG Platinum Card in my hand (it was already out), the desk clerk made a rather obvious and loud attempt at making it clear that I was there first which was nice and gave my wife a chuckle. We were informed that we were upgraded to a junior suite on the 5th floor and proceeded to our room. The room felt like an awkward afterthought. We entered through a small sitting room with a couch and television. There was a small hallway that lead to the bedroom--another awkward room, with a king bed and a very low catherdral ceiling. A small bathroom was connected to the bedroom on the low ceiling side that was just weird. A toilet and bidet took up the largest area of the floor. A small sink and vanity along another wall and then the shower/tub was tucked into an area where the ceiling was so low I hit my head on it every time I stood in the shower. The shower also had no doors, curtain--it was just wide open (I live in Europe, so I'm used to the half shower door, etc.--this just had none!). All things considered though, the room was okay for a big city and sufficed. We didn't really utilise the hotels services much, except at one point I needed an iron and after having to call twice over a 1 hour period, they sent up a broken iron. Prices in the hotel were exorbitant (45 EUR pp for breakfast, 8 EUR for a soda, 8 EUR for water, etc.). We did use one bottle of water from the mini bar, but they agreed to take it off my bill at the end of the stay. Hotels location was advertised as being central to everything, but I actually felt it was not in the best location. It is footsteps from the Louvre, but that means that everything else is a good 2+mile walk in various directions.

Don't get me wrong, its a nice hotel and clearly has some amazing conference/ball room spaces and the lunch restaurant was pretty good, albeit expensive. We didn't eat in the hotel after seeing the prices, except for the one lunch. Overall though, I just expected a lot more out of the hotel and would not stay here again.

Seattlenerd

I think we had the same kind of junior suite, though I was there right after it became a Westin and had not been renovated. At 6'4", using the shower/tub combo under the sloping ceiling was a bit of a challenge. As was getting out of bed in the middle of the night without hitting my head. Still, we had a small view of the Eiffel Tower from our sitting room balcony. However, anyone tall should be cautious about a Junior Suite upgrade on the upper floors and check it out to make sure it'll work.

I actually thought the location was excellent. Yes, it's a bit of a walk to some tourist attractions, but you can't beat being on the gardens by the Louvre and very central.

That said, I wouldn't stay there again for a vacation due to the fact it really is more of a business hotel and would prefer the Prince de Gaulle as it has more historic charm.