Lovely stay but not a fan of the neighbourhood

100   Recommended
Room 404 , Deluxe
April 11, 2017 by

 Map | 1 Review | 100% Recommended
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Hotel L'Echiquier Opera Paris, MGallery by Sofitel
 Map | 1 Review | 100% Recommended

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Room 404

Deluxe

Liked:
Location
Service
Food
Amenities
Room
Stats
Room
Deluxe

Check In

Check-in was smooth and quick (I'd done online check-in through the app the a couple of days before). 

I'd booked Classic (no breakfast) for €160 through the Accor website, and received Deluxe (two-level upgrade), the rate of which on the day was about €300. 

The front desk did not verbally acknowledge my Platinum status, which is not important for me but it makes a difference between loyalty schemes (e.g. IHG group hotels always acknowledge the status). I did receive a voucher for a drink at the bar, which was anything on the menu except for cocktails, champagne and spirits. 

 

Room

The room was spacious for Parisian standards, and for me it was the perfect size.

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The TV is right above the desk, which made it a bit awkward when I was working on my laptop but still wanted some background noise. There is a USB socket in the wall, which is handy if you're travelling light and do not have a charger with you, but the power does switch off periodically so you would have to unplug the device and plug it back in again. 

There were a few books (in French) in the corner. 

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I appreciated the thick wool curtain across the door - it blocks out noise very well.

Room 404 faces the Rue l'Echiquier, which draws a lot of sunlight in the morning and afternoon. It was only noisy when I had the windows open and the rubbish truck drove past to collect the bins.  

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The bathroom and toilet were separated, although the toilet does not come with a sink, which could be inconvenient if there is more than one occupant as you'd have to walk across the mini-hallway to enter the bathroom to wash your hands. 

Same as the OP's review, the bathroom comes with Clarins amenities, which were lovely. The shampoo and conditioner especially smell really nice and left my long hair very soft. 

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There is also a bottle of body lotion and hand wash by the sink. 

This little card was on the bedside table:

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I'm assuming they placed this here because they knew I (female) was staying... I'd read further in the in-room magazine that they are "tailoring" stays for female guests, although I'm not sure if it's necessary or that I felt my stay was especially tailored. 

The robe and slippers are supposedly sized for a woman, although the robe is too generically sized for me to tell. The slippers, however, were tight. I don't think they can just assume a woman is going to wear size EU37! 

The card also mentions a "special surprise for LCAH members" - I have no idea what this was and couldn't be bother to call and ask. 

According to the card, there are female-oriented items for loan and sale at the front desk. Of all the items on offer (e.g. yoga mat, nail polish remover), I'm surprised they didn't include sanitary towels or tampons (which I think should be complimentary if they were going to tailor the stay for a female guest). 

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The room also comes with a free minibar (still and sparkling water, Coca-Cola and Diet, and orange juice), and an Illy espresso machine. 

Location

Overall I really liked the hotel, especially the room (which is the most important part). Not a huge fan of the decor in the bar - 1920s art deco style - but it's not a deal-breaker and it's certainly a lot nicer than several tacky and dated hotels I've seen.  

The only thing I really didn't like was the location. Although it's convenient and close to metro and bus stops, there were a number of rough sleepers near Bonne Nouvelle metro station. Also the shops around Faubourg Saint-Denis were mainly grocers and butchers, which would be nice and convenient for anyone who lived in the neighbourhood, but not exactly something I'd like to see on a weekend away. 

I would stay at the hotel again, but if I find a similar hotel in another neighbourhood that I prefer (e.g. near Canal Saint Martin) then I might be persuaded to try somewhere else. 

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