STAFF HOTEL REVIEWS

Hotel Le Royal
Place Bellecour
69002 Lyon, France

A 100% Smoke-Free Hotel

By: Dave Grossman,
HotelMagician.com
May 2009

I found the Hotel Le Royal to be an absolutely perfect choice for my 3 days in Lyon.  Really very well done all around.

To start, the location is wonderful, right in the city center on the Place Bellecour (a large open square).  If you are arriving by TGV it’s just two stops on the Metro from Perrache TGV station to Bellecour. If you come in from the airport, you can either take a cab (pricey at over 60 Euros) or take the Satobus to Perrache and again it’s two stops on the Metro. They are working on linking the airport by rail by that was not completed as of my 2009 stay.

From Bellecour, you can also walk nearly everywhere. During my stay (I admit I walk a lot!) I walked west to the old town (Vieux Lyon), north to Hotel De Ville, Northeast to the Park D’Or and eventually to the shopping area at Part Dieu. But even if you don’t choose to walk everywhere, the metro is outside your door and is on two central lines.

The checkin was very smooth. The desk clerks and concierge all speak perfect English (and also indulged my French) and were very helpful in suggesting local sights (I never would have visited their wonderful park without the guidance) and even where to go at night as well as suitable day trips.

The room, as you can see in the pictures, was very elegant. I had a single so the room itself wasn’t massive, but for a single room in Europe, it was a good size.  There was a very nice bathroom with full shower/tub and room on the sink for all my things. The room had a flat panel TV with an assortment of French channels as well as CNN and BBC World in English.

If you book a rate that includes breakfast (most don’t, but mine did), you can take breakfast in the dining room, in your own room (no extra charge) or if you’re in a hurry to get out the door, they will do a “light” breakfast (coffee, juice, croissants) in a box for you. You’re also not held to having breakfast by a set time – if you wake up late, it’s no problem. As a night owl, I really appreciated that.

I can usually think of at least something that bothered by during my stay in any hotel, but I really can’t fault anything about the Hotel Le Royal. I only wish I had booked the Jr Suite (pictures below) as those rooms are really quite breathtaking.  I never encountered rude staff, all requests were accommodated, and the room itself was nicely appointed. I’d stay at the Hotel Le Royal again if my travels took my back to Lyon.

-DG

Pictures of Jr Suite

Hotel De La Sorbonne
Paris, France
A 100% Smoke-Free Hotel

By Dave Grossman, HotelMagician.com

May 2009

The Hotel de la Sorbonne had gotten good reviews on sites like TripAdvisor, so when I was choosing between a variety of hotels in Paris’ Latin Quarter, I chose this hotel over roughly ten in the area, The Hotel de la Sorbonne is located directly adjacent to the Sorbonne (the most famous University in France) in the heart of the Latin Quarter and while a first time visitor to Paris might choose to be nearer the more posh Champs Elysees, I have been to Paris many times and wanted someplace more “in the action”.  Although the Hotel de la Sorbonne is only rated 2 stars, I chose it on the reviews, location, and the fact that it has recently completed a major renovation. I am a sucker for new or freshly renovated hotels.

The arrival was not spectacular. Fresh off a flight where the handle had been broken off my luggage, I was given a room key for a 4th floor room and then informed that the elevator was under repair. It was due to be fixed shortly following my stay, but it was an inconvenience, nonetheless. On the plus side, the reception was very friendly and spoke perfect English.

The room itself was tiny. Granted I booked a “single” as I’d be by myself on this trip, but even for a single room, it was like a closet. The worst part was certainly the bathroom. The shower was small enough that I could not turn around without accidentally either shutting off the water or changing the temperature to cold or scalding. I guess there wasn’t room for a larger one, though, given that you could rest your head on the sink (if you chose) from the toilet. An extra few feet in there would have made a massive difference.

It was certainly not all bad, however. The room is indeed freshly renovated and includes an iMac computer complete with free Internet access (a somewhat spotty WiFi signal is also provided for free by the hotel) and also acted as the room’s television with access to more than 20 channels including CNBC Europe and BBC World in English.

And to be fair, the rate for such a central location in Paris (and the 2 star rating) indicated I might not feel the luxury of a 4 star hotel. I paid a total of 195 Euros for two nights or about $260. That’s a great price for central Paris and the cramped quarters are not unusual for a lower priced hotel anywhere in Europe. (I’m just not personally very used to it!)

Lobby

The hotel is easily reachable from Charles de Gaulle airport on the RER “B” line (stop “Luxembourg”), sits right off Place de la Sorbonne and is a 5 minute walk to the famous Luxembourg Gardens. The touristic area of Rue St Severin is a 10 minute walk down rue St. Michel and about a 15 minute walk away is the fun Rue Muffetard with an outdoor food market 5 days a week and a nice collection of downscale shops, bars, and restaurants.

I should also add that I was specifically looking for local nightlife and figured that it would be hard to miss in an area with four universities. The hotel staff unfortunately could not recommend anything (yes, it was a Sunday and Monday night but I knew there had to be SOMETHING open and busy). On my own, between the hotel and Rue Muffetard, I stumbled on an English pub (of all things in Paris!) that turned out to be the busiest watering hole I’d walked by. The staff was extremely friendly and I found myself there past closing time. If you’re not stuck on a traditional French bar, I highly recommend “Bombardier” (2, place du Pantheon – tel: 01 43 54 79 22), open 7 days a week. Tell Barry or Jerry that Dave, the hotel guy from New York, sent you. They’ll take good care of you.

PS: The Hotel De La Sorbonne is a 100% Smoke-Free hotel.

-DG

Europe > France > Nice

Le Meridien Nice

1 Promenade des Anglais
Nice 06000 France

By Dave Grossman, HotelMagician.com, October 2006

Comfortable, well-located, and on the waterfront. These words sum up the Le Meridien Nice in a nutshell.

Comfort: As part of the Le Meridien brand one expects and receives a certain level of comfort. The hotel delivers at that level. It is not at the level of the Le Palais De La Mediterranne or Hotel Negresco. It is not a 5 star Luxury Collection hotel. But it is above the standards of most chains and we don’t expect anyone would be disappointed with the level of comfort here. On a recent trip we were upgraded from a Classic to a Superior room which offered a small standing-room-only balcony and a slight view of the sea from that balcony. As Starwood Preferred Guest Gold members, they also provided us with a complimentary bottle of Evian and a tray of fresh strawberries.

Location: The location at 1 Palais Anglais is perfection. Direct access to the beach (be aware that the “beach” in Nice is one made of stones but is still usable and does attract many “beach” goers) is a prime benefit. But the hotel is also well located for getting to and from the airport – just a 15 minute drive on the Palais Anglais – and to a large “Zone Pieton” (a street for pedestrian use only – i.e. tourist central). Allow us to recommend the restaurant “La Tavernne Massena” right smack on the “Zone Pieton” on Rue Massena. Wonderful place for pizzas and homemade pasta at an affordable price. The only area this hotel is not quite near is the “old city” – one that we were less impressed with than in other Riviera towns.

Waterfront: This probably doesn’t need much explanation but out the door and across the street and you’re on the water. Pretty sweet. The Casino Ruhl is also in the building.

Hot Tip from the Hotel Magician: The Mercure Palais Anglais hotel also shares the building (the actual hotels are completely separate – the Mercure is on the lower 2 floors while the Le Meridien Nice is on the top 7 or so). Nothing is shared between them and you’d never know they shared the building if you didn’t pay close attention. If you are looking for this exact location and don’t mind trading in some in-room quality for a lower rate, it may be worth a look.

-DG

Labels: france, hotel, le meridien, nice

Europe > France > Juan-Les-Pins hotels

Le Meridien Garden Beach
15 17 Boulevard Baudoin
Juan Les Pins, 06162 FR

By Dave Grossman, HotelMagician.com, October 2006

Juan Les Pins was an interesting diversion on our trip around the French Riviera. Guide books had referred to the area as the “Coney Island” of France. Well, our offices aren’t far from the real Coney Island, and Coney Island this is not.

That said, Juan-Les-Pins *is* a nice little beach town with perhaps a bit of the crowd that might venture to Coney Island. It’s not the crowd that you would find in say, Cannes or St. Tropez. This is a more middle class town and that lends a bit of fun to it. It also keeps prices down a bit.

Hot Tip from the Hotel Magician: Parking in the hotel lot is expensive. What they probably won’t mention is that there is free parking all around the park just past the hotel and there is normally a free space or three to be had. If you’re normally comfortable parking your car on the street, these spots will do just fine.

The Le Meridien Garden Beach hotel is the ideal spot to enjoy a night or two in Juan-Les-Pins. It is directly on the beach and shares the property with the Eden Casino – a centre of night life in the town albeit a small casino. It’s a nice property for the area. The hotel rooms have been renovated (although the building is not as new as it used to be) and would be considered a solid 3-Star hotel. A Sea View room offers a beautiful view of the beach as they are situated directly above it – and for that reason we recommend selecting this room type. Starwood Preferred Guest Gold and Platinum members might be upgraded to this room type based on availability. If a member of the program, when booking be sure to select “Other Rates” and select a regular (not SaveRate) rate plan. HotelMagician.Com SaveRates are not eligible for SPG stay credit / Elite privileges but our regular rates (pay at checkout) are. In colder months, a pool is available in the health club (additional charge)

Hot Tip from the Hotel Magician #2: When you check-in to the hotel, you will be given your beach passes. You will need to present these outside to get your beach chair. You will also need to return these at checkout or face a penalty charge. Don’t lose them! Also, they will charge for you to sit in the first two rows of the beach. But keep in mind that behind that, it’s all free (if you are a hotel guest).

Hot Tip from the Hotel Magician Tip #3: Dinner. There are only a few decent options right in town, though a few are right on the water. But take a very short drive to the old town in Antibes and you will find a treasure trove of restaurants in the pedestrian walkways. French, Italian, and Alsatian options abound. One even has fondue – a French food quite elusive in the South of France.

-DG

Europe > France > Cannes hotels

By Dave Grossman, HotelMagician.com, October 2006

If you want to be right in the middle of the Cannes action, the Noga Hilton Cannes is where to stay. Were you to snag a room here during the Cannes Film Festival, you’d no doubt encounter some of the cinema elite in the lobby.

Hot Tip from the Hotel Magician

: Hotel parking is not inexpensive (E35 as of this writing) but forget about street parking. With two hour limits and the hotel’s prime waterfront location, you might as well valet the car and enjoy your trip.

 

 

 

The suites are magnificent – if you have the means, we highly recommend them. A recent stay in the Ambassador Suite was nothing short of amazing with a balcony (with a view of the water and a table and chairs for dining al fresco) and 4 rooms (work area/foyer, living room, dining room, and a bathroom the size of a New York apartment with a massive circular whirlpool in the middle).

Hot Tip from the Hotel Magician

#2: The beach directly across from the hotel charges E25 + for a chaise lounger. The area directly to the left of it is about half the price. The beach is just as good

 

 

 

The hotel also features an (included) rooftop pool with absolutely stunning views of the Sea. There is a restaurant and bar on the roof as well and they do make the dining area available for private functions.

Pictures below: Whirlpool in Ambassador Suite, Work area in Suite, Overhead view of lobby

-DG

Europe > France > Nice

Hotel Mercure Nice Centre Notre Dame
28 Avenue Notre Dame
Nice 06000 France

By Dave Grossman, HotelMagician.com, September 2006

We chose this particular hotel for two reasons.

The first was price. On a recent 2 night stay we paid about USD$150 a night. Not bad for central Nice in Fall.

The second reason was location: at Notre Dame and Ave Jean Médecin, it is very centrally located. You are near all the centre-ville sights and only a 20 minute walk (or 3 minute taxi) from the water. Note that we also review the Le Meridien Nice – which is right on the water if that is more your speed.

Back to the Mercure… part of the Accor chain of hotels, the Mercure is about a pleasant and simple stay at reasonable cost. It succeeds at this. The rooms are small (but not tiny) and are well kept and nicely appointed. There is a small rooftop pool on the roof of the hotel that makes for a pleasant swim at summer.

Parking is available in an almost-connected lot next door for (as of Sept. 2006) 10 Euros a day on your hotel bill – good through 1pm the following day. Breakfast is included only in some rates so check when you book with us by reading the details of the rates carefully. Don’t choose a higher priced rate for breakfast, though. There are several exceptional bakeries (boulangeries) in the immediate area for crossaints, quiches, croque monsieurs, etc.

While for a luxury hotel in Nice, we recommend the Le Palais de la Mediterranee, or Hotel Negresco, and, a step below, the Le Meridien Nice, the Mercure Notre Dame provides a perfectly enjoyable experience at a much more affordable price. While we did not review the Mercure Palais Anglais that sits on the water adjacent to the Le Meridien, it is reputed to be equal to the Mercure Notre Dame with regards to their rooms at a location right on the water – again, if that is your preference and it is in season.

NB: As of the time of this review (2006) a tram is being constructed along Ave Jean Médecin. While it will be great when complete, it is causing some traffic tie-ups at the moment. Functionally, the location still works – but allow a little extra time if driving to figure out where you can turn during the construction.

-DG