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There are so many hotels to choose from in the city of Paris – it’s a tough decision! What neighborhood do you want to stay in? Is it within walking distance to some of the main attractions? Is it near a Metro station? What are the restaurants like in the area?! So many questions to ask yourselves when choosing the right hotel for you.
Our travel agent chose a reasonably-priced hotel in the lovely neighborhood of Montparnasse – Hotel Le Royal, and we were very happy with the choice!
Hotel Location
I’d have to say we quite enjoyed the location of Hotel Le Royal. A lot of people might want to focus on hotels near the Eiffel Tower or Arc de Triomphe, but they are generally more expensive. Getting away from the main attractions means saving money on hotels and more money to spend on activities and food!
Yes, it is a bit of a walk to a lot of the sights, but I highly recommend walking in Paris. You’ll get to everywhere you want to go eventually, and see some amazing things along the way.
Just a few steps from Hotel Le Royal, you’ll find delicious restaurants, like Le Petit Broc, Le Bistros des Campagnes, and Moustache. In reading a lot of the reviews for restaurants closer to the Eiffel Tower, we found that not only are they more expensive, but the quality didn’t seem to be as great.
Our Room
Thanks to our wonderful travel agent, we got a room upgrade! Hey, it never hurts to ask right? We were on the top floor of the hotel in a pretty nice room. The rooms are small though (I wonder how tiny the non-upgraded rooms are). The bed was comfy and big enough for the both of us (which is important since my husband is nearly 6’4″).
The bathroom was nice and surprisingly large compared to the size of the room. The toilet also had it’s own “room” with a door for extra privacy.
The tub was nice and roomy, though the showers in Europe don’t seem to have a door that extends the whole length of the tub, so I was a little paranoid about getting water everywhere. What’s up with that?
Breakfast at the Hotel
Breakfast is complimentary and they give you a good variety to choose from, from croissants and assorted pastries, to deli meats and toast. You will want to take advantage of the free breakfast to not only fuel up for your days of sightseeing, but also to save a little bit of money on food for the day.
Elevator Fun
The elevator is tiny, but I hear most European elevators (if you even have one at all) are going to be pretty small. We were able to fit the both of us into the elevator at the same time with both of our suitcases.
Hotel Staff
The staff at Hotel Le Royal was very friendly and helpful. We had a very pleasant experience checking in, and the lady at the front desk even confirmed our shuttle reservation for us. The evening attendant also had some nice recommendations for us in terms of restaurants in the area!
We did have to leave our key at the front desk whenever we left the hotel. That is not something I’ve ever seen before but I think overall, it is a good idea so you don’t lose it. A lot of the keys are attached to bulky items so you wouldn’t want to be carrying them around anyway.
Lobby Décor
The décor of the hotel is modern and clean, and is a comfortable place to wait in while waiting for your room to be ready, or waiting for your taxi to come pick you up.
Nearby Metro Stations
If you are keen on taking the Metro, there are several Metro stations within walking distance to the hotel, including Vavin, Raspail, and Edgar Quinet (noted on the Map with the “M” with the circle around it).
Hotel Room Views
Definitely can’t beat that lovely view! On our last night in Paris, the skies cleared up and you could see the stars.
Our overall recommendation is definitely two thumbs up! We wouldn’t mind staying here again.
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