Sofitel Paris Porte De Sevres

Customer service is what is missing. What they say is true about the 11th floor (untidy and apparently reserved exclusively for Priceline guests), and despite speaking with 1 night and 2 day managers, who were only able to offer us a change to rooms in even worse condition than the one we were initially placed in, we reluctantly stayed put. There was supposed to be a crib in the room, and there was not. It took an hour to get one. The wallpaper was streaked grey (looked like it was formerly a smoking room) and peeling off the walls, and the paint on the ceiling was wet and peeling in places at the window and over the bedroom. It was impossible to overlook. We were told by the manager that the hotel has been around for 30 years, and got no response when we asked if it had ever been renovated. The bathroom was the only decent one in the place, based on the other 3 we saw. This was supposed to be a non-smoking floor, but there were hotel guests smoking by the elevators despite posted signs. When I mentioned the smoking to the front desk, they simply smiled.

We arrived at around midnight with an infant, and the night manager was unable to even tell us what an upgrade would cost or if one was available. He simply said he was not able to give upgrades. Why have a manager who is unable to solve customers' dilemmas? When I asked this same night manager if all the other rooms in the hotel were dirty, with the aforementioned problems, he replied with an emphatic "YES." He smirked and told me that if I had a problem, I should talk to Priceline.

The only good thing we can say about this hotel is that it was pretty convenient to the metro stop (Balard -- line 8), and to a grocery store that was within a short walk. Room service is terribly overpriced for poor to mediocre food (lunch/dinner), and breakfast costs between 22-26 euros per person. Internet access in the business center costs 10 euros for 1/2 hour, 18 euros for an hour. This is barely a 3 star hotel, contrary to Priceline's 4 star rating. Buyers beware.

We just spent a week at this hotel (booked through Priceline) and, in spite of our initial apprehension- based on both the location and what we read here - we were very pleased. If you spent your time looking for chipped paint you will find some BUT the room was very spacious and, more importantly, extremely quiet. There is a Metro stop only a 5 minute (safe) walk away, trains run frequently and reasonably late (12:30), and you are downtown (or home) in 10-15 minutes. Though we were very worried at first, especially since we like to go out at night, in the end we found this to be no inconvience at all. Additionally, we found the staff helpful and friendly and the added features of a larger hotel - like a bar and concierge who provided an adaptor at no charge - useful.

I went to this hotel very reluctantly having read the horrible reviews of it. As it turned out, I too was given a pretty shoddy room with paint falling off the ceiling, hairdryer that only blew cold air, and a blanket on the bed that was pretty gross looking with food caked on it. Having said this, I would most definitely go back (on condition that I am given a room that has been redone next time) for the following reasons: First, the sports facilities are very good. I did a gymnastics class Saturday morning, following by a dip in the pool and sauna. What better way to start off your weekend! And secondly, there is a most wonderful water park right next door. I had dinner in the restaurant with a view on the park although I didn't personally try it out this time. It has toboggans, huge waves - a delight for children and overgrown children like myself!

So, as far as I am concerned it is worth the money spent. However, do not expect to get top rate films in your room. The offering was lousy and very expensive so I didn't watch any pay tv.

My husband booked this hotel trough Priceline and got a USD $130/Night deal. We stayed there from 15-19 Sep 2004. Unlike other reviews posted here, we had a very pleasant stay. We'd read a bad review about Priceline people being placed on the 11th floor, but our room was on the 16th floor and was very clean and VERY spacious. The hotel lobby is outstanding and although the hotel is on the outskirts of the city, it is about 1 block from the Balard metro station so you could be right in the middle of the historical center in about 20 minutes every day. We had a rental car, but the metro was so convenient, we decided to park it at the hotel's garage (15 EUR/night) and ride the metro instead and use the car to go to Versailles, Loire Valley and Belgium. Next to the hotel there is a water park with a nice food court with good, affordable food, especially breakfast. Good hotel for the price, we would definetely recommend it.

We stayed here Sept 14-18, 2004. The hotel is located at the last metro station at Balard, but it only takes a few min. to get to to the tourist sights. I loved the location, because I run each morning and the park was next to our hotel. Food available next door at the water park food court. Carpet not perfect but room was clean and fine. We would stay here again. Paid $ 115 plus tax with priceline.

We had a completely different experience from several other writers. When we arrived, we were immediately upgraded to a deluxe room, and escorted to a new, clean, well-stocked room. Room service was flawless (we needed wine opened several times) and the concierge made hotel reservations for us, printed a map with the restaurant location, and was very eager to please. Regarding the pool, we had a very nice experience. There was no demand that I wear a skimpy bathing suit, and, in fact, joined in an aerobics class that ended up being quite fun.

It is not in central Paris. However, the metro is close by, and gets you downtown in about 10-12 minutes. The savings in room cost are well worth it.

Incidentally, this was all with a Priceline reservation, costing us $119 per night.

I would highly recommend this hotel.

We spent 6 days at the Sofitel Porte de Sevres after 6 days at another Paris Sofitel, and were appalled by this dirty, mismanaged hotel. To begin with, our hotel room was old, had well-worn sheets [really too old to continue to be used in a 4 star hotel], and included a fire-damaged chair (a number of big [2+ inch] burns on it). The washroom had visible mold, and the toilet would not stop running. It looked nothing like the rooms on their website (which were similar to the other nice Sofitel we had just stayed at the week before). The room was not up to 4 star hotel quality, and not worthy of a Sofitel name.

It is important also to point out that while the hotel is touted as "central Paris", it is at the very extremes of the city, at the end of the subway line.

Lastly, potential visitors should be aware that the pool is separately run by a private health club with draconian (and frankly, unbelievable) rules. In particular, people wanting to use the pool must wear clingy swimsuits. My Nautica swimsuit, which is of the shorts variety, was not permitted in the pool. This is very odd, as I know very few people outside of France who continue to wear the mandated clingy Speedos (I am not slim, and clingy speedos would not work on me). I have worn the same Nautica swimsuit at better hotels in other parts of Europe, as well as in the 7+ hotels in the Caribbean and Mexico. I had planned for, and wanted to use the pool, and was denied an important part of my vacation.

In sum, this is a problematic and dirty hotel not worthy of the 4 stars on their door. Don't go there unless you have to.

I stayed at the Sofitel for two nights in late August (to see the finish of the Tour de France!). The Sofitel Porte de Sevres is in a out-of-the-way location, but you have easy access to all of Paris via the Metro two blocks away. This hotel often has good rates, as it is primarily a business hotel right off the highway (but still in the city).

It does have a four-star rating (I believe France works on a four-star system, so this is the highest rating), and has very nice common areas and amenities. I found the staff to be helpful and accomodating. The rooms themselves are average, but of fairly good size for Paris. Paris hotels are notorious for their small rooms. It's simply not fair to compare a Paris hotel with an American hotel, as another poster has. I have stayed in a Comfort Inn in Paris, for example, that was not even close to a USA Super 8 in quality or room size (as another poster compared).

Bottom line: if you can get a good price, go for it. Sofitels are nice hotels, and the location, while not in the center of things, is not that bad. You just really can't walk to anything touristy. The hotel does have a parking garage, and easy access to the highway, which would be a plus if you are traveling by car (a LOT easier that driving into the heart of the city). There are some restaurants within walking distance in the nearby neighborhoods, and the hotel is right next to a huge entertainment center (kind of a mall) with a water park, movie theaters, and a food court. Good for keeping the kiddies occupied!

My wife and I stayed at this hotel during our 4 day stay in Paris. After searching hard through different websites, we landed a deal for this hotel at $125 a night. I was told that anything else that a 4 star hotel would not guarantee good quality and so I specifically booked looked for 4 star and above quality hotels on priceline. The lobby of the hotel was all nice and impressive.However, I was shocked to see the quality of our '4 star' room. The walls were not painted and had stains on them. Though clean,the blankets looked like they had been used for a long time. During our 2nd part of the stay,in spite of prior booking the hotel staff told us that they were over booked and if we could come back after a few hours. When I refused to come back, they gave my wife and I( on our honeymoon), a room with 2 single beds. How bad can that get? The a/c was lousy, there was no iron in the room and service was very strictly okay. I got a feeling that they didn't particularly like American tourists who made cheap bookings through priceline. This hotel needs to improve their standards upto the US hotel industry levels. If they want to attaract American tourists through sites like priceline, they need to start treating us better!!

September 2003 we spent 3 nights here because I purchased the nights from Priceline for $110 per night. The location is VERY far out from the city, however, it is 2 blocks froma metro stop. The area seemed very safe. The public areas of the hotel are very nice. The rooms and halls are very tired and everything seemed stained or cracked. The staff was helpful and nice