Rick, you really should remove Hotel Eiffel Park, Paris from the guide books. Found this hotel in the 2007 RS France guide. I booked through the hotels web site. Checked in on Sat and was informed that the lift was out of order. The desk said it just broke down that day and they are working on it. So the front desk shows us to the stairs (which are open to the outside air). No help with the luggage is offered to the 2nd floor.
In the morning we order the 12 Euro breakfast. My son got the granola cereal and found little bugs crawling in it. They are sorry, but no offer of dropping the charge.
At 830AM there was hammering and sawing right above our heads. Later I checked-out the other floors and discovered most of the hotel is under major renovation! This would have been nice to know when we booked.
Checked-out on Tuesday and still no working lift.
Desk is helpful with calling taxi and takes off the buggy breakfast.
Posted by
Victoria, BC, Canada
42 posts
Bob, sorry you had a bad time at that hotel and thanks for sharing but I do need to point out a couple of things because I find that a lot of people go to Europe expecting hotels to be the same as they are here, and it always surprises me when I read that here on the Rick Steves website.
The fact that you had bugs in your cereal is gross and they should definitely have provided a refund for your son's breakfast (unless he chose to eat something else, which should be paid for--you're not going to get anything for free in Europe). But for the benefit of others, I would like to point out a couple of things:
-Europeans aren't afraid to use stairs. Although many hotels have lifts, they are usually very small and old and are prone to breaking down. They are usually only used by the elderly (and many elderly in Europe still use the stairs) or disabled. I would not expect a (working) elevator in Europe.
-"authentic" European hotels (like the backdoor types Rick recommends and I love) don't have bellboys. Unless you're staying at a 5 star "American" style hotel (like the Hilton), you're going to have to carry your own luggage. That's just how it's done over there. So I would suggest packing light and only bringing what you can carry up a couple of flights of stairs yourself.
-You didn't mention this, but I often hear of complaints about small rooms, lack of A/C, etc. Cities like Paris have a high population density so places (especially hotels, which try to make money by accommodating as many people as possible) will have small rooms. Electricity is very expensive in Europe, so things like A/C might be non-existent or limited time or may only function while you are in the room.
These are all part of the charm of staying in a real "boutique" hotel in the heart of a European city. We need to learn to leave our expectations, based on North American comforts, behind. Rick Steves' through the backdoor books are a great tool to study when preparing to travel overseas.
Posted by
Bloomington, IN, USA
22 posts
I, too, am sorry you had a bad experience. The 2010 France book lists this hotel as a more expensive hotel ($$$)....but it is listed under a paragraph that says "Given how fine the area is, these are acceptable last choices". I would have taken that to mean, choose these as a last resort. One time in Italy, I went to a RS recommended hotel and it was completely gone! I don't think it was Rick's fault... I think the place caught fire. A new hotel was being built in its place and they asked me about all the people who came by carrying the same RS tour book as did the waiter in a nearby cafe where we sat to confab on plan B. Glad to hear they credited you for the meal, but that is all I would have expected. Hope you otherwise enjoyed your trip.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
2832 posts
Well....
While Rick might should have removed it, perhaps the OP should invest in newer books. Three years is a LONG time in the world of hotels.
However, if you want "help with luggage" I would recommend not booking with Rick's hotels. (That's not his strong point which is why he preaches the "pack light" or as my mother does "travel with your personal porter" aka as ME :) )
However, I am confused. One sentence says you were charged for breakfast and another says it was taken off?