Hotel Louvre Rivoli - Paris, France     

Many hotels in Paris share some things in common, such as modest room size. However, this hotel had some perks which went above and beyond the normal Paris hotel. The bathroom was newly renovated, a nice plus. The real treasure, however, was the staff. The day manager was helpful in recommending restaurants with local color and well prepared cuisine at a fair price and in making sure we took advantage of all of the sites within the time frame of our stay. The superior service also extended to one of the staff who returned a very expensive camera, a Christmas present to my father. He had been so excited over the variety of offerings in the wine cellar breakfast room that he left his camera on the chair when he returned to the hotel suite. Not five seconds later, the staff member in attendance in the breakfast room knocked on the door with the item. It made what could have been a terrible experience into a lovely memory. Honest, hardworking, pleasant staff is a bonus that this hotel offers, a welcome element when choosing a hotel in which to stay.

Recently renovated and converted from Hotel Violette to the Louvre Rivoli. Fantastic location on a quiet street near the river, the Louvre, Tuileries, not far off from the Marais. The rooms done up in modern style, which did not match the Web site photos, which showed more traditional, frilly styling. My feeling is that they currently look pretty nice, but may not wear well. It seems like the renovation was rushed, some bits in the bathroom not quite finished. The shower is a problem--indeed, only half a door, and the shower floor is flat, so keeping the water from dispersing around the bathroom is a challenge. You can manage it okay if you use the handheld, but not if you want to use the overhead showerhead. Oh yes, a warning--do not share a room here with someone you do not feel comfortably intimate with. The bathroom is a semi-frosted-glass enclosure (two walls are this way). You can see some fleshy outlines and hear everything from the main room area. The place was quiet, both the street and hotel interior. The hallway outside our room had mucked-up walls--paint-job interruptus, or something. Both days we wanted to iron clothes, it was a bit of a comic struggle to get the one-and-only hotel iron. Yes--there is only one, complete with taped-up and splitting cord. It circulates around the hotel as requested, and the front-desk person one day took an hour or so to locate it and have it brought to us. The next day she sent it up on its own in the elevator and I went to fetch it, to the amusement of fellow visitors waiting for the lift. There was sometimes a sewagey smell after one took a shower. Bed was fine, pretty good, pillows not so great, but okay. Small room but looks nice for the moment. The desk people were generally rather nice. So a mixed bag. Fairly comfortable and attractive, but definitely not up to par for the 150-euro price tag, except maybe for the location.