Style & Character
This is a typical Parisian establishment; one that focuses on style and finesse and uses heaps of lovely flowers in the decor. The décor is classy and you will find the wall paneling featuring printed fabric with kitsch motifs and the bloom filled wall papers particularly intriguing.
Most of the room furnishings right from duvets to the wall dyes to the woolen carpets are high quality and made in France. However the place feels more like home than a hotel and when you enter you will probably be greeted by the welcoming owners (the Prigents) and a lovely obedient retriever named Samba. The Lobby has neo retro décor and there are bookshelves filled with knick knacks while the furniture is all 1940’s in beige and golden brown shades.
This is a family run place and the Prigent family (Herve and Isabelle Prigent) have been running it since their inception. They have a small and consistent team consisting of Jacqueline, Arnaud, Ninette, Joelle and Arnaud. Incidentally the family operates two more Parisian hotels “Apollon Montparnasse” and “Signature Saint Germain des Pres”.
Rooms
There are 2 rooms with direct and close views of the Eiffel and these are on the 5th and 6th floors respectively…the feeling of being able to watch the Eiffel sparkle all night is magical. There are the triple bedded pavilion rooms and the Cozy des Poetes rooms. The latter is the smallest room of the building and though it optimizes space well, don’t think of booking this one if you like ample space around you…there isn’t even space to add a cot inside.
The Cozy Poet’s rooms usually have double beds though there is a queen bedded version too. The pavilion rooms are larger and have twin/ queen bedded versions with overall luxurious upholstery and fancy Italian showers in the bathroom. The largest subgroup of rooms are “Des Poetes” and they are moderately sized cocoons with pretty floral wallpaper situated in the hotel’s main building.
Some common amenities are French Droualt duvets, flat screen TV sets, safe, mini bar (it doesn’t come stocked) and writing table chair with lamp, flat screen TV (with adequate number of English channels), universal plug and radio.
Connecting pavilion rooms and connecting Des Poetes rooms comprise of two rooms (of respective category) with connecting doors. These are perfect for families and groups of 4 to 5 people.
The rooms are small by American standards but they are beautifully decorated and luxuriously upholstered. The bathrooms though small have L’Occitane toiletries hampers and luxury Italian showers/ bathtub.
Amenities & Service
The rooms are kept very neat and clean and the housekeeping replenishes toiletries and changes sheets with diligence. The staff (same people you see in their website) are always warm and welcoming and they go out of their way to please guests and help them with directions to attractions, restaurants even guiding with maps and creating customized itineraries. You might even find handwritten ‘Thank You’ notes and token gifts after room cleaning gets done.
The 6 floored hotel has only one small elevator that can fit a maximum of 3 people at one go. So if you are in a large group you might find things inconvenient.
There isn’t a separate luggage locker but the staff will ensure that your luggage is kept safe for hours till you are scheduled to leave. The staff will arrange cars and bicycles for you and point out suitable conveyance modes to wherever you wish to go.
Kids till the age of 2 can stay for free and after that a fixed charge is applicable. There is free high speed Wi Fi all over the hotel. There is wakeup call service and parking is available for a fee. The help desk is operational 24×7. There is a mini library with a charming collection. Fresh flowers are kept at strategic locations all throughout the hotel.
The hotel claims quite unabashedly that they are not equipped to deal with the needs of differently abled guests. A more tactful approach would have been appreciable. This is not a pet friendly hotel (disappointing as the staff has a golden retriever in it). They don’t have gluten free options in breakfast either but are considerate enough to point out Gluten free bakeries and shops nearby.
Food & Drinks
There is a standard French buffet breakfast served in the beautifully decorated dining room (this has an enclosed garden) every morning from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Expect a selection of fresh products like baguettes (sourced from a baker next door) and handmade croissants (these are literally the star of the show) apart from apple compote, hand blended yoghurt, cake (another star), fresh ham cheese, dry sausage and a steady flow of juice and hot beverages.
The front desk has a ready supply of rather lovely candies. The hotel doesn’t have its own restaurant. This will never bother you as the Eiffel area has some of the best restaurants of Paris. The Rue saint Dominique area has some great places like Café Constant, Crep and Tea and an excellent high end French restaurant called Les Cocottes de Christain Constant.
Le Violon s’Ingres, Le Champ des Delices and Saveurs D’ Asie are also good options in the same neighborhood. Another restaurant hub is the Rue de l’Exposition Street which has Le P’tit Troquet, Phillipe Excoffier and many other eateries. Libra (this comes recommended by the hotel) on Rue Augereau right near the hotel serves middle eastern, French and European food while La Gourmandise (same street) serves excellent pizzas and Babao serves excellent burgers. You can also try some Brazilian food at Maloka Fogo and Brasa (same street).
However this is not a nightlife hub though there are some nice bars like the Club (rue Surcouf), the Bat in Hotel Cinq Codet, Eiffel’s Champagne Bar etc.
Location & How To Reach
The des Londres Eiffel is located in what is famously known as “Eiffel Tower Neighborhood”…in a quiet, sophisticated residential part of the 7th androssiment. The Invalides of Paris holds the Musee D Oray, Napoleon tomb, National Parliament and UNESCO building, so location wise the hotel is perfect. Nearby you will find the Parc du Champ….i.e. the long gassy park that extends from L Ecole Militaire to the Eiffel Tower (excellent place to plan a picnic).
Also there is the stylish and expensive neighborhood of Rue st Dominique; it’s a treat to just stroll and watch the stylish Parisians even if you don’t actually shop or eat here. Watch out for the spectacularly beautiful 29 Avenue Rapp House that was built in 1900 by Jules Lavirotte; the work on the façade represents the best of vintage Barcelona style architecture. You will immediately recognize the building by its non-Parisian design.
The Siene river banks are nearby so anyone who stays here will have the pleasant opportunity of a stroll along its banks any time. The road flanking the bank is pedestrian only till the Orsay museum. You will see lots of runners and joggers along this way
There are departmental stores like the iconic Le Bon Marche (Rue de Sevres) and Iren & Deniz (Avenue de la Bourdonnais) and the Joly Marie nearby along with the Carrefour supermarket. You can easily hop inside the St Germaine shopping mall to fill up your bags. The nearest metro station is Ecole Militaire that’s about 550 meters away and via this you can get easy access to Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees.
The nearest train station is at Rue de Tolbiac that’s about a 20 minute drive away. The CDG Airport is about 32 km away (take the Roissy bus to Opera and then bus #42 to the hotel if you aren’t in a rush).
1, rue Augereau, 75007 Paris
Phone: +33 (0)1 45 51 63 02, Email: [email protected]; Hotel Website
A travel addict. Still celebrating the day when he quit his high-profile corporate job to pursue his passion for travel writing.