Style & Character
Ekta Hotel definitely attracts attention due to its décor and will intrigue you from the moment you spot its glass and tiles mosaic facade. It’s very stylish and displays a dominance of black and white with startling canary yellow splashes. Décor is actually inspired from the 70’s iconic Jean-Philippe Nuel and Natasha Stojkovic with a classic Parisian touch.
The Ekta shuns excesses and relies on straight angular lines in its furniture, framed pictures, objects de art. The splashes of color and giant white lights on the ceiling are the predominant accents that run through the entire hotel including breakfast room, lobby, staircase and rooms. The Coco Chanel designed mirror laden spiral staircase is definitely the highlight of the hotel and there is a rather nice communal terrace garden too.
This is a privately run 3 star design hotel and the property (5 floored building) is neat, well maintained and is serviced by an elevator.
Rooms
The 23 Rooms are divided into Classic, Superior, Elegance, Terraced Suite, Prestige Suite etc. The classic rooms are 12 sq.m and have street views. The superior rooms are a bit larger at 14 sq.m and have rainbow themes…these have two single beds that can be joined and offer the Arc de Triomphe view from the windows. The Elegance rooms are large (19 sq.m) and have nice retro décor with calming lights. These have 2 single beds.
The 2 deluxe rooms are larger (20 sq.m) and are on the ground floor and have accessible features. The comfort deluxe rooms (17 sq.m) are also 1970’s décor style and have double beds along with a bath tub and shower in the bathroom. Elegance terrace room (there is only 1) is on the hotel top floor (16 sq.m) and you have sort of private access of the terrace. The option of having Cocktails and lunch with Champs Elysees views and a bathtub in the bathroom are its special features.
The classic terrace room is 22 sq.m and has a supersized Italian bed, bathtub in the bathroom along with private terrace access. There are 4 classic suites (26 sq.m) that can accommodate 4 people and these have a double bed and a sofa cum bed for two. These are close to the Arc de Triomphe Street and each one has a bathroom with bath tub and shower.
There is only one terraced suite (26 sq.m) and this has a homely yet elegant feel and is best suited for a group of 4/ family looking for privacy. There are two rooms; one with a sofa bed and another with a double bed and a terrace with Champs Elysees views. There is only 1 bathroom though…with an Italian tub and shower.
Common amenities include smart TV, USB charging ports and Nespresso coffee machine. Bathrobe, slippers and electric kettle (with tea and coffee kits) are also provided. Bathrooms have hot water facilities, Italian style shower, toiletry kits and only a few of them have bath tubs. There is a minibar (stocked but payable) and a desk-chair and lamp along with a closet. Rooms with a terrace or balcony have upholstered seats on them. Expect to be impressed by the framed prints, lovely lights and yellow accents….very modern and minimalist so don’t expect IKEA ambience.
Amenities & Service
The rooms are kept quite neat and clean and the staff replenishes toiletries and changes sheets with diligence. If there is a fault with the room fittings or some other issue the staff seems to want to go that extra mile to take care of stuff. The whole hotel is air conditioned (reversible) and Wi Fi enabled.
There is a 24x 7 operational front desk and concierge service is also available…the staff is multilingual and speak good English. The hotel is completely nonsmoking . The management strictly ensures that extra people aren’t accommodated in a room (apart from what is formally specified) if not intimated in advance. Room service is available from 6.00 p.m. to 12.00 a.m. Laundry and dry cleaning is available at an added charge. The lobby supplies free national and international magazines/ newspapers.
The staff is good at making guests feel warm and welcomed and they are well spoken, well dressed and adept at getting documents printed, providing directions, planning schedules, booking cabs and drawing out maps etc. You may however find the hotel a little understaffed especially during peak season. The concierge Christopher is an asset every hotel would be proud of.
There is parking outside the hotel though you have to pay somewhat steeply for it (30 Euros per night). Airport transfers are available on request and on prior intimation and that’s payable too. Unlike many hotels of this price range the Ekta is friendly towards guests with reduced mobility…the bathrooms and bedrooms on the ground floor have accessible features.
Food & Drinks
There is a standard European breakfast served in the stylish and modern breakfast room every morning from 7.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Expect meat cuts, pastries, cheeses and super fresh bread (baguettes, croissants too) and a good flow of cereals, fruits, juice and hot beverages. Breakfast is chargeable at 14 euro per person. However there is free coffee and tea in the afternoons and mornings.
There is also a nespresso machine in every room and a small and stylish common bar but apart from that there isn’t a proper restaurant in house. There are a bunch of cafes round the corner and a Mac Donald right across the street. Although the hotel doesn’t have a proper bar/ restaurant but you can bring some stuff from the supermarkets (there are 2 nearby including a Monoprix) and cook some of your own meals in the kitchenette (only suites have this).
You will find lots of nice restaurants around. Check out Etoile Marocaine (rue Gailelee) for Moroccan food and L’Atelier des Comperes (same location) for French cuisine. Pages on rue Aigustee offers European food while rue Vernet has Le V and Jacopo (classy French lunch places). For coffee check out the Nespresso Boutique on Champs Elysses and for Sushi go to Miss Ko on avenue George V.
Check out the Bagels at Bagelstein (Marceau Avenue) and the salads at Comptoir de l’Arc (same road). The Champs Elysees area is full of amazing wine bars and restaurants and some visit worthy destinations are Flora Danica (Scandinavian food), L’Atelier de Joel (fine dining and wine), Copenhague (Nordic food) and Pizza Vesuvio.
The stylish Marceau Avenue has amazing places too, like Josephine, Pret A Manger (good breakfast place), Upper Cremerie and Casa Luca (Italian food). Other restaurant rich streets are Avenue George V and rue Quentin Bauchart.
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Location & How To Reach
The Ekta is located in the lovely rue Galilee in the 16th arrondisment of Paris. This area contains grand embassies (security is a strong point), offices, palaces and some of the most spectacular architecture of Paris. This is a location which will appeal to the business traveler, shopper as well as tourist as it’s on the junction of the business and fashion belts of Paris.
The nearest metro stations are Georges V which is about 3-4 minute walk (metro line goes to Louvre, Eiffel etc.) and Charles de Gaulle Etoile which is about 8-10 minute walk (goes to Disneyland). The Gare De Lyon Station (7 km) and Gare Du Nord Station (5.6 km) are both far but they do have direct access by RER A metro and RER B metro respectively.
Easiest (and affordable way) to transfer to hotel from the CDG airport (25 km away) is to take a RER A till Charles de Gaulle Etoile station. Alternatively you can use the air France shuttle near arc De Triomphe. The RER service is useful for reaching many attractions from the hotel like Disneyland that’s reachable by half an hour ride using line A
You can reach some major Parisian attractions like Place de l’Etoile, Arc de Triomphe within 5 minutes from the hotel. Famous and beautiful avenues Marceau, Iéna, Montaigne, etc. are nearby…they are great for people watching, café sprees or just photography. Wander through the Baron Haussmann designed 19th century streets and take a longish walk to the right banks of the Siene. Visit the Grand Palais, Petit Palais, Eiffel tower and entertain yourself with Top Parisian nighlife hubs like Publicis Cinema, Lido, Laduree le Bar, Club 79, Le Bar etc.
It’s easy to go on splurge shopping sprees to the elegant upscale boutiques on Avenue Montaigne and the concept stores on the Champs Elysées. The Louis Vuitton flagship store is right around the corner and so is Cartier, Chanel, Burberry, H& M, GAP, Sephora etc. There are great shopping malls here like Galerie Des Arcades and Chiara. Kids will revel at the prospect of baby GAP and Disney stores.
You will find the Paris Museum of modern art, Fashion museum, Musee d’Orsay, Musee Jacquemart Andre, Musee Baccarat etc. all within walking distance of the hotel.
52 Rue Galilée, 75008 Paris
Phone: +33 1 53 76 09 05; Hotel Website
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A travel addict. Still celebrating the day when he quit his high-profile corporate job to pursue his passion for travel writing.