Novotel Paris La Défense Esplanade

“Novotel”

We stayed here while our son went to the PSG Academy Camp. Hotel was near a business district and a shopping mall (about a 15 min walk) so there were a lot of places to eat. The one thing we had some trouble with was catching a taxi from here. It is a little far from the main part of the city but … more

We stayed here while our son went to the PSG Academy Camp. Hotel was near a business district and a shopping mall (about a 15 min walk) so there were a lot of places to eat. The one thing we had some trouble with was catching a taxi from here. It is a little far from the main part of the city but I didn't think it was going to be that hard to catch a ride from this area. Room was comfortable and big enough for the 3 of us. We had a queen bed and a pull out couch. We were able to eat breakfast and lunch here on some days which was good, i especially loved the bread (why not!!!???!? it was delicious!!!). Service here was great, the staff was very friendly and helpful.

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“Mixed review but helped a lot by some of the lovely staff”

We stayed here for a few days' break from the UK for a family holiday in Paris. I know this is not the obvious choice but we had our reasons for choosing a business hotel in the corporate district- and those paid off. The location is great as it is right on the main metro line, though it does tak… more

We stayed here for a few days' break from the UK for a family holiday in Paris. I know this is not the obvious choice but we had our reasons for choosing a business hotel in the corporate district- and those paid off. The location is great as it is right on the main metro line, though it does take a while to get to central. The area is a concrete jungle but this was perfect for our child who is obsessed with skating and scooting. It meant he could scoot for ages freely in big open spaces. If you want a charming French neighbourhood, this is not it. It was also very safe, close to business cafes and the nearby Westfield and associated shops. Very urban but also pleasant and friendly with green spaces to walk and relax in. On a hill so got great views across the Seine, the Eiffel and Sacre Coeur in the distance. Walking to the metro or shops gave a great view of the Arc d'Triomphe behind you. The Oxygen complex in the metro had a couple of lovely cafes and restaurants which we enjoyed, and a great little trattoria further up- amazing home made desserts and pizzas. The hotel, facilities, room- this hotel is extremely outdated and is not luxury in any way. The furnishings and facilities are old, faded, basic and rickety. This did incentivise us to leave the room more! The sofa bed/camp beds were awful, TV super old, towels thin and worn, that sort of thing. It is all in need of major facelift and repair. Some of the staff meant well but said they could not help- but when we escalated concerns, things did get done. I think the staff were the best thing about the place- it is possibly unpleasant and frustrating to work there- I do agree with other reviews that the Greem bar staff were rude for example and took a while to do things- but I don't really blame them. The receptionists were obliging and helpful, particularly Julie (or was it Celine?) who was an absolute delight and went above and beyond to help us with a couple of challenging things- as was the other staff member, a young man who appeared to be at manager level. Thank you very much to both of you for all your help. It made all the difference in the world. The restaurant manager (I didn't get his name) was also super lovely and helpful with our child's needs- they really made our stay enjoyable. Just a shame about the facilities really.

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