GlobalSpy
Google
My wife and I finished our recent vacation to France with two nights at the Maison Albar - Le Vendome. The service throughout this hotel is excellent, from the bellman, to the front desk, to the housekeeping staff, to the restaurant staff. We were warmly greeted throughout the hotel and I really thought the service stood out at this hotel. The hotel's location is very convenient, near several metro stops and the Galeries Lafayette shopping mall. We stayed in room 405, and found it large enough where the two of us didn't feel like we were constantly tripping over each other. It's best suited for a couple. The room lighting was easy to control, the bed was large and comfortable, the pillows were great, and the room was very clean. The bathroom includes a large walk-in shower, two sinks, a vanity mirror, and lots of towels. Housekeeping made it feel like we were coming back to a brand new room after a long day walking around town. Although we only tried the restaurant for breakfast, we were very happy with the experience. The Vendome breakfast included a selection of breads, juice, coffee/tea, yogurt, fruit, omelette, and pancakes. You can certainly find a cheaper breakfast elsewhere, or you can choose from their a la carte menu if you're looking for something smaller/lighter, but if your room rate includes breakfast or if you are using a credit card benefit, it's a great option. The basement of the hotel includes a fitness center and a spa. The fitness center is quite small, but comes equipped with three cardio machines, free weights, and one machine where you can do lat pull downs, chest press, leg extensions, etc. The room was clean and did not appear to be heavily used; I never saw anybody exercising during several visits to the basement of the hotel. But it will be a tight fit if there is ever more than three people in the room at once. The only (slight) disappointment during our stay was the spa. It offers a large indoor pool, a jacuzzi, lots of comfortable seating, a sensory shower, a Vichy shower, and a steam room. During our visit, the sensory shower was under construction, and the steam room did not meet our expectations for cleanliness. My wife found herself using the sprayer to wash away debris on the floor, and green mildew was clearly visible on the floor under the sitting area. The steam room did not provide the relaxing environment that we were looking for, and as a result, we were also hesitant to use the Vichy shower. But we felt that this was a fairly minor issue that did not detract from the great experience we had at the hotel. In conclusion, I highly recommend this hotel for someone looking to enjoy a relaxing, upscale experience during their visit to Paris. I'd like to recognize Gulzina at the front desk; she was very attentive to me and my wife, not only during check-in but throughout our stay. She provides great customer service and is an asset to the hotel! Thank you for making our final stop in France such an enjoyable experience!