My husband and I stayed at the Renaissance twice in 10 days during our vacation in France and the end of March & the first week of April. The first stay was 5 nights and then we returned for an additional two nights at the end of our trip. I am a Platinum Marriott guest, so this does influence my reviews of Marriott properties because I tend to receive additional perks that may not be included. I will try to point these out.
First, I cannot recommend this hotel enough. The service and friendliness of the front desk staff as well as the navigators (concierge) was top notch. We stopped by the navigator desk at least twice per day for help with directions or restaurant recommendations, and we never had to wait long. They were always happy to help and all spoke fluent English. The staff in the restaurant were also very friendly. We ate breakfast every morning in the restaurant because as a Platinum guest, it was complimentary. They do not have a Concierge Lounge. The buffet had a wide selection of fruits/cereals/breads/yogurts/juices and a hot buffet line. It is exactly the same every day, so if you're there for a while it does tend to get old very quickly. If you have to pay for it, it was about 30 euro for the full buffet, and I would not have paid for it. We did not eat lunch or dinner at the restaurant so I cannot comment on the rest of the food offerings. They do have American coffee but you have to ask for it specifically & it's hit or miss depending on the day. They also had a machine for other coffee drinks but it was frequently in need of attention from the staff to fix it.
The location of this hotel is spectacular. It is about a 3 minute walk to the major Metro stop Charles de Gaulle Etoile which connects to pretty much everything in the city. We used it the entire time we were in Paris, and it was so easy (we are not subway users at home but had virtually no trouble using it). Taxis are very expensive here so I highly recommend the Metro. In the station at the kiosk, buy books of 10 tickets for a significant savings if you plan to be in Paris for a while or have multiple people. You need 1 ticket per person for every trip so they go quickly. Buying in bulk saves you about 5 euros if I remember correctly. It is also about a 3 minute walk to the Arc de Triomphe and another 2 minutes to the Champs Elysee. I was so glad that we chose to stay at the Renaissance rather than the Marriott located on the Ch Elysee. Our street was so peaceful and had a nice pub where we sat and had a beer a couple of days. The CE is packed with people and noise at all hours of the day and night. Because we used points, I had a hard time deciding which hotel to pick. I am so glad that we picked the Renaissance due to the proximity to the Metro stop and the lack of crowds at the end of a tiring day of touring. We are also big walkers so we walked home (at night--very safe) from the Eiffel Tower twice, and from the Louvre area at least 3 times. Each is about a 30 minute walk from the hotel.
We had two different rooms while at the hotel. Our first room was on points with a cash upgrade. It pained me greatly to pay it, but it was the only way to get a room at this hotel during that timeframe.(I do believe that it was worth paying to stay here rather than staying at the Marriott for free). Our room was very nicely sized (would compare to any American hotel room) with ample closet space, a comfortable bed, floor to ceiling windows, and a huge & very modern bathroom. We only had a shower with the dreaded half door. My husband and I had several adventures with the shower because it had both a rainhead and handheld nozzle. When you turn it on, the nozzle immediately engages and shoots water EVERYWHERE. No matter how careful you are, water escapes the shower and leaks onto the floor so don't keep anything close that you don't want to wet. The wifi was quick and reliable and it was also free for us as Platinum guests. I don't remember the cost, but I believe it was pretty high.
Our second room was amazing. They upgraded us to a room on the 8th floor with a terrace and a stunning view of the Eiffel Tower & Arc de Triomphe. Some of our best pictures came from the balcony. Upon arrival, we had a bottle of red & white wine waiting. Every night during our 7 days there, we came back to different candies & trinkets (common to every room I think). We also received 3 larger boxes of candies and book (Platinum gifts I believe) It was a very nice and appreciated touch. I've never stayed at any hotel in the world that gives as many turndown and free gifts. Do not put the Privacy sign on your door! You want to get the stuff!
We ate at two neighborhood restaurants that were recommended by our concierge and were about a 5 min walk. The first is Brasserie Lorraine, and we ate there twice because it is one of the only places open very late. It had very good food, and our service was terrific. Very friendly waiters who spoke English and provided us with English menus. The food was great and could be very expensive or not so bad depending on what you ordered. Their quiche made for a filling late dinner, and the carafe of red wine (13 euro) was really good. We also ate at Del Papa, a tradional Italian restaurant with good food, nice service, English menus, and reasonable prices. I would recommend either restaurant if you want to eat close to the hotel.
In conclusion, I would give this hotel 6 stars. The location is the best, the service was terrific, and the rooms are quiet/large/comfortable. Don't hesitate to stay here and if using points, pick this over the Marriott. You won't be sorry.
