Park Hyatt Vendome Paris Stay Report

For our two day stopover in Paris, we decided to stay at the Park Hyatt Vendome. To get there, we bought an 8.70 Euro RER ticket and it took about 45 minutes. We took the RER to Chatelet and then transferred to the 7 subway to Opera. Once there, it was a short walk to the hotel, which is on Rue de la Paix.

We got these two nights for free for taking advantage of Hyatt's Big Welcome Back promotion. This incredible promotion gave a free night at ANY Hyatt, for each two stays at ANY Hyatt during the promotion period. This means you

can stay twice at cheap Hyatt Places and in turn, you get one free night at any Hyatt- including their top tier Park Hyatt brand. We only did one mattress run at a $60/night Hyatt place in Duluth, Georgia- the other three stays were planned. In the end, we got two nights at a hotel that frequently sells regular rooms for 700 Euros a night. In addition, since I am a Hyatt Diamond, I got free internet, breakfast and a welcome amenity of decent champagne. All together, an unbelievably compelling reason to choose Hyatt for our short Paris stay.

We arrived at the hotel around noon and there was no line for check-in. The agent welcomed us to the property and confirmed our stay for two nights in a queen room. He said the room was ready, but just had to call housekeeping to confirm. Once speaking to the housekeeping staff, he told us that the mini-bar had to be checked, but that should only take a few minutes, so if we took a seat in the lobby, he'd come get us.

I was very thankful our room was ready- being able to check in early after a transatlantic flight is an upgrade in itself. At this point the lack of breakfast and jet lag were both starting to kick in, which makes me a less than desirable person. Since the room was going to be ready in a “few minutes”, we decided to wait to get to the room and then go get something to eat. However, 40 minutes went by and we heard nothing. At this point, I went back to the desk and asked another representative about our room, letting her know that we were more than fine to drop our bags and come back when it is actually ready. She called housekeeping but there was no answer. She said she'd be right over with the status so we could plan our day accordingly.

10 minutes later and no one came over. At this point, I was angry because if I knew it would have been almost an hour, we would have gone to a café for much needed food and coffee. Not wanting to cause a scene, but a little bit frustrated with the situation, I went back and spoke with our original check-in agent, who started fumbling to figure out the situation. My main point was that should have been communicated to in a clear manner since had no problem leaving the hotel and coming back if the room actually was not ready. He somewhat apologized, but then tried to back pedal and let me know that he had other guests to take care of. With this comment and his poor attitude combined with my jet lag and hunger, I was about to lose it, but miraculously our room became available at the moment. He came with us to show us the room and explain the Hyatt Diamond benefits.

Once we got to the room, all of my worries disappeared. The room had extremely high ceilings and ornate fixtures. It was high-end, but contemporary. The bathroom was split into three units- toilet, open shower and then sink/ parlor area. The queen bed was much larger than a US queen

and had comfortable sheets. The room looked out onto the courtyard, which is picturesque and lined with flowers. The internet was free (For Diamonds- normally 18 euro) and fast. Within minutes our welcome amenity of champagne, Chateau Billecart Salmon Brut (a 38 euro bottle) arrived, along with a small box of

chocolates. I took a quick shower, which was heavenly. The only weird thing about the shower was the set-up- it was in an open raised area next to the tub, with a sink and a small ledge to sit. However, the rainfall shower was a blessing after the flights and reinvigorated me to explore Paris. The last time I was in Paris, I was in college and stayed at a cheap hostel in Monmarte. I found it funny that I paid more for that hostel, than for this luxurious room.

The weather in Paris was amazing- low 80s and sunny. I was able to cover a lot of ground, though didn't do most of the tourist attractions. The two days consisted of walking around the city, eating a lot of good food (except for the time I accidentally ordered tripe sausage), Watching the World Cup games and drinking good wine.

One of the highlights of the hotel stay was the free breakfast at the hotel. Hyatt provides free breakfast for Diamond members (those who stay 25 times or 50 nights a year) when a hotel does not have a lounge. Some hotels are more generous than others with this rule- some give a certain amount per person (usually

$25) or per room. Sometimes they stipulate you must eat in the hotel restaurant- specifically excluding room service. The Park Hyatt Vendome has an incredibly generous policy of comping the entire meal, whether in the restaurant or room service (until noon). The first day we slept in late, so ordered it in the room. I ordered the “Healthy Breakfast” of smoothie, tea, fresh juice, eggs, apple compote and fresh cheese. My partner got the continental breakfast and all together the bill with tip was 103 euros. The food was as fresh and delicious as it looks in the pictures. The next day we ate in the breakfast and had the

buffet, which consisted of gourmet, fresh ingredients. I made a French version of my favorite smoked salmon, capers and cream cheese- all on a mini baguette, which was delicious. Once again the breakfast came to about 100 Euros and we made sure to tip well.
Upon check-out, I was expecting to pay for something- whether taxes or tips on meals, but the bill was zero. Amazing. No haggling required, as is at so many hotels. Overall, the value received was incredible and the stay was one of the best I've ever had- especially in Europe. I highly recommend this hotel, whether on a romantic weekend or just to see Paris.
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