Hotel review: Radisson Blu Le Metropolitan, Paris Eiffel

We just finished up six nights in two different Radisson Blu hotels in Paris – four nights at Le Metropolitan, Paris Eiffel and two at the Champs Elysees.

While we had really good experiences at each of these hotels, the absolute best part is that they were completely free. This is due to the glory of points and miles: both Josh and I got a Club Carlson Visa card last year and we were able to rack up a ton of points due to some great Club Carlson promos. This meant that we were able to get two rooms for six nights, all on points.

If we had paid cash for these rooms, we would have paid around $3,000 for all of this. Instead, we paid $0.

Awesome.

While I really liked both properties, my favorite was Le Metropolitan. Maybe my preference was influenced by the view…

We first arrived at this hotel directly off a not-so-great 10-hour flight from Beijing. We were exhausted and hungry and disoriented.

The staff welcomed us heartily and made us feel completely at home. This is a small hotel – 48 rooms – and it truly feels intimate and boutique-y. The friendly staff have a lot to do with the vibe, which I would describe as “urban chic.”

I had emailed ahead of time to reserve two connecting rooms, so that is what we got. One of the rooms was a “Classic” room, and the other was a “Deluxe” room.

In true French form, the way the rooms connected was a bit quirky. The door in the hallway connects to a tiny anteroom, which opens onto two separate doors. It’s hard to capture with a photo, but I did my best.

This is an interesting setup, because it means that the two rooms are a little more removed from each other than normal. Our kids are old enough that it was not a problem at all, but it is definitely something to consider if you need to have a close eye on the room next door.

The decor in the rooms was very modern, and the rooms were very small.

The Deluxe room is just slightly larger than the Classic room, but the few extra feet make a big difference.

The bathroom is also larger in the Deluxe room, and features a tub-over-shower combo instead of just a shower.

Another quirky aspect of the Deluxe room is that it had a large window that looked out on a courtyard. If the curtain was open, people in the courtyard had a full view of the bathroom.

The bathtub was very deep, and the water was super hot – perfect for a long soak after a day of sightseeing.

While the rooms were VERY small, they were also very comfortable.

I cannot say enough about the wonderful staff at this property. They were so accommodating and helpful throughout both of our stays. We spilled a glass of red wine on one of our beds one night, and they could not have been more gracious about the entire thing, which was just so nice.

There is a small swimming pool and Hamaam (steam room) in the basement of this hotel, which is another quirky surprise.

This was fantastic for the rainy days we had – it was nice to warm up in the steam room and just relax on the lounge chairs while it was pouring rain outside.

Another wonderful aspect of this hotel is the location. There is just something magical about walking out the front door and seeing a postcard-worthy view of the Eiffel Tower in front of you.

In addition there is a great grocery store literally across the street, a fromage shop just steps away, and a butcher where they sell fresh spit-roasted chicken a few steps farther than that. There is also a laundromat about twenty feet from the hotel in case you have been traveling for awhile (this was a godsend for us).

Basically the hotel feels pretty neighborhoody, and very welcoming. I would not hesitate to stay here again, and it’s a great value if you have the Club Carlson Visa card (pay for one night with points, get the second night for free).

Have you stayed in the Radisson Blu Le Metropolitan? What did you think?