The hotel is fine. Great location, though many hotels are well located in Paris.
During this visit, I had an unfortunate travel delay. Due to massive windstorms in Amsterdam (where I was arriving to Paris from), all trains were canceled from Amsterdam for an entire day. It was in the news.
I called the hotel immediately to let them know upon my train been canceled (it was about noon, when I called). They asked if I still plan to make the stay for the following evening, as I had booked for two nights. I informed them that yes, I would do what was necessary to get there.
I ended up having to pay for an additional train ticket to even make it to Paris the next day (it took me 3 trains to get there due to the back log of rebooking), all to honor the remainder of my reservation. In spite of the circumstances, Hotel de Seine insisted on charging me for the night I was forced to cancel.
As a long-standing patron of this hotel, I was thoroughly insulted. I had called as promptly as was possible about the delay. I paid for an additional train to get to Paris, in order to honor the remainder of my reservation, I would've skipped Paris altogether if I'd known this was the result. I travel Europe frequently.
I have two more reservations at this hotel in the coming months, both of which I'm contemplating canceling. If after years of what I thought of as a relationship with this hotel, they cannot simply forgive one travel misfortune, there isn't much of a relationship there to begin with.
I am a business woman, so I understand there is a bottom line. However, the host at the hotel would not confirm for me whether not they were actually able to rent the room that I had reserved anyway. My assumption, is that they were able to (in the time that I was there I saw two hopeful guests walk in with suitcases, only to be turned away because they were "fully booked", no doubt Paris is a busy city). If that is the case, then they are simply charging me to punish me. Either way, it is a bad business decision.
I am thinking maybe I should find a place more sympathetic for my future travels to Paris. read more