More about Hotel De Castiglione
Excellent Location, Comfortable Accomodation
by Strombus about Hotel de Castiglione
I spent 3 nights in this hotel in October, 2010.
It is located in the Champs-Elysées district, on a street parallel with the elegant Champs Elysées and close to the Madeleine church and the Concorde square (Place de la Concorde). The Palais de l'Elysée, the president's residence is also on this street. Metro is nearby - but many sights (Louvre, Tuileries garden, Arc de Triomphe, Grand Palais, etc.) are in easy walking distance, it is worth to walk in this nice neighborhood. I walked to the Notre Dame, the Musée d' Orsay, the Champ-de-Mars (nice park with a great view to the Eiffel tower) from here, too.
Some good, but pricy restaurants are also nearby.
The room was regular European size. The beds were very comfortable, firm enough with good pillows and comforters. The window had motorized shutter, providing complete darkness, that we liked. Our room was facing in some courtyard, so it was very quiet.
The bathroom was fantastic. Both shower and a large, very comfortable bathtub with adequate lighting.
The temperature in the room was perfect, too.
Breakfast was included in the price. Plenty of croissants and other fine French pastries, ham, cheeses, jam, the usual on a buffet table. we didn't try the restaurant at night.
The waitstaff was noting special, the front desk and house keeping staff was friendly. They spoke English. The hotel is close to the US Embassy, so they probably get a lot of American guests here.
Everything was nice and clean.
There are two small elevators serving the guests, running pretty slowly.
There is one computer in the lobby where one can access internet free of charge. The French keyboard can be tricky for some. One has to pay for printing, it is pretty expensive. I didn't find wi-fi, at least nothing for free. Great location.
Excellent, huge bathroom.
Don't be afraid !
by A TripAdvisor Member
My wife and I have just returned from a short break at the Hotel de Castiglione and I can honestly say that the hotel is nowhere near as bad as it has been made out to be in some of the reviews on this site. True, the reception and bedroom were slighly 'bijou' but the staff were all friendly, helpful and spoke excellent English.
The room we stayed in was basic for a 4-star rated hotel but was clean and warm. The bathroom was very nice, marble on all of the walls and floor, and there was plenty of hot water. The bed was comfortable, but the rest of the furniture may not be to everyone's taste and could do with being replaced in the near future. The mini-bar was over-priced but that is only to be expected in any city centre hotel ; it was 5 Euros for a can of Coke but, if you have more expensive taste, 25 Euros for a half bottle of champagne !
The breakfast was excellent, with a good choice of croissants / pastries, fresh fruit & yoghurt, cereals, cold meat and cheeses, tea and coffee or fruit juices ; a good start to a hard day's sight-seeing.
Finally, the location of the hotel is perfect for just about everywhere you could want to go. The Concorde Metro is 2 minutes walk, as is the bottom end of the Champs Elysee (fancy shops) and the Rue de Rivoli (touristy shops). For the money we paid the hotel was fine ; if you want a fancy 4-star then pay the money !
Great restaurants in central Paris
by Stasigrace about Various
I have several restaurants to recommend:
L'Ardoise: 30 euros for prix-fixe lunch. Seems expensive but my husband had escargot & lobster (plus dessert) for that. Inexpensive & decent house wine. Located on rue du Mont Thabor, a small street just north of rue de Rivoli, near rue de Castiglione (1er).
Chez Katy(?) on rue Jean Jacques Rosseau: not sure of name but it's the only Coucous place called Chez-woman's-name. Really good food and we had three courses + wine for 38 euros total (for two people!). 1 or 2 er: near Les Halles & La Bourse.
Cafe at Orsay with big clock in it. Reasonably priced for museum fare, and good, too.
Dame Tartine by the Stravinsky Fountain. Great view of Pompidou & fountain.
Les Philosophes in Marais. Trendy crowd but also good food.
Lescure: at end of Mont Tabor (where it meets rue Mondovi), off Rivoli. Good food, very nice staff, 3 courses each and a BOTTLE of wine for 40 euros!
Androuet: rue St. Roch around corner from church.
La Sourdiere, on rue of same name. Not far from church of St. Roch. Tiny place but very "mom and pop" bistro. L'Ardoise: white asparagus, lobster risotto, escargots, dessert.
Chez Katy (?): lentil salad, couscous w/merguez.
Orsay Cafe: tartine w/tomato, feta, etc., on Poilane bread. Tasty and comes with big salad.
Dame Tartine: grilled veggie tartine or croque monsieur.
Les Philosophes: duck breast, gazpacho, peach/mango tart.
Lescure: beef bourgignone (sorry for the spelling) was delicious even on a hot day!
Androuet: definitely have the cheese tasting.
La Sourdiere: delicious filet of duck breast. Also had a great dessert called Colonel that was a very tart lemon sorbet served with a couple shots of vodka (I poured on sorbet--not sure if that was correct).
Walking from place to place in Les Tuileries
by Jefie
Place de la Concorde is of course one of the most beautiful squares to be seen in Paris, but there are other squares, or "places", located within walking distance of Place de la Concorde in the Tuileries area. Here's a quick itinerary that will lead you from place to place:
Starting at la Concorde, you can walk down the beautiful rue de Rivoli along the Tuileries gardens until you reach rue Castiglione. This street leads to Place Vendome, a square that was originally built to surround a statue of Louis XIV, which ended up being replaced by a statue of Napoleon because of the French Revolution. The beautiful buildings of Place Vendome are home to some of Paris's finest jewelry and exclusive designer boutiques.
From Place Vendome you can retrace your steps and turn left onto rue St-Honore. At the corner of St-Honore and St-Roch you'll see St-Roch church, which was built under Louis XIV. With its 126 m, it is almost as long as Notre-Dame, and French writers Corneille (Le Cid) and Diderot (Jacques le Fataliste) were buried there.
Going back on St-Honore, you'll see the Place des Pyramides along with its monument to Joan of Arc on your right. Keep walking down St-Honore until you reach the Palais-Royal, home to the French national theatre "La Comedie Francaise". You can walk through the Palais-Royal's beautiful gardens, which are surrounded by fancy restaurants, boutiques and art galleries. This will take you to rue des Petits-Champs. Turn right and you will soon reach Place des Victoires, yet another beautiful square built to house a statue of Louis XIV that was again destroyed during the Revolution.
Retrace your steps and walk up rue des Petits-Champs until you reach rue de Richelieu, and turn left. At the corner of Richelieu and Moliere you'll see the Fontaine Moliere, dedicated to the famous French playwright who lived and died near that spot, in his house on rue de Richelieu.
Avoid At All Costs
by A TripAdvisor Member
All I can say is avoid this hotel at all costs. As a Christmas gift, my mother decided to take my daughter and me to Paris for spring break. We left for Paris on March 23rd and after a very delayed flight arrived in Paris. I was somewhat nervous after reading reviews on this site. My mother assured me that the hotel was perfectly fine, she enjoyed it many years ago. I guess many years ago is the operative phrase.
When we arrived at the hotel, the lobby smelled. I couldn't quite figure out what it smelled like, but it was not pleasant. We were told our room wasn't ready, which we were prepared for. Then they tried to pressure us into taking a room with a double bed and a rollaway. No thank you. I'm not sharing a bed with anyone. They kept telling us what a nice room it was. No thank you, we reserved a triple and we need a room with three beds. So all of a sudden a room with three beds is available and ready.
Off we go to the elevator. The elevator was about the size of two old fashioned phone booths stuck together. Walking in, the three of us were lined up front to back and barely fit. Being somewhate claustrophobic, I did not lilke this at all. Up to the fourth floor. The halls were dark and dingy with stuff lying around. It looked like the perfect setting for an old film noire murder mystery.
Next we get to the room. Words cannot do it justice. First off, it is dark as anything and we couldn't get the lights to turn on. To operate the lights you must insert your room key in a device near the door and leave it there! That just gave me visions of hotels with hourly rates that charge extra for sheets. Now the lights are on, I think it would have been better to stay in the dark.
The room was very small. It was a L shpe with two beds on one side and the third bed in the end of the L. The beds were so low to the floor you could hardly get up from them. The room was filthy. The spreads and carpet were stained beyond repair. The wallpaper was peeling and had things growing on it. There was a large stained glass fixture on the wall with a light behind it. The area was filled with giant bugs, larger than a fifty-cent piece!
Now to the bathroom. Ugh! Missing tiles, mold growing, no shower curtain. Dirty towels. My daughter was afraid to use the toilet!
The worst part of all was the smell. It smelled of smoke, mold and who knows what else. My mother and I both have asthma and we were choking in minutes. We literally could not breathe. We walked down to the lobby and noticed that each floor of the hotel smelled. At that point we did not want to deal with finding another room in the hotel. We were so turned off by the first.
We set out in the pouring rain to find the Paris Office of Tourism with hopes of finding another hotel. We eventually found the office, but the hotels they offered did not seem too promising. In the meantime we passed Le Grand Hotel Inter-Continental. We went back there and they were able to accommodate us.
We went back to De Castiglione to get our luggage. As we were going to the elevator, the maid cursed at us. Something when we checked out! So, this is definitely a hotel to be avoided at all costs.
A wonderful Hotel
by A TripAdvisor Member
I stayed at the Castiglione for several days in the middle of February 2005 and was very satisfied with everything about the hotel. Yes, the rug in my room was slightly worn. The grout in the bathroom needed to be replaced. But the room was clean and comfortable. But this is Europe. If you want a sterile, characterless hotel with absolutely no charm (and no sense of Europe) don't stay here. The staff were terrific and helpful. I was pleased with my experience.
Great Location for Shopping!!!
by A TripAdvisor Member
I just came back from Paris on Feb.7th. I was apprehensive after reading all the bad reviews, but to my surprise, everything was perfect for my trip. The room is clean and well appointed for an European hotel. The staff was pretty helpful, friendly and almost all spoke English, as the extent of my French consist of yes, no, thank you, and do you speak english. The gentleman at the front desk assisted us with dinner reservation at Market(trendy and good food), and George(great view). We were very thankful. The location is the major selling point of this hotel. It is in the middle of everything. We walked everywhere.
Lastly, if shopping is your thing, this hotel is it. Chanel, YSL, Hermes, Tods, Cartier, etc.. is only a stone toss away. I am planning another trip and would definitely stay here again.
Very cetral location
by A TripAdvisor Member
A little apprehensive initially due to some of the reviews read. Do not be alarmed. Not a great hotel by any standards but if you are looking for a place to rest between sight seeing and other outings this is an ideal location. The hotel is clean, comfortable and the staff is most helpful. But its biggest assest is its location.
Highly recommended for the middle earner.
Not for claustrophobes
by TripAdvisor Member Swindoneric
Great location, friendly enough staff but the bedroom is tiny - About 12" between the bed and the window. Was on business so needed some space to work. Staff great though - very helpful and would stay there if in Paris for pleasure.
Forum Posts
Hotel De Castiglione
by guilarte
My travel Agent made Res. for us at this Hotel De Castiglione for August.
I wonder if anyone who has stayed there can tell em if it is a good hotel? Good Air Cond? Thanks.
RE: Hotel De Castiglione
by CALSF
There are quite a few very mixed comments, some pretty recent.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187147-d228689-Reviews-De_Castiglione_Hotel-Paris_Ile_de_France.html
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