Alright, so I found myself needing a spot in Paris not too long ago. Went online, did a bit of scrolling, you know how it is. The Cambon Hotel popped up. Pictures looked decent enough – though you can never fully trust those, can ya? Anyway, I wasn’t in the mood for a massive search, so I just went ahead and booked it. Done and dusted.
Getting there from the airport was the usual Paris welcome. A bit of a circus. Driver seemed to think I wanted the grand tour of every backstreet, but we eventually pulled up. The hotel itself, from the outside, well, it’s Paris. Blends in. The lobby wasn’t anything huge, pretty straightforward. I just wanted to get the key and dump my bags, and thankfully, the check-in process was quick. No fuss, which I appreciated after the journey.
My Room and What I Made of It
So, I got to my room. Let’s be honest, most Paris hotel rooms, unless you’re paying an arm and a leg, are on the snug side. This one followed that script. Compact, you could call it. But, the bed was comfortable, I’ll give it that. Crashed out pretty hard the first night. The bathroom was a tight squeeze – definitely had to plan your moves in there. But the water was hot and the pressure was decent, so basics covered.
The view? Well, I looked out onto another building. Standard city stuff. Didn’t really bother me, wasn’t planning on spending my days staring out the window. One thing I did notice, and it’s common in these older buildings, the walls were a bit on the thin side. Heard a bit of muffled telly from next door, nothing major, just the sounds of life. It is what it is, right?
A few little quirks I remember:
- The elevator was one of those old-school ones. A bit creaky, had its own personality. But it worked.
- Wi-Fi, surprisingly, was pretty solid. I was streaming stuff with no problem.
- Didn’t see a kettle or a coffee maker in the room. Always a bit of a letdown for me, that first cuppa in the morning.
Around the Hotel – Staff, Breakfast, That Sort of Thing
I didn’t actually try the hotel breakfast. My usual routine in Paris is to find a little local bakery for a coffee and a croissant. Always feels more authentic, and usually cheaper too. The staff I encountered, mostly at the front desk, were polite enough. Did their job, answered my questions. No complaints there, wasn’t looking for a life story from them.
The Big Plus: Location
Now, where this place really scored points for me was the location. It was bang on. Seriously convenient. I could walk to the Tuileries Garden in no time, Place Vendôme was just around the corner, and even the Louvre wasn’t much of a trek. Meant I saved a bit on metro fares here and there. And when I did need the metro, there was a station pretty close by. Made getting out and about to see the sights really easy, which, let’s face it, is what you’re in Paris for.
So, What’s the Final Word?
Look, the Cambon Hotel, it’s not the fanciest place I’ve ever stayed. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea if you’re after plush carpets and a butler. But it was clean, it was comfortable enough for a good night’s sleep, and the location was spot on. It did the job it needed to do: gave me a decent base to explore Paris from.
It had that old Parisian building vibe, which comes with its own set of charms and, yeah, minor inconveniences like the thin walls. But nothing that ruined my trip. If you’re after a practical, no-frills place in a great central spot, you could do a lot worse. I got in, got some rest, saw what I wanted to see, and got out. No drama. And sometimes, that’s all you need from a hotel.
