Le 1ᵉʳ Étage SoPi - Montmartre — Hotel in Paris

Probably the worst hotel I've ever stayed in: the room flooded overnight, it's infested by bedbugs and the couple that manage the hotel are more interested in blaming guests than making things right. All this for the bargain price of 350 euros/night. Avoid unless the prospect of staying in France's answer to Fawlty Towers appeals to you.

More on our tale of woe: we booked a two-night stay at 1er Etage SoPi for the Paris Olympics. We didn't plan on spending much time in the hotel as we had a pretty packed schedule, so all we really needed was a half-decent place to crash in the evenings.

The first sign of problems was when the air conditioner would not turn on despite our best efforts. Hotel air conditioning is often quirky and the hotel was unstaffed by the time we arrived, so we didn't have time to investigate further as we were going out for dinner. Pretty annoying in the middle of a heatwave, but we figured we'd just ask about it at breakfast the next day.

Fast-forward to 4 in the morning and I wake up feeling incredibly itchy. I realise that I have a rather large number of bite clusters on my arms and torso, which could only have come from the hotel; I'd intentionally been wearing long-sleeved shirts outside to protect myself from the sun.

Needless to say I didn't sleep much more that night; far from ideal when you're supposed to be enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime experience! My partner wakes up a few hours later and notices lots of bites on her body, too. Great.

We then turned the lights on and noticed that the room had flooded overnight. This was the final straw. We immediately packed our bags, pointed to the flooding and informed the hotel manager, Juliette, that we were leaving.

Juliette was obviously aware that the air conditioner had issues and was leaky; she then put us through to her husband, Serge, on the phone. Serge put on an impressive display of guest-blaming: "why didn't you tell us, you turned the temperature down too low [!], I tested it yesterday morning so it must've been your fault...".

Hilariously, Juliette denied that the room could possibly have bedbugs because it was "cleaned every day". I find it hard to believe that she could possibly be so clueless; cleaning alone won't eliminate bedbugs, and anyone in the hotel industry should know that. I've since had it confirmed by a doctor that the "cluster" of bites we received (unfortunately Google won't allow me to upload the pics but they’re in my TripAdvisor review) is consistent with bedbug feeding patterns.

(For some reason Juliette thought it was appropriate to ask my partner to show all her bites! Uh...)

All this was within about 15 hours of our arrival, so naturally I ask for a refund as we're leaving for another (non-disgusting) hotel. Serge refuses and says they can only refund the second night as an act of "goodwill", even though we left at 9 in the morning so the room was completely unoccupied the entire time. Except by bedbugs of course...

Speaking of bedbugs, a) the hotel management is quite proud of the fact that they've sourced various second-hand items to place in the room, b) there's also nowhere to put luggage in the room besides the floor, and c) it's extremely dark in the room itself. A quick Google reveals that this is basically like an open invite to bedbugs. Pretty disgusting!

Anyway, you should (obviously) avoid this absolute joke of a hotel. Luckily I paid with AmEx so I'll be getting my money back through their disputes process, but we've still had to spend a few days steam cleaning all our luggage and clothes in order to avoid bringing bedbugs back to our home. My friends and colleagues are avoiding me for now, too. Can't say I blame them.

Edit to reply to the hotel owner’s response: I think your incoherent reply speaks for itself really… and I love the blatant lie about us having breakfast in your hovel. Hilarious also to claim that someone in my position (feel free to Google for my name) has time to waste “extorting” hotels as a side venture while attending the Olympics. Have fun with...

A Truly Wonderful Stay at 1er Etage SoPi|Stayed: April 3–6, 2025 | Guests: Tom & Siri||We had an absolutely fantastic stay at 1er Etage SoPi and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a stylish, peaceful, and personal hotel experience in Paris.||From the very first contact, communication with the hotel was smooth, friendly, and professional. The staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome, both before and during our stay.||Our room was spotless, modern, and beautifully decorated in a unique French style that perfectly combined charm and comfort. The bed was exceptionally comfortable, with high-quality pillows and duvets that made it hard to get up in the morning! We also appreciated the spacious French balcony, which allowed us to get some fresh air, and the well-functioning air conditioning made the room comfortable at all times.||The breakfast room was small and intimate, creating a cozy and relaxed atmosphere to start the day. A varied and delicious breakfast was served every morning with plenty of fresh options. We also loved the communal areas, where guests could help themselves to coffee, tea, and water throughout the day – a thoughtful and appreciated touch.||The location in Montmartre was another highlight. The neighborhood felt authentic, calm, and safe, with charming streets, excellent restaurants, and easy access to central Paris.||All in all, 1er Etage SoPi exceeded our expectations in every way. It’s a hidden gem that combines boutique hotel charm with exceptional service and comfort. We’ll definitely be returning on our next...

A Truly Wonderful Stay at 1er Etage SoPi Stayed: April 3–6, 2025 | Guests: Tom & Siri

We had an absolutely fantastic stay at 1er Etage SoPi and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a stylish, peaceful, and personal hotel experience in Paris.

From the very first contact, communication with the hotel was smooth, friendly, and professional. The staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome, both before and during our stay.

Our room was spotless, modern, and beautifully decorated in a unique French style that perfectly combined charm and comfort. The bed was exceptionally comfortable, with high-quality pillows and duvets that made it hard to get up in the morning! We also appreciated the spacious French balcony, which allowed us to get some fresh air, and the well-functioning air conditioning made the room comfortable at all times.

The breakfast room was small and intimate, creating a cozy and relaxed atmosphere to start the day. A varied and delicious breakfast was served every morning with plenty of fresh options. We also loved the communal areas, where guests could help themselves to coffee, tea, and water throughout the day – a thoughtful and appreciated touch.

The location in Montmartre was another highlight. The neighborhood felt authentic, calm, and safe, with charming streets, excellent restaurants, and easy access to central Paris.

All in all, 1er Etage SoPi exceeded our expectations in every way. It’s a hidden gem that combines boutique hotel charm with exceptional service and comfort. We’ll definitely be returning on our next...