Le Sénat — Hotel in Paris

Hotel Le Sénat was the perfect little hotel in Paris for my husband and me. Our travel agent in the US booked the room for us as part of our travel package, and it was a great choice as it was so centrally located - walkable distance to a few iconic sites like the Notre Dame, Pantheon, Luxembourg Gardens, Musee D'Orsay, the Louvre, the Seine River. There was a convenience store across the street that stayed open till about 9 PM. The hotel is also just 5 minutes away from restaurants where you can sit at and enjoy a casual meal or wine or coffee. The first night we ate at the Les Patios restaurant which is across the street from the famous Sorbonne University of Paris.

Being from the US, we had to get used to the smallness of everything! The lift was tiny, could hold only 2 people and 2 suitcases!! But got the job done. The room was clean, comfortable with a queen-size bed, nightstands, electric kettle for tea/coffee in the room, mini fridge that contained 6 bottles of complimentary water, small closet space & locker and functioning air conditioning. Our room was not a deluxe room, so it did not have a balcony overlooking anything scenic, but the big window opened up to a street view. The bathroom was very modern, black tile and stainless steel, and clean, with great shampoo/conditioner. The only thing is that the tub had a half glass 'door' which really didn't keep the shower water from splashing all over the bathroom. The Wi-Fi was strong, and we were able to use our phones, and tablets without difficulty. The only thing I could not understand is that the TV had all French programs. The only channel in English was BBC news that kept looping with the same news pretty much all day long. But then we weren't there to watch TV in the room all day, anyway!

Breakfast was served in the basement. Location of the eating area is a bit of a disappointment, but it's functional. Hot breakfast was served every day, with selections of meats, breads, croissants, yogurt, cereal, fruit, juice, tea or coffee. The lobby/reception area also keeps a coffee/tea station with small cakes/croissants for guests as they come and go. There are wine glasses and bottle openers there you can borrow if you bring home a bottle of wine to drink.

The staff was incredible. A big shout-out to Caroline at the front desk. She was friendly, courteous and kind, with a great sense of humor. I was impressed by the way she went above and beyond to be helpful. She found me AA batteries for my camera - at no extra charge! She printed out directions to venues and our boarding passes, and gave detailed directions to places, called taxi services for us - all with impeccable English (with a beautiful French accent of course). All other staff was also very helpful, gracious and spoke English. Would come back again for another great stay. Thank you for making Paris a...

This is the worse hotel in Paris for accommodations and especially service. The front desk personnel are rude and very unhelpful. Examples include the laundry service, in by 9 delivered by 7 pm. We turned in our laundry at 7:30 a.m., confirmed return by same day. I was told at 7 pm the laundry would not be back until the next day. No explanation, no “I am sorry for the delay”. We wanted to change dollars into Euro and ask the front desk for the closet bank. He directed us to a bank, that was closed for a religious holiday. The breakfast buffet is in the basement. You must pass through the laundry facility to get to the buffet. The selection was very good, however the sitting arrangements had us sitting within inches of the other guests. Another disappointment was the advertisement of irons and ironing boards. They are not located in the rooms. Our request for an ironing board was met with “we have none available”. There is no dresser to unpack your luggage. There is no luggage rack, you place your luggage on the floor and live out of your suitcase, wrinkles and all. I wish I had something to compliment the hotel, but our experience was miserable. Note that we used Kensington Tours to book our trip. The guides for the historical visits were wonderful. The accommodations selected by Kensington Tours was awful. We had no recourse, we weren’t able to change hotels bc our guides and drivers were to meet us at Le Senat. We were stuck with a terrible experience on our first trip to Paris. I urge you to consider very carefully your choice of tour companies and where you are booked. Service at this hotel should be carefully considered...

While small, this boutique hotel is stylish and full of charm. The front desk is welcoming, friendly and helpful. The Superior rooms are small but very clean and comfortable. I was willing to pay extra for a room with a balcony but unfortunately none were available at check-in. During my stay (6 nights total), I moved to a Double Duplex room which was larger and much more interesting because the bedroom was in the loft. The hotel is on a side street so it was very quiet and you can't hear your neighbors on your floor at all because the walls are well insulated. With the Jardin du Luxembourg across the street, you have access to a peaceful oasis every morning as well shady paths to run on. The entrance by the hotel also right near the famed Medici Fountain. The breakfast buffet in the morning is varied and plentiful. The scrambled eggs are delicious and I loved the smoked salmon. The hotel is just a few blocks from the busy Boulevard Saint Germain so you're within minutes of the shops, restaurants and hubbub. There is a grocery story right across the street from the hotel so you can get your bottles of still/sparkling water, snacks or even wine anytime of the day, In the hotel lobby, there is also an honor bar for soft drinks, water, and wine 24/7 (the Nespresso machine and all-day free pastries are also big pluses). All in all, my friend and I had a very comfortable and enjoyable stay here. The only thing that held me back from giving it a 5 out of 5 stars is that I wished a room with a balcony was available during my stay (since I didn't have a view), but this is a great hotel and I highly recommend it while...