Hôtel de la Porte Dorée

Spent a week here, and enjoyed my stay.
I had a room on the 3^rd floor and despite what some of the other reviewers have said, I certainly didn’t find the accommodations to be small by European standards. The rooms are of course much smaller than most American hotel rooms, though still wildly bigger than many rooms I’ve stayed in while in Europe, but this is Paris, and the city is filled with so much to do that if you’re spending that much time in your room for the surroundings to seem cramped, you should probably get out and explore this amazing city. The free wifi worked well in the room and was great to have during the stay.
I wouldn’t say that the front desk staff was especially chatty, but they addressed any concerns during the stay and helped to arrange transportation to the airport. The room service ladies were really friendly and definitely seemed to be the most cheerful staff at the hotel — they always had a ready smile in the mornings!
The Porte Doree metro stop is right outside the hotel, and this makes it amazingly easy to quickly head into the city center or get anywhere in Paris within half an hour or less. This station is on Line 8 and heading in the direction of Balard will take you toward everything in the center of Paris; I typically switched to Line 1 at the Reuilly-​Diderot stop, and then Notre Dame is only 4 stops beyond that. This hotel may not be right in the center of Paris, but I find that to be a plus — it’s definitely quiet at night, and the neighborhood feels very safe.
One of the few negative things about the rooms is that they are definitely NOT sound-​proof, so keep that in mind if you plan on any amorous activities or secret conversations. If you’re standing in the hallway outside a room, you can easily hear any phone conversations going on inside.
The hotel breakfast in the morning was quite good with a great assortment of fruit, cereals, nuts, fruit juices, coffee, tea, cappuccinos, meats, cheeses, and pastries.
Because it’s a quiet, residential neighborhood for the most part, your options for late night dining are limited, but we enjoyed heading to Chez ma Belle Mere just a block away, where the food was consistently good. It’s definitely a spot that the locals seem to frequent and it’s open late.
Overall, the hotel is a great value for the money & I’d certainly stay here again.

The staff is what makes this hotel so special. They are EXTREMELY helpful and really made a difference in my enjoyment of my trip, assisting with advice on transportation and things to do that were a little «less touristy». The location is a bit outside of the center of the city, but the metro is literally just outside the door of the hotel, and everything else you need is in walking distance. I really enjoyed running in the beautiful park that is just across the street. For the price in Paris, this hotel can’t be beat! The only thing that was frustrating was the spotty wi-​fi, but the warmth of the hotel and it’s people made up for it!

I pre-​paid for a room. When I arrived, they told me that they didn’t have my reservation. I showed my confirmation email, so the receptionist did some digging. The hotel had my booking from Expedia and also received my payment, but they did not actually reserve a room for me. They were fully booked for the night. The receptionist made a few calls to «partner» hotels to look for a room but was not successful, so she gave up. The hotel didn’t even bother contacting Expedia to tell them that they cancelled — they were just going to keep the money.
This hotel is run by scumbags.

Cute, but oh so tiny.
Staying here, I felt like I got a traditional European living experience. So that’s a plus. The hotel clearly puts a lot of effort into the interior design. However, the culturally-​tinged environment doesn’t necessarily equate to greater comfort. All the cute tchotchkes in the world and shelves filled with (donated?) books can’t entirely make up for the cramped feeling. I often found myself yearning for an end table near my side of the bed, but there was nought but a tiny shelf already filled with decorations.
Summary: This hotel is a petite size zero.

3 stars for a 3 star hotel!
Yes, the rooms are small and it is about 20 – 30 minutes from the main sights of Paris, but if you’re looking for a clean and affordable place to stay, this is where you should go. I stayed here for 6 nights for 650 euros. Not a bad deal at all.
I would recommend that you request a room at the top of the hotel. Unfortunately I got stuck at the very bottom floor, so I got the metro, street, and lobby noise. Thankfully I brought earplugs from home so it wasn’t as big as a deal as it could have been.
The Wi-​Fi was a hit or miss. On my iPad mini it didn’t work for me 50% of the time. Additionally, I had to input the user name and password over and over again in hopes of even getting connected. My boyfriend’s Samsung tablet didn’t have this problem though.
Upon check out, this place unfortunately left a sour taste in my mouth because they tried to charge me for 2 breakfasts that I didn’t consume. I told them that wasn’t the case and didn’t charge me the ridiculous 28 euros. Hmm… either someone gave them the wrong room number or they had some poor book keeping skills.

I absolutely enjoyed my stay here. The front desk was so helpful. The room was very clean. The rooms are small according to American standards but that is completely normal for Paris. and when visiting Paris who stays in the room anyway! The elevator was small but cozy. The only thing that kind of was a little weird was not having a flat sheet instead it was just a comforter but it appears to be a European thing so no big issue. The area was perfect for me. I was able to go for walks to the local bakery to get my croissants and pastries in the morning and I was able to go to the center of Paris to tour the city. There is a nice park a few blocks away I had lunch there with the locals. The price was great. overall great experience. Close to a McD in case there is an urge for something familiar.

My boyfriend and I stayed here during a recent trip to Paris, and I have to say that we would never choose to stay here again.
First, the few good points:
–affordable
–has AC (which is not a given in Paris hotels)
–clean
–friendly staff
And now for the bad:
–As nearly every other reviewer has noted, the hotel is really far from any points of interest. We basically ended up leaving in the morning and not returning at all until late at night because of this.
–Yes, it’s near the Metro, but what they don’t tell you is that it’s ON TOP of the Metro. This means that if you’re staying on a lower floor like we were, you hear the trains rumble into the station approximately every 3 minutes. If you’re a light sleeper, this will be a nightmare. The trains stop running around 12:30 AM during the week and 2:30 AM on weekends, so there were a few hours of silence, but that’s about it.
–As others have noted, the walls are paper thin. I think we lucked out our first night and didn’t have anyone next to us, but people were there the other nights and we heard every scrape, shuffle, and conversation, even with the white noise app on my phone at top volume.
–The mattress was truly awful. Honestly, it didn’t even seem like a mattress – more like an undefined lump. My boyfriend’s back was killing him the whole time.
–We got a coupon for one complimentary breakfast, so we used it. Even for a continental breakfast, the pickings were extremely slim. I would definitely not recommend doing this unless you have the coupon. Even then, it wasn’t really worth it since the bakery across the street is good.

Rooms:
The rooms are beautiful. We had a terrace and the size of the room was large by European standards. If you’re on the first floor, you can hear the metro rumble (stops at 1am). Didn’t bother us, being from Manhattan, but consider that if you’re used to dead silence when you sleep. The bed was insanely comfortable. Bathroom isn’t huge, the shower sometimes leaked, and sometimes the hot water was fickle (would go boiling hot for no apparent reason) but they’re acceptable. Clean, clean, clean… it’s spotless in all areas of the hotel. And free wifi.
Check-​in:
Do not expect someone to do you a favor and let you in a room early here, even if you look like hell from a redeye from the US. We didn’t get into our room until close to 3pm, despite check in being at 2.
Everyone at the front desk speaks English. That seems to be important to a lot of Americans so figured I’d mention it.
Location:
Great neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. The hotel is unbelievably convenient to the metro. Another reviewer mentioned this line being «ghetto»…I couldn’t disagree more. It’s not crowded (other lines are unbearably packed) and felt completely safe to us. Then again, since we live in New York we are familiar with urban areas so if you’re not used to big cities you may feel differently. This is a wonderful neighborhood and will give you the feel of the real Paris. And the bakery across the street is the best we experienced in all of the city.
Price:
Can’t be beat. Seriously, impeccably clean, comfortable, pretty hotel in a nice neighborhood for less than half what you’ll pay for a crummy room at a shady hotel closer to city center… That’s a win in my book.
Here’s the bottom line…
Stay here if you want to experience more of the real Paris. If you’re interested in spending all your time at the tourist spots or out at clubs til all hours, this is not the place for you.

We stayed here just recently throughout our Christmas trip to Paris and despite all the raving reviews on Tripadvisor, I was surprised that this place was quite mediocre at best.
The hotel advertises that it’s in such a great location, but the truth is that it’s really in great location in relation to the metro stop. Yes, the metro is steps away, but it’s at least a 20 minute train ride into central Paris!!! And line 8 of the metro is super ghetto. After coming back late at night, we almost always encountered some seriously crazy individuals. I was definitely not a fan of this commute at all. One could pay for a taxi but for the extra cost of taxing around the city instead, you might as well spend that money on a better hotel closer to the city.
The place was cute and local but nothing extraordinary. The ordinary rooms are insanely small which is predictable but the problem is when you share with more than one person as the closet isn’t big enough to share so you’ll end up living out of a suitcase for the entire trip.
The bathroom was TINY! A plus was that the hot water was great but there were times when taking a shower (as there is no bathtub) that the shower would switch from scalding hot to freezing cold. This happened a few times. Also, there is no counter space in the bathroom which sucks for females who like to sprawl their makeup out. Also a few days we returned back and there was this strong musty odor that permeated our room from the bathroom.
It’s located next to the metro but the noise didn’t bother us. The bed was comfortable as well, but again our entire experience was about average.
On a side note, there is no concierge and the man tending the desk at late night ours is pretty crabby. It’s a basic 2 star place, not the Westin. We really didn’t ever receive that homey feel you home to get in these kinds of local places.
The best perk about this place was its price of $ 107 a night which is really outstanding. But, if you aren’t strapped for cash, just spend the extra money and stay somewhere more comfortable. Paris isn’t a cheap city and when you go there, just shell out the extra bucks for a better experience.

Found this place on tripadvisor as one of the ‘best values.’
VERY happy with choosing this place. Stayed there for a full week with my gf and her mother. Prices were MUCH cheaper than in the heart of the city for a triple, which is key. Our bedding was very modern and comfortable, as was the bathroom. Yes, the rooms are small, but from what I understand similar in size to most of Paris, just small by American standards. Of course, you probably won’t be in your room very much.
The hotel is literally right outside the metro. We didn’t find it a problem to go into the city, you will have to change atleast 1 or 2 metro lines, so that was a NON issue for an experienced traveller.
One problem is that you WILL hear the metro rumble by until the metro stops (1am? dont remember). BUT if you’re from the midwest, it feels like the soft rumble of thunder that is pretty comforting. Conversly, my gf and mother from california did not like it by any means.
We had family that met up with us in Europe and booked last second though, so they did not get nearly as good a price.

We stayed here for our honeymoon, and I wish I would have read Jin Y.‘s review first. Definitely not an ideal place for a young couple who wants to go out a lot. It’s simply too far from the city. The hotel itself is nice– just not great.
Pros:
–Price
–Clean room
— Wireless was decent (other hotel we stayed at was medicore)
Cons:
— Location (21 metro stops from city center), meaning at least 30 minutes.
— Not a full-​service hotel (concierge, spa, etc.)
— They didn’t have a corkscrew! This is Paris!
— An older gentleman seemed annoyed if we asked him anything. Everyone else was very accommodating.
— Very thin walls– you can hear everything!
— I don’t know Paris well, but this area seemed a bit like a ghetto suburb.

Nous y avons séjourné en avril 2012. Très bon hôtel, situé juste à côté du métro ce qui rend le centre de la capitale accessible en 10 minutes. Chambre impeccable, taille correcte. Accueil très sympathique (possibilité de laisser les bagages dans la journée). J’ai adoré le fait qu’il y ait des tas de livres dans les escaliers !
Je né mets pas 5 étoiles car j’emets quand même quelques bémols : — le métro qui passé juste à côté de l’hôtel. Notre chambre donnait sur la rue et nous l’entendions. J’avais prévu des boules quiès donc cela n’a pas posé plus de problèmes que ça– la salle du petit déjeuner est petite. Du coup le 2ème jour nous avons attendu ¾ d’heure avant de pouvoir nous assoir. — pas de gand dans la salle de bain (un détail mais bon)
Donc je remcommande pour ceux qui ont quand même un peu les moyens Et réservez par Internet il y a des prix !

We were wowed and taken by the trip advisor reviews. I could see how if I had a family and I was looking for a family friendly environment, I’d like this place. We were on our honeymoon and we stayed for an entire week in this hotel and there were great things about it, some good things about it, and some bad things about it.
Great things first:
1) They are indeed across the street from Vandermeersch, a boulangerie known for their kugelhopf (not very French you say? I said that too, actually, while stuffing my face with delicious gooey, sugary, stretchy, ball of heavenly delight… not on the street in public though. I have manners).
2) The Port Doree metro stop is RIGHT OUTSIDE the hotel. Seriously awesome for not having to walk a block or two for a metro stop.
3) The person at the desk always spoke English, if that is important to some of you, especially if you didn’t plan your trip that well and have no idea what to do.
4) The park across the street (Bois de Vincennes) is amazing to jog around and chillax in (but if you had the choice of spending a day here, or in front of the Eiffel Tower, which would you choose?) and is really huge and is reminiscent of Central Park, but with less people.
Good things:
1) The room, though dormlike, and the smallest of all the rooms we stayed in Europe (We went to Paris, San Sebastian, Barcelona), had a double bed, a tv, internet on the second floor if you didn’t bring your own computer, your own bathroom with shower, a closet. The ice machine exists, just in the basement of the hotel, where the soda machine is. Wish they had a fridge in all the rooms to keep some of the delicious things we bought more fresh while we were staying there.
Bad:
These things aren’t entirely the fault of the hotel.
1) It’s hella far from the city. This might be okay for those who have already been to Paris before and are okay staying away from the tourists and the sightseeing places but if you are there for the first time and you have to take the metro into the heart of the city every day, it takes a good twenty — forty minutes, depending on where you want to go. The worst thing is coming back home, changing, and wanting to go out again. There were many times we wanted to go out and experience the nightlife but the thought of having to come back home first to shower, change, and go out again on the metro wasn’t enticing enough, especially knowing that the metro stops running at midnight. We had to weigh whether or not it was worth taking a cab back home, which would cost us anywhere from 18 – 30 dollars, depending on where we were.
2) A family of 2 or 3 children were staying upstairs or next to us (unsure of where exactly as we only had the shrill sound of muffled kids screaming, waking us up at the crack ass of dawn to judge their location) for a couple of days. Those rooms are not sound proof, let’s just say that. Obviously, this just depends on who stays on your floor when you’re there and it’s hard to control maniacally screaming kids in any hotel so that’s not really their fault but anyway, just know the rooms are not sound proof.
3) Lastly, if you want to eat dinner after 10pm in this area, good luck. The only place that serves dinner that late is Au Metro, and their food is not the best (although apparently their mussels are okay).
The takeaway:
Good place to stay because it’s affordable and if it’s not your first time in Paris and you want to avoid all the claustrophobic tourist spots, this might be your spot, especially if you don’t mind taking the metro in and out of the city, or you don’t have an aggressive or packed schedule where you have to return to your hotel to get something or to change, etc.
If you’re on your honeymoon, or it’s your first time in Paris and you want to see all the sights and you still want to enjoy your nights out on the town and be relatively close so you can come home to relax before going out again, this is not your spot.

I stayed 9 nights at Hotel de la Porte Doree with 2 other adults, a toddler and an infant. It was a wonderful experience. It is just a few steps from a Metro and Bus stop and was able to tour Paris by taking the Metro and the Bus systems. If you have a stroller, take the Bus. This Hotel is owned by an American/​French couple. The American owner is from Citrus Heights, CA. We had the room with a double and twin, the room was very comfortable with a patio and large bathroom. The staff was very accommodating and bi-​lingual, if not tri-​lingual. Their ad said that their hotel was children friendly and they were! they provided toys, crib and bedding. We also did not experience any noise from the other rooms. When I go back to Paris, I will definitely stay here. This was my first time in Paris, according to the folks I was with, this room was exceptionally large for a hotel room in Paris and the rates were very good.