33 Voie des Sculpteurs, La Defense, France | (888) 616-5829
Stylish, art-accented interiors designed by Jean-Philippe Nuel
Spacious, clean-lined, contemporary rooms with down mattress toppers
High-tech, in-room amenities include Bose sound systems and iPod docks
Located a four-minute walk to the metro, a 20-minute ride to the city center
Well-regarded on-site restaurant serving updated bistro fare
Chic, light-filled, well-equipped meeting rooms
Business center and various business services available
Private underground garage with valet parking (fee)
Concierge services and on-site currency exchange
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Cribs and babysitting on request
Business district location on city's outskirts isn't ideal for sightseers
No on-site spa, pool, or beauty/wellness treatments
Breakfast isn't included in room rates
Only guests booking suites get free parking
This 151-room, luxury Sofitel is clearly oriented toward business travelers -- although well-heeled tourists with a taste for eye-popping modern architecture might also find the area interesting. It fronts a pedestrian plaza in La Défense, a business district on Paris' western outskirts that bustles during the workday and tends to empty out after. In terms of decor, ambiance, and amenities, it delivers everything expected from the Sofitel brand. Tasteful, contemporary rooms have HD smart TVs and Bose sound systems, and the hotel has top-notch restaurants, meeting rooms, and a nice fitness center. The location isn't walking distance to any major attractions, but a 20-minute metro ride can land guests in the city center. Note that the nearby Hilton Paris La Défense promises name-brand digs at a slightly lower rate; its mid-range rooms, however, are darker and more dated.
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Scene
Attractive hotel with artsy ambitions targeted at business types
La Défense is known for its public art, including monumental sculptures by Calder and Miró. Appropriately, this modern hotel moves the aesthetic inside, as evidenced by the original artworks adorning its interior. A Ruddy Candillon lightbox installation, which enlivens the lobby, is one case in point. Abstract paintings by Pierre Bonnefille and funky armchairs -- some white with earth-tone seat cushions, others vividly upholstered in pomegranate and orange -- add further character to Jean-Philippe Nuel’s interior design. Striped carpeting carries the color scheme through to Le Lounge, a curvaceous double-height dining area right off the lobby with an adjoining bar and book-stocked reading nook. Stairs ascend from it to the mezzanine-level meeting rooms, where business folk routinely gather. Like the area as a whole, this hotel is geared toward their activities, so it is busiest on weekdays; both the number of guests and the room rates drop accordingly on weekends.
Location
In the heart of the country’s business hub, about 20 minutes west of central Paris
This curving, contemporary hotel sits on a plaza in France’s premier business district, and the office towers looming all around it serve as the headquarters for many major corporations. It is just a quick walk to the Esplanade de La Défense metro station, where sightseers can catch public transportation into central Paris. However, there is no mistaking the fact that the city’s top tourist draws are not on your doorstep. The good news is that La Défense, while admittedly short on charm and entertainment options, does have its own attractions -- including Tour First (France’s tallest skyscraper) and Les Quatre Temps (arguably Europe’s largest shopping mall). Dominating both is the Grande Arche de La Défense, which stands as a Modernist counterpoint to the Arc de Triomphe, two-and-a-half miles away.- Four-minute walk to the Esplanade de La Défense metro station
Rooms
Roomy, well-equipped options with luxe contemporary decor and high-tech comforts
The clientele here tends to value comfort and convenience over charm. As a result, the contemporary-style accommodations, done up in calming earth tones with flashes of fuchsia, lack the wow factor of other luxury hotels. But, in keeping with Sofitel’s brand-wide standards, they are spacious: depending on the category, rooms are 258 to 301 square feet, while junior suites, which include a sofa-bed and separate seating area, are 377. They are well-outfitted, too: All have air-conditioning, minibars, safes, and tea/coffee-making equipment plus lots of electronic bells and whistles -- including free Wi-Fi, Bose sound systems with iPod docks, and 48- to 55-inch HD smart TVs, complete with video games and free on-request Apple TV components. The one-bedroom Prestige Suite (covering a whopping 710-square feet) has a home cinema as well.Sofitel’s signature MyBeds, which come with down mattress toppers and luxe linens, get raves from past guests; ditto for the bathrooms which feature welcome touches like robes, slippers and Hermès toiletries. Although Classic and Superior-class rooms only have a walk-in shower, Luxury ones and all suites also feature separate bathtubs that invite soaking and Privalight interior windows that provide privacy without sacrificing natural light.
Features
Top-notch services for business people, plus perks for tourists
Sofitel is one of the luxury brands in the AccorHotels family, a France-based group that includes ubiquitous European names like Ibis and Novotel. When you combine that brand with this particular location, it is no surprise that the features would include not only well-equipped meeting rooms and a business center but extras like secretarial and translation services. The hotel also is home to a pair of elegant restaurants -- Le Lounge (a slick white, skylighted space) and La Tavola (a playful, Baroque-inspired one reserved for private events). Both serve contemporary bistro cuisine that takes full advantage of fresh local ingredients. Room service is offered, and small bites, along with the expected beverages, are served in the lobby bar. Other on-site features included a bright fitness room, free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour front desk with concierge and currency exchange, and a private indoor garage with valet parking. An airport shuttle service, dry-cleaning service and turndown service are available, too. But one notable absence is the lack of any spa, pool, or on-site beauty/wellness treatments. Being a modern, purpose-built property, this hotel has been designed to accommodate disabled guests. Children are welcome, as are small pets; both cribs and babysitting for the former can be arranged on request.
