Hotel ibis Paris Berthier Porte de Clichy / Paris

688 guest rooms.
Current price for one person: from 81 EUR
Good location: not far from the metro and the bus.

*** Advantages ***
within the ring road, convenient transportation

*** Cons ***
Quality of the restaurants;
partly the cleanliness (room floors, bathroom, staircase)

*** Note ***
do not mix it with: Ibis Paris Berthier Porte de Clichy Centre

*** And now our experience a little more detailed ***

+ Location of the hotel +
In the city, northwest of the center, on the edge, but within the city ring
Near: MONTMARTRE (2.00 km)

+ Our Travel Preparation +

Why did we choose this hotel?
* Location (I wanted a hotel within the city ring road, which has good access to public transport).

* Category (all rooms with shower / WC) - I would have liked also booked bed and breakfast and I thus given the opportunity to live in one of the houses with home-front, but either I would have to use the bathroom / toilet of the landlord or it would have been so extremely expensive, that for me it simply was not an option

* Condition of the hotel (I had read somewhere that it had been refurbished in 2008)

* I wanted a hotel where I could book all the time in all cases (eg max at Etap. 6 nights booked)

* I was looking for a hotel with internet access, wifi, best free

We booked about three months in advance directly from the Internet (via the according page).
About a week before arrival we received from the "online concierge" again a reminder.

The total price is a mixed calculation. We paid (in May 2010) on some days 69 EUR, 74 EUR on other days, on the last day 99 EUR. The mixing rate is EUR 75 for a double room (without breakfast) per night.
We could book cheaper, but had not had a change or cancellation option, which was too risky for us.

+ Our arrival +

The journey might be better described on the hotel's website. Stations just as Saint Lazare and Porte Clichy are given. I think it would be good if you would respond to all six major railway stations. The Gare Est is not listed, but just of the one has a direct bus to the hotel. Too bad that is not mentioned.

The building is a modern prefab, but we have no problem. If this annoys you, the book should book somewhere else.

The reception is manned around the clock.
The check-in was fast, which made me quite happy as we arrived late at night. The reception staff was friendly. They speak French, English and Spanish.

The plan where to find a room is clear.

Access to the room is via card (magnetic stripe). The locking system was working properly.

+ Our stay +

There are two panels where it is marked if there is an information at the reception for guests.

Maps are available in large numbers, so that you can pick up as much as needed.

In the elevator you will be informed by a poster on the restaurants and the swimming pool.

+ Our room +

Firstly, I can confirm that the rooms actually look the way they are presented on the Internet (sometimes there are photos of a room of the hotel chain, but not exactly from this hotel).

The amenities and the decor is simple but functional. To a ** Hotel, you can't demand any high expectations.

I find it very pleasing that a hairdryer in the bathroom is available. Especially if you arrive by train, is happy about any thing that you do not have to pack. The hairdryer reminded of the optics but a bit of a vacuum cleaner (hose with upholstery), but it is powerful and that is important.

The cleanliness of the room was superficially okay. You should not look all details (especially the floors, both in the bathroom and the carpet in the room). The cleaning staff arrives daily, emptying trash, exchanging towels.

+ Food +

We have booked without breakfast, because we prefer a breakfast in a street café than at a hotel. Only two times we took breakfast at the hotel.
It costs 7.50 EUR per person. For the Paris standards it's low.

The breakfast menu consists of:
* Various hot drinks (various coffee drinks, hot chocolate, tea)
* Three types of juice
* Four cereal varieties
* Croissants, breads, cakes
* Butter
* Different sweet spreads
* Yogurt
* Ham
* One type hard cheese, soft cheese varieties sometimes additionally
* Small Pancakes
* Tortilla

What can I say? Generally, it's fine. You can get full. But not a lot of variations. If you stay for several days, then you get bored quickly.

The capacity of the breakfast room is to small for the number of guests. They should open the two other restaurants as well and separate the school classes, workers, tour groups and individual travellers. Otherwise there is always chaos. And the service is too slow with refilling all the breakfast things.

Once we made a coffee break in the bar it was okay.
There is also a coffee maker. There costs of an instant coffee is 2 EUR, while one for a "proper" coffee at the bar is EUR 1.85. The restaurant wasn't cosy.

We took the dinner only one time in the hotel. We found the restaurant uncomfortable.

+ Value for money overall? +
It's okay. Paris totally okay.
Of course, the prices also differ according to the hotel environment. In the 17th Arrondissement you don't live just as fine as in the 12th Arrondissement, which is viewable in the price. The price for our stay in Bercy was 118 EUR per night.

+ My opinion in brief +
I would book this hotel again.
I would not take any meals at the hotel.