Christmas Escape II: Hilton Paris Opera Queen Junior Suite Review

I have been wanting to check out this property for a very long time. I have heard so much about it, and it is one of the iconic ones in the Hilton brand. This is one of the better ones out there and sits in a very lovely location. It is the main flagship hotel over here in France. The Hilton Paris Opera sits in the heart of the city and the main shopping district in Paris. The hotel also has a rich history. The building was built in 1889 to accommodate visitors for the 1889 Paris World’s Fair (Exposition Universelle) and the inauguration of the Eiffel Tower. It then operated under various names before Hilton took over in 2015. This used to be the only property in Paris before they expanded with the Tapestry and Curio properties. I did try the Hotel Camille Paris Gare de Lyon a couple of years ago. There is also the Canopy now, which I would love to try. The hotel comes with excellent public transport links. Let’s see how good this Hilton Paris Opera is in the 8th arrondissement.  

I will be staying here for 4 nights. I reached out a week before my stay to get some information on the property and to also inform them of my requests. A couple of days out from the stay, I can see from the app that they have upgraded me to a Queen Junior Suite. That is a lovely one. I appreciate the elite treatment and recognition. The extra space will be very welcoming. This is as good as it gets. Hilton Paris Opera features 268 guest rooms and suites across 5 categories. You can find the breakdown below.

I landed at ORY airport at around 11.40am. By the time we got out of our bags and settled down, it was already close to noon. We were considering taking the metro or a car directly to the hotel. We opted for the latter, which cost around 33 Euros. That is just a little more than the train. We got to the hotel at around 1.10pm. The traffic was so bad, and there isn’t really a drop-off point for vehicle entrance. The bellboy was also not around to assist guests. We had to carry our bags up the stairs before getting some assistance. These are aspects that the hotel should improve on.

The reception is just over in the corner over here. You will miss it easily. We were warmly helped by a friendly lady who thanked me for being a diamond member. The paperwork was processed quickly, and they also provided all the information. I was informed that I would be upgraded to their junior suite. They were polished and efficient.

I was assigned a junior suite located on the fourth floor, one of the higher floors over here. The hotel has five levels in total. They have quite a high number of rooms per floor, with almost 90 rooms. Mine was just around the corner from the elevators. The junior suite measures 40 Sqm. It isn’t the biggest one out there. The layout is also different. Quite the opposite, you enter immediately into the centre of the suite and the bedroom area. They have these double-layer doors for the entrance. The layout seems to be created by combining two separate rooms. It kind of made the living space redundant. Straight ahead, you have the working desk. It comes with an armchair that provides decent back support for a short period of working. There are power outlets within reach. Left on the table is also a welcome amenity, consisting of some water, a personalised note as well as a voucher for two glasses of champagne. This is quite nice considering how high prices are over here. You can find a high-quality smart screen television mounted on the wall here. It is of a good size for the bedroom area. It comes with a good number of both local and international cable TV channels.

Opposite is the plush queen bed. It is larger than usual and so comfortable. I love the high-quality bedding. The pillows were great too. We managed to get some additional ones to offer better neck support. I really love the mattress, which was on the firmer side and so comfortable. Flanking both sides of the beds are nightstands with controls for the power outlets and lighting. They also have USB ports over here. You can also find some reusable water containers left by the side of the bed. They do not provide any additional water, but they do have a dispenser on each floor that you’re encouraged to use for eco-friendly efforts.

The suite comes with an open-concept wardrobe area. It comes with plenty of hangers and an ironing kit. There is also a luggage rack over here that could fit a full-size check-in bag. In the drawers, you can also find bathrobes, bath slippers and laundry bags.

Next to the wardrobe is the mini bar area, which comes with some instant coffee and packaged tea. Below is also a mini fridge that’s left empty for your use.

The corridor that leads to the living room area is where the bathroom can be found. The toilet is on one side of the entrance and the bathroom on the other. I really love the bathroom, which was very spacious and nicely decorated. They have thoughtfully installed heated floors which come in handy especially during this season. The bathroom comes with a single sink. All sorts of amenities are provided, and as per the usual, they are from Crabtree & Evelyn in large pump-sized bottles. It comes with a standing shower which is spacious and fully enclosed behind a glass screen. This helps in keeping water from getting all over the place. The water pressure and temperature control are excellent.

The living area is quite a small space as compared to the main bedroom area. It comes with a sofa set that can comfortably seat about 4 people and surrounds a coffee table over here. You can find another mini bar setup here. It is weird. This one does come with a Nespresso coffee machine as well, so that is something different from the bedroom itself. Below is another mini fridge. There is left empty for use.

Over here in the living room, you have a bigger television mounted on the wall. Similarly, it is very high-quality. It does make for a cosy space to relax if you want to. The area can also be a bedroom for the little one on the sofa. This is definitely one of the more unique layouts that I have seen. I do have to say that I am not really a fan of it with the orientation and the layout. I did not use much of the living room since we don’t usually head over to that side of the suite. I always prefer entering into the living space first. Perhaps they could remove all the walls and make it into one gigantic proper junior suite with no barriers in between. That would be really nice. There wasn’t much of a view from the suite since it faced the internal courtyard.

The fitness centre is on the 2nd floor and opens 24/7; you can access it with your room key. Sadly, I didn’t have time to visit it.

The executive lounge is located on the mezzanine floor. You can access it with your key cards. It is on the smaller side. The executive lounge is open from 6.30am to 7.30pm daily. Happy hour is offered from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. That felt way too early for a facility that is not staffed. They can provide all-day non-alcoholic drinks for much longer. Breakfast is offered from 6.30am to 10.30pm on weekdays and from 7am to 11am on weekends. The breakfast room is also just next to the executive lounge, which means it doesn’t really make sense for you to come here for breakfast as compared to the breakfast room. The central location of the hotel meant that this is handy to pop back for another drink and to drop off your shopping bags. There are seats for around 30 to 40pax or so. This can get really packed in the evening during happy hour.

Throughout the day, you can find some soft drinks, coffee and tea. It is very limited. There is no bottled water. You can find some snacks by the side. Orangina was nice though. From 5.30pn to 7.30pm evening cocktails are served. Alcoholic drinks consist of Heineken, red wine and white wine. I would love to see some French beer. The wines were lovely, though.

Food-wise, you have some salads, pies and sweet treats. They usually also have some hot fried items and pasta. It is on the limited side, and this definitely isn’t a dinner replacement. The dishes do change from day to day. It is a rather simple affair over here. Bring in Paris, you should definitely head out for a meal at a bistro!

On the second night, there was some beef bourguignon which was so delicious. I love it!

Le Grand Salon is the perfect place for hotel guests and Parisians to enjoy some delicious drinks and bites. The vibe and decor here are amazing. It is so posh and grand. I came here to enjoy some champagne during my stay. Le Grand Salon is open daily from 9am till late on weekdays and from 11am on the weekends. You can check out their Food Menu and Hot & Cold Drinks selection. We simply enjoyed our champagne, which was served with some chips.

Breakfast is served at the breakfast room. It is a very similar concept to the one that they have over in Hilton Brussels Grand Place. The venue is only used for breakfast. Breakfast is offered from 6.30am to 10am. It costs 32 Euros if not included in your room rate or as part of your elite status. The breakfast lounge is located beside the executive lounge on the M Floor.

Everything is served buffet style. I will just show some pictures of the place below. You can also order eggs to your preference from the staff. From day to day, they also have some special egg dishes.

It will be handy to stop by for a bite and kick-start your day over here in Paris.

The rooms and the hardware here are very nice. This is an expensive property and definitely belongs on one of the higher echelons of things when it comes to a Hilton. The rates go for about €500 a night easily. Paris is a very expensive city. They might need a renovation soon. I did love the location, and the staff are pretty warm for French standards. You have more or less everything within reach. My main real concern for me would be actually the arrival and departure process. The hotel should try to incorporate a driveway or a curbside arrival that will allow for a more fuss-free and easier access. I took Uber here twice, and both times there was no place for the cars to stop for pickups and drop-offs. Sometimes the drivers even had to park on the opposite side of the hotel. It was a busy avenue, so can you imagine having to jaywalk across with huge suitcases? That doesn’t sound good at all. Thankfully, the bell boys were there to assist, but this is really inconvenient.