We chose Marmotel Etoile for its location, which is excellent—just a short walk from the Arc de Triomphe. The shower was reliably hot, and the room was reasonably clean on arrival.
Unfortunately, that’s where the positives end.
The room was extremely small, with a very cramped bathroom (approximately 2ft by 6ft) no light, no bath.
The space felt poorly designed, with the TV awkwardly positioned, making it difficult to move around the tight space between end of bed & wall.
No kettle.
No fridge.
Safe on the floor.
More concerning was the general condition of the room. It felt unfinished and lacked any sense of care or attention. There were visible signs of recent, incomplete work throughout: masking tape left on the floor, pencil markings on the walls, uneven or faulty electrical fittings, and rough plaster patches where previous fixtures had been removed. The bathroom lighting relied solely on the mirror, which was inadequate.
The air conditioning remote was absent, the heated towel rail did not function, and the cheap TV offered only a very limited selection of channels, none in English.
Overall, the reality did not match the hotel’s promotional images, which appear to present a far more polished experience than what we encountered. While the location is excellent, the condition and presentation of the room were disappointing and fell well below expectations. Was this space ever really meant to be a guests room?