Last time I was in Paris, France, for a pitstop only, a thought took form: Due to steep hotel prices, one could stay outside the city centre, and hop on the RER into town. This time I figured I’d put theory into practice. Since I was here for one night only, it couldn’t hurt. Accor’s budget option, Hotel F1, close to Charles de Gaulle airport, which I was flying into and out of, got booked. Was it a good idea?
The hotel is of the basic kind. There are rooms with private bathrooms, but mostly shared. I chose the former, so I can speak on a Cabrio room only. To address some of the issues mentioned on TripAdvisor, there are towels (of medium size), soap (bar by the sink, dispenser in the shower), and bed linens. No A/C, but a heater, that seems to be centrally controlled, meaning it started working late in the evening, even though I turned it on in the morning. The room is small. Most suitable for one. The bathroom is tiny. Barely space for a (small) person in there. Wallpaper with old airline ads is cool! No airplane noise. Could be because I was on the first floor. I could easily spot the airplanes overhead. Most important, it’s clean.
If breakfast is included in your room rate, it is served in the combined common room / reception area. As an alternative there are vending machines offering drinks, snacks, and sandwiches. You might wanna bring refreshments with you. Not sure if the Novotel next door serves food. There’s a restaurant on the Accor lot too. Looked like a roadside diner. However, never open. Passed Aeroville Shopping Centre on the way from the airport. Is apparently within walking distance. Could be handy.
One thing you need to be aware of, there is no luggage storage. So when I arrived early in the morning, with check-in at 2 pm, I found myself in a pickle. Should I bring my carry-on suitcase into the city, in hopes of finding a luggage locker, or should I go back to the airport, where the receptionist told me I would find storage. After a while, I was offered early check-in for a fee of 20 euros. Turned out it was on the price list on the counter, but apparently nothing they offer “immediately”… Since check-out is at noon, and my flight was late in the evening, the next day I made use of the very easy-to-use storage option at the Charles de Gaulle airport – read more on it below.
The hotel offers a shuttle from the airport’s Terminal 3, aka Roissypole, for 4 euros one way. I found the pick-up spot, but no schedule. There was a schedule on the hotel reception counter, so I’ve added a pic below. Also, the hotel website states you need to make a reservation, but not how to. Upon check-out, they asked if they should print me a ticket for the shuttle to the airport. Still don’t know how getting from the airport to the hotel works.
Confused, I decided to make use of public bus instead, seemed a lot easier. The bus terminal is at Terminal 3 also. Download the RATP app. Destination should be Parc des Nations (bus #40, #350), which is a 1-minute walk away from the hotel, or 346 Rue de La Belle Etoile (bus #40), which is right outside the hotel gate. When you have decided which bus you want to take, find the correct platform on the departure screen. On the app, buy a single ticket (t+ ticket for 2.15 euros) or Navigo pass for a day or more. Pay by Apple Pay, or Android equivalent. Use your phone to validate as you board. 15 minutes, and you’re at the hotel.
Getting into the city was a bit more hassle. I took the bus from the hotel to the Parc des Expositions RER station, and from there the train (line RER B) to Paris. Downside is there is no transfer possible from the bus to the RER on the t+ ticket, so you need to buy a 5 euro train ticket at the train station. If you have a Navigo pass, you can transfer. Bus takes 5 minutes. Train takes 30 minutes. RER B also serve the two stops at the airport. Tip: If you’ll be travelling from and to the airport on the same day, get a 1-day pass as this is cheaper than buying to single tickets. The pass you can use in the city as well.
There were a few things I wanted to inquire about prior to arrival, but I never got a reply to my e-mail. Staff wasn’t the most welcoming when I got there. Aloof. Is it due to lack of limited English, or just the French way. However, they warmed up to me, so the next day I was met with a wave, smile, and bonjour!
Conclusion: The hotel works best as an airport hotel. If you want to stay outside the city centre, find a hotel that is in walking distance to a RER station, like All Suites Apart Hotel Massy Palaiseau, which is fairly close to Orly airport too. Also, preferably a train line that is not extremely busy during rush hour…
Website: all.accor.com
This luggage storage service is located at the RER station at Terminal 2, 3rd floor. Drop off luggage, like manual bag drop at an airport. Price depends on duration and weight. Price list on website. Since I didn’t know when I would be back, I payed for 6 hrs, and if I showed up later, I would just pay the extra euros. Express handling for an extra fee. Superb service! Also at Orly.