Sofitel Paris La Faubourg is the flagship Sofitel in Paris. Since I wrote about the location and service in my previous post (read about it here), I will focus on the Duplex Prestige Suite instead. Compared to the Collection Suite, I liked this Duplex Prestige Suite that we were moved into on the third day of our stay with the hotel. There are only two Duplex Prestige Suites in Sofitel Paris La Faubourg.

The Duplex Prestige Suite

The Duplex Prestige Suite in Sofitel Paris La Faubourg feels more like a Parisian apartment. The two-level duplex suite has a total floor area of 45m². Employing a mainly yellow theme, the Duplex Prestige Suite is comfortable and elegant. The living room and powder room are on the lower level, while an open study, bedroom, and bathroom are on the upper level.

Entryway

The Duplex Prestige Suite felt homely. The decoration in the entryway is minimalistic, with only a gold-plated artwork mounted onto the entryway’s wall against a velvet wall. There are no furnishings in the entryway, which I thought was a good choice as it would clutter up the entryway. There are two doors on either side of the entryway. The door to the right leads to the powder room, while the one on the left leads to the living room and the rest of the space in the Duplex Prestige Suite. I like how the hotel fits a small wardrobe on the right of the entryway, which was useful for hanging my jacket. Fitting a full-length mirror on the door of this wardrobe was a smart idea, as this allowed us to ensure we were smartly dressed before leaving the hotel.

Powder Room

The powder room sits further into the right side of the entryway, past the wardrobe. It is rather sizeable and fitted with a toilet and a sink. The brightly lit powder room is laid with blue wall tiles facing a set of French balconies, providing us with the convenience of using the toilet without needing to go upstairs. Despite being a secondary toilet, Sofitel Paris La Faubourg still provides the essential bathroom amenities in the powder room.

Living Room

The living room of the Duplex Prestige Suite was adorned in a white and gold theme, giving it a luxurious yet cosy feel. The elongated living room occupies most of the space on the lower level of the Duplex Prestige Suite. I like how Sofitel Paris La Faubourg furnished the living room with plentiful sitting spaces, allowing the suite’s occupants to invite guests for a small gathering. The yellow couch in the centre of the living room, which can seat up to four adults, could also be converted into a bed. Tucked at the end of the living room are another velvet stool and a high-back armchair, which provide additional seating space. The mirror at the end of the living room, with a patterned round gold frame, exudes a sense of elegance, and the placement of a vase with real flowers gives the living a residential vibe. Both the velvet stool and the armchair were cushiony and comfortable to sit on. There are a couple more seats in the living room near the dark brown wooden staircase. The armchair beside the TV console, alongside the green velvet stool, provided even more sitting space in the suite. Sofitel Paris La Faubourg furnished a side table on one side of the yellow couch with a huge lamp, which not only enhances the cosiness of the living room but also makes this part of the room feel less empty. We did not find any coffee table in the suite’s living room. Instead, we saw a small table at the side of the TV console and used it mainly as a coffee table. I thought not having a coffee table here made sense. Due to the elongated layout of the living room, having a coffee table would make the living room feel cluttered.

A large 42″ flat-screen TV sits on a console opposite the yellow couch in the living room. There is limited space on the TV console, which looks like two square tables pushed together to form the console. We were not able to use the TV console to stow any items. The entertainment options were limited, like the TV in the Collection Suite, where we stayed for the first two nights. There is quite a large selection of channels on TV; however, most of these are in French, and there are few English channels. We mostly ended up watching China channels when we were in the suite.

The hotel was clever in fitting the minibar under the stairs, maximising the useable space in the living room. The hotel provided a Nespresso coffee machine and some tea bags on the top shelve of the two-tiered grey cabinet. The drawer houses more glasses and champagne flutes, while the fully stocked mini-fridge is well hidden in the bottommost cabinet. It was weird that Sofitel Paris La Faubourg did not include an electric kettle (we had to request one).

The Antechamber on the Upper Level

Climbing up the staircase to the second level of the Duplex Prestige Suite, we came to an open space. I regard this space as the open study in the suite. The cosy and elegant design on the lower floor was also apparent on the suite’s second floor. A work desk was tucked by the wall, which created much space in this part of the suite. The glass-top work desk is of a decent size, sufficient for one to lay their laptops on for work. I like how the hotel included power sockets here, making it convenient for occupants to keep their devices juiced up while working. The velvet sand colour chair was comfortable to sit for long periods for one to work. A luxurious-looking and comfortable armchair with a side table sits in the corner of this area, next to the work desk. I used this chair to place my backpack on, but other than that, this corner is a great spot for guests to sit on, reading a book.

The main wardrobe in the Duplex Prestige Suite is also found in this antechamber area. The hotel dedicated a large wardrobe space for hanging clothing, which we found sufficient space to hang our one week’s clothing. The right side of the wardrobe featured shelving space, allowing us to place smaller clothing items or our shopping. We found the in-room safe nicely hidden in the wardrobe. I was surprised to find another mini fridge hiding in the wardrobe on the upper level and a drawer storing the same glassware as in the minibar on the lower level.

Bedroom

The bedroom in the Duplex Prestige Suite exudes a cosy and comfortable feel. The slanted inward ceiling in the bedroom makes one feel like sleeping in an attic, which enhances the cosiness of the bedroom. In the middle of the bedroom rests the king bed, which has excellent sleep quality and leaves me feeling fresh every morning. The hotel provides no pillow menu, and the pillows provided were too soft for my liking. On either side of the bed sits a couple of bedside tables, which gave us sufficient space to charge our mobile phones from the power socket installed on the walls above the table. At the end of the bed was a bed-end bench, which allowed us to sit and watch the TV without messing up the bed. Given the space in the bedroom, I thought placing the TV on a stand instead of a TV console was a good idea as it made the bedroom look less cluttered. There is another wardrobe fitted into the walls, which gives us additional space to stow our things.

Bathroom

The bathroom in the Duplex Prestige Suite sits at the end of the bedroom on the second level of the suite. The decor was a departure from what we had seen in the rest of the suite, but the bathroom was no less luxurious. I was not too fond of the sink in the bathroom, as it afforded us limited space to place our toiletries. We had to move things around, like playing a game of Tetris, to fit our travel-size toiletries. The sink area employed the same blue tiles on the wall as those in the powder room on the suite’s lower level. A bathtub sits across from the sink, sufficiently sized for me to enjoy a soak. Due to space constraints, Sofitel Paris La Faubourg fitted a bath/shower combination in the bathroom. The bathroom in the Duplex Prestige Suite is only fitted with a regular shower head. Taller guests might find showering in the bath a tad claustrophobic due to the structure of the building; the wall where the bathtub was placed slants inwards. I like how the hotel designed a partial wall and placed the toilet behind it to create some form of privacy, given the space allotted to the bathroom.

Overall

I loved the Duplex Prestige Suite in Sofitel Paris La Faubourg. The suite emits a homely feel and feels comfortable and luxurious. I like the split-level design, where the sleeping and entertainment areas are very well segregated. The open study area is comfortable and very tastefully designed. The bedroom felt cosy, and the sleep quality on the king bed was superb. I would return to stay in the Duplex Prestige Suite the next time I return to Paris.

Location

Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg is the flagship Sofitel in Paris. The hotel is situated on the right bank of Paris in the 8th arrondissement, within walking distance to Place de la Concorde. The nearest metro station, Concorde, is about a 3-minute from the hotel. There are several lines that run through Concorde station, which greatly aids in exploring Paris. The nearest RER station is about a 10-minute walk, across from the Pont Alexandre III, giving those staying in Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg the convenience of visiting the sites in greater Paris (such as Versailles and Paris Disney). The hotel is within walking distance of luxury boutiques in the neighbourhood, with big brands like Hermes, Chanel, and Gucci within a 5-minute walk from the hotel. Regarding eateries, we noticed the restaurants near the hotel are rather upscale, and few are budget-friendly restaurants nearby. There is a supermarket and a McDonald’s next to it, about 8 min walk from the hotel, in the direction of Eglise de la Madeleine.

The Collection Suite

We stayed in the Collection Suite for the first two nights, one category higher than the entry-level Junior Suite in Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg. The suite we were assigned was the worst Collection Suite in the hotel. During check-in, we were told not all Collection Suites have the same layout. The Collection Suite has a total floor area of 36㎡; the only thing I like about this Collection Suite that we were assigned was the elegant vibe with the use of a dark grey colour tone.

Entryway

The entryway in the Collection Suite at Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg emits a strong luxury vibe to its occupants. Here is where we found the only wardrobe in the suite, sitting next to the main door. I find the wardrobe space limited, with only one door panel for guests to hang our clothing. Another single-panel door is next to the wardrobe, with a four-tier shelving. However, only one tier of the four tiers was useable for storage as the hotel uses the other three shelves to stow the in-room safe, mini-fridge, and extra pillows. I also find placing the wardrobe at the entryway inconvenient, as the bathroom is only accessible via the bedroom of the Collection Suite.

We found the only toilet in the Collection Suite opposite the wardrobe by the entryway. In some hotels, this would be a powder room, but due to the design of this Collection Suite that we were assigned, there are no toilet facilities in the bathroom. The toilet is simply furnished with a toilet bowl and a small sink and is not connected to the bathroom. I thought the space allocated to the toilet was too big.

Living Room

Walking past the wardrobe, we arrived at the Living Room. I’d say the Living Room was beautifully designed. The patterned cornice ceiling, glass candle-designed wall lamps, and the painting chosen to decorate the Living Room give it a chic and luxurious feel. A comfortable grey colour two-seater couch was furnished, sitting in one corner of the Living Room. The colour chosen for this couch was consistent with the Collection Suite’s overall colour scheme. The use of a white round coffee table adorned with a vase of a single white orchid enhances the room’s aesthetics. The colour scheme, while a little dark, makes one feel comfortable. We could see the two TVs mounted on the wall from the entrance of the Collection Suite in Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg. The bigger one was meant for guests to watch while spending their time in the living room, and the smaller TV could be swivelled to face the bed in the bedroom. Despite having numerous channels on the TV, I find limited English channel entertainment options on the TV.

Tucked by the wall between the two large windows in the Living Room was a work desk, which seemed to double up as a mini bar area. The desk was great for guests to do some work. However, placing a coffee machine and the capsule box here took up half the space on the desk. The LED light on the work desk was elegant, but in our suite, the light was not working. I also found a lack of power outlets at the work desk, inconveniencing guests who wanted to work on their laptops.

An armchair is in the corner of the suite opposite the work desk. The fur-covered dark brown armchair was very comfortable and provided another sitting space in the Living Room. We mainly used this armchair to place our bags. A single shelving cabinet was wedged between the gap that serves as a partition between the bedroom and the Living Room. This two-tiered cabinet felt like an afterthought in the design of the suite. We welcome additional storage space around the Collection Suite, as storage was limited. The storage space afforded by this cabinet vastly increases the number of things we can put away, but placing a cabinet between the bedroom and the living room felt out of place.

Bedroom

The bedroom is separated from the living room using a partial wall. There are no doors between the two rooms in this Collection Suite at Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg. The bedroom emits a cosy and luxurious vibe. The King bed in the centre of the bedroom was very comfortable to sleep in, leaving me feeling recharged every night. However, I find the pillows provided by the hotel a tad too soft for my liking. The hotel does not provide any pillow menu to suit the needs of different guests. Like most hotels, Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg fitted two bedside tables on both sides of the bed. The wooden bedside table offers little storage space. There is just sufficient space for us to charge our mobile phone sockets fitted onto the walls by the tables. Fortunately, the hotel fitted a hanging lamp on both sides above the bedside table to free up usable space on these tables. Besides the bedside tables, there isn’t any other storage space in the bedroom, seemingly suggesting the hotel opted for form over factor. A smaller TV is mounted on the wall above the cabinet, with the same channel options as that in the living room. Due to the lack of a door to separate the living room from the bedroom, the sound from the TV in the living room flows to the bedroom. As much as I did not like the layout design of the bedroom, I thought the bedroom felt cosy and comfortable.

Bathroom

The bathroom in the Collection Suite we were assigned is another disappointment. Despite feeling spacious, there is no bathtub in the bathroom. The hotel staff told us that this was the only Collection Suite not fitted with a bathtub and toilet in the bathroom. When I was shown the bathroom, I had serious concerns about water flowing into the bedroom. The bathroom had a large area dedicated to the shower with a drainage hole in the centre. The hotel only fitted a regular showerhead in the bathroom. There was a small sink countertop cluttered with amenities, leaving us with no space to place our toiletries. The bathroom is separated from the bedroom with a see-through glass panel and door. Fortunately, the hotel fitted a gold-coloured curtain inside the bathroom. There are still some areas that I like about the bathroom. The use of marble and a dark grey theme was consistent with the theme of the entire suite. I also like the heated towel rack that was fitted in the bathroom, allowing our towels to dry when hung overnight. But caution had to be exercised with the towel rack as it can get hot.

Service

The service was generally good at Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg. Alex warmly welcomed us at the door when we entered the hotel. Alex would always greet us warmly without fail whenever we walked past him. He made us feel welcome and at home. The staff at the reception were equally friendly. They were always seen with a smile and had their Bonjours whenever we approached them. The lady who checked us in was very helpful. When she learned that we were disappointed with the assigned second floor, I could see she was trying very hard to check the availabilities of the Collection Suite on other floors. I saw her checking with other colleagues and going through the system to check available rooms. Understandably, her hands were tied as the suites in the hotel were fully booked at the time of our arrival. The customer care team provided the best service of all. They knew how disappointed we were with the Collection Suite we were assigned from the moment we were shown our suite. The team would constantly check in with us daily via WhatsApp chat on how we found the suite. Knowing we were disappointed with the suite, the team upgraded us to the Duplex Prestige Suite (worlds apart from this Collection Suite) when it became available. The team was always responsive when we faced issues with the rooms.

However, not all the staff were as welcoming and provided good service. The black sheep of the lot was this Asian porter by the main door, who was always seen to ignore our presence. He was only seen to be friendly to Caucasian guests. We had never seen him smiling at us or acknowledging our presence whenever we walked past him, let alone greeting us. He was always seen avoiding eye contact with us.

Hotel Facilities

Gym

Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg has a small gym in the basement, accessible via the stairs by the main entrance or the lift between the hotel and the bar. The gym is sparsely equipped with only four exercise machines, all dedicated to cardio workouts. It also has a free-weight area for guests to do simple weight exercises. We also found a steam room in the changing room inside the gym. The gym in the hotel only allows guests to do some light exercises.

Breakfast

Breakfast in Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg was served in the restaurant next to the reception. There are quite a few options for breakfast. I particularly like the croissants served in the restaurant; they are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Other than cold cuts and salads, there are some hot items in the buffet area. We did not see any egg stations in the restaurant; rather, orders for eggs were made by the restaurant’s waiting staff. I thought the breakfast was delicious enough to fill one’s stomach to start the day.

Overall

Despite being in a great location, well connected and having tons of shopping at its doorstep, I was not too fond of the Collection Suite assigned to us. When we were escorted to the suite, we were informed by the staff that the other Collection Suite was larger, and the toilet was found inside the bathroom, which is also fitted with a bathtub. Apart from the poorly designed suite with many inconveniences, the lower floor (just above the main entrance to the hotel) made it the worst Collection Suite in the entire hotel. Assigning them to their highest-tiered member went to show how little the hotel regard its members.