Sofitel Le Scribe, Paris

The Sofitel Le Scribe sits right on the corner of Rue Scribe and Boulevard des Capucines. The hotel’s location is excellent. In close proximity you have the old Opéra Garnier and the Galeries Lafayette and Printemps department stores. Just around the corner is also the stop for the airport bus that takes you directly to Roissy airport.

I’m staying at Le Scribe because I have tickets to see Mayerling at the Opéra.

The hotel is very well kept. Everything is spotlessly clean and looks as though it was only recently renovated. Reception is on the ground floor, to the left. Also on the ground floor is a small tea room, the lobby bar and the dining restaurant. The breakfast room is one floor down in the basement of the building, which is not uncommon in Paris.

The reception staff are cordial and friendly in their interaction with guests.

I’m staying in room 372, which is, I believe, a Premium Luxury Room.

The doors to the bathroom and separate toilet are off to the right as you enter the room.

Like the rest of the hotel, the room is clean and has a pleasant smell of new furniture. The room has a high ceiling. Other than that, the surface of the room is rather small and space is quite limited.

As a result, there is only very limited space to hang and store clothes. I’m here only for the one night. In as much, there is enough space for two persons to put their belongings. However, if you’re staying for longer, the lack of space could be an issue.

The room has a Nespresso machine and a water cooker, and complimentary tea and coffee are available.

The bathroom is quite large and features a separate bath and shower.

My room looks out onto the Rue Scribe, which is a quiet side street with limited access. In as much, noise is not a problem. However, the Boulevard des Capucines is quite a busy thoroughfare, and I can imagine that noise from the traffic could be an issue if you have a room overlooking the Boulevard.

As I mentioned in the beginning, I’m staying at Le Scribe because of the Opéra Garnier. The hotel is just a five-minute walk from the Opéra. If you’re not into ballet or the opera, you can still visit the Opéra Garnier during the day, if only to catch a glimpse of the sumptuous elegance of the interior of the building. The Opéra Garnier, by the way, inspired Gaston Leroux to write what is probably his best known piece of fiction – Le Fantôme de L’Opera – which was later turned into a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber.