Hotol Novotel Paris Charenton

Spiritually and morally drained after a far too lengthy ride on the Peripherique highway surrounding Paris, the taxi finally pulled up to the Novotel in Charenton Le Pont. This was to be my home away from home for several days thanks to a business trip in the area.
And that brings me to the first point about the Hotel: it’s somewhat far from the main tourist attractions in Paris. As someone who is accustomed to riding the NYC subway every day, this didn’t pose a problem– it’s like living in Queens or Brooklyn and taking the subway in to «the City». For those who don’t care for a 25 – 35 minute commute, you’ve been warned.
On the other hand, if you have business in Charenton Le Pont… then we probably work for the same firm.
So I mustered up my best jet lagged French to say «Parlez-​vous anglais?» to the check-​in clerk instead of just busting out with «Check me in, yo.», trying to maintain positive relations between the two cultures.
And she replied in British sounding English and I suddenly thought I was in the wrong country. A very helpful feature, which I observed later, is that employees have little badges with flags representing what language they speak: obviously France, but many UK and Spanish flags were in abundance. So if you need help in your native tongue, look for the flag.
The room wasn’t ready, which was a major disappointment, as I needed to report in to work within an hour. Hello bathroom changing area! And then after transforming from traveler into suit wearing professional, the clerk informs me that the room is in fact ready.
What of the room? Comfortable enough but one key feature eluded me until the last day: the location of the power outlet in the bathroom so I could use my Norelco razor. It was actually protected by a panel attached to the hair dryer. The shower system took some getting used to as well and this may very well be attributable to my deficiencies with mechanical tasks or it was just confusing to use. Somehow push buttons entered into it and the absence of a shower curtain almost always resulted in a wet floor. The drop from stepping out of the tub onto the floor could be steep so be careful.
The free wifi throughout the hotel was reliable and a great way to avoid excessive data roaming charges. I heard from my wife that the cleaning staff failed to respect the «Do not disturb» sign (written in several languages) on one occasion and was a fairly noisy bunch.
Breakfast, included in the cost, was buffet style but with a European twist of sophistication: cheeses, cured meats, yogurts, pain au chocolats, pancakes and waffles, baguettes, butters, jellies and some of the creamiest scrambled eggs I’ve ever had. I ate and drank well, fully utilizing the coffee machine like a primitive man kneeling before an alien supercomputer that secretly controls the world. And I am not a coffee drinker but the need for stimulants to combat the jet lag was so great I had to push the button for a «long coffee».
A metro station is steps away so you’ll be able to take the 8 line to various Parisian attractions. Nearby is a small shopping mall that has a local grocery store with local prices. I recommend buying any takeaways for the friends and family back home from here and save some serious euro. If you walk along the main street in the neighborhood you’ll find a few restaurants and shops as well.
Room rates starts at 118 euros a night, breakfast included and two children stay free. And the most important tip of all, borrowed from their website: EuroDisney is less than 30 minutes away by car.