Nolinski Paris - Evok Collection

A good but somewhat 'formal' hotel with excellent pool, hammam, and sauna. The rooms are very quiet despite being next to a busy road, room decor is a little tacky / over the top, and sadly there are is no coffee (even just Nespresso) or tea (kettle) in the rooms yet. Staff are unfailingly professional and very courteous.

The Nolinski hotel is a place that is both so wonderful and shockingly bad at the same time. So I can end on a good note, I will start with the negative first – On Sunday 8.30 am and it was black in our room. My partner and I were sleeping in. A man came straight into our room with no knocking or introduction. It was terrifying and we both jumped out of our skin because we couldn’t see him at all. Apparently, it was a staff member from the restaurant coming to check the mini bar that early on a Sunday morning?! We called the front desk to complain and ask for a late checkout (for the 4th time over two days btw.) We were told that they would have an answer at 9.30am. We said, “please don’t call us, we will call you so we can relax after the fright.” So, about 15 minutes later the reception called us back anyway to tell us we could have a late checkout ignoring our request. And generally, the staff would knock but leave no time to enter the room. Even when we called them to wait, they would still enter of their own accord. As for asking for late checkout the request was made 4 times with it bouncing around the staff until we had made our complaint about the intruder. Another key complaint first night we were in the restaurant and ordered cocktails, food and tap water for the table. In the UK, ordering tap water is perfectly normal at any establishment. The bar staff didn’t realise I speak French and I overheard them laughing about my partner's request for the tap water. Sniggering amongst themselves as to which glassware they should serve it in. These events are unacceptable at any time – but especially in a 5 star hotel with only 45 rooms. How could they be that intrusive and disorganised? Now here are the good things – Location is great for metro access, but many great parts of Paris can be reached on foot from there. The room was very comfortable and large. As was the bathroom. Towels were changed when requested. And the robes and slippers were very cosy. The pool, sauna and steam room were excellent. I would say it is the best hotel pool I have ever been in. The ambiance was incredible. It was like being in a giant relaxing cavern. (Spa treatments were really expensive compared to other 5 star hotels FYI) Finally, the waiter in the cocktail bar Clement really made a big impression on us. His service was top notch matching the service a guest should find in a 5-star hotel. The drinks were also very good with a very interesting whiskey and cocktail menu. At the end, listing complaints at checkout, we were told that we were given a late checkout and were given a room scent and some chocolates as "a sorry."  A better gesture might have been to wipe the drinks from one night at the cocktail bar from the room charges which were of value to us and we had really enjoyed, rather than a room fragrance neither of us wanted. Neither of us will stay at a Nolinski hotel again. There are plenty of nicer ones in Paris. Although I would definitely return to the cocktail bar when Clement is on shift.