The Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador in the 9th arrondissement is a stately, century-old building in Paris’ iconic Haussmann architectural style that’s been lovingly maintained and updated while maintaining the feel of an opulent Grand Hotel. It’s great location from which to base your Paris vacation.
We recently stayed there four nights in April 2023 and were absolutely delighted — not just by the location, our lovely, comfortable, and spacious room, and the view and amenities at the 8th floor executive lounge, but also by the warm welcome and friendliness of the staff. The teams at the front desk, executive lounge, housekeeping and concierge all made us feel right at home and pleased to share Paris with us.
Paris is full of amazing hotels, and it can be tough to know what the best choice will be. We finally chose Marriott Opera Ambassador after doing quite a bit of online research and. As Marriott Bonvoy members, we wanted to stay at one of the 38 Paris-area properties in the brand. This being part of a 30th anniversary celebration, we wanted something elegant and comfortable. Finally, having been to Paris a few times before, we knew that location can really affect your Paris experience
On paper, Marriott’s Opera Ambassador Hotel met all our requirements. Located on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement, it’s a couple of blocks to the Palais Garnier and Galeries Lafayette, it’s just under a mile walk to the Musee d’Orsay or Pont Neuf heading roughly south, and just over a mile to Montmartre heading roughly north. It felt like a central enough location to explore on foot, as walking in Paris is definitely the best way to see the city. The fact the hotel had gotten recent good reviews on TripAdvisor was a plus.
So we were anticipating a good stay, yet from arrival to check-out, our entire hotel experience was better than we could have anticipated. Our room wasn’t ready when we arrived before check-in via Eurostar from London, but we were welcomed, our luggage stored, and given a pass to the 8th floor executive lounge where we were blown away by the view. You can admire the Eiffel Tower from the windows on one side and Sacre Coeur from the windows on the other.
We have Marriott status and had let the hotel know in advance it was an anniversary celebration. We knew we would receive a room upgrade if the hotel was not booked, and we did. But in addition, Mohammad and Martina and the guest relations team went way beyond and surprised us with a bottle of champagne, a fruit basket, and a chocolate Eiffel Tower! It was a great way to arrive at the City of Lights to welcome us and help celebrate in style.
Our Room
Our upgraded room on the 3rd floor was painted in a richly hued pale French blue, a soothing color that reminded me of the Marie Antoinette room at London’s Wallace Collection that we both liked so much. Floor-to-ceiling curtains covered large windows facing the street with wood paned glass windows that cranked opened a bit, enough to appreciate the room’s excellent sound insulation.
The curved settee and round table in front of the window was a comfortable place to perch and plan the next day’s activities. The lines softened the large room and made it feel nicely designed. A long sleek black desk under the television across from the bed was helpful to toss day packs, keys, and souvenirs. I appreciated the dedicated Nespresso coffee and tea service station between two built-in closets. I’m a big tea drinker, so it was excellent to have an in-room electric kettle and assortment of teas. The ceramic mugs were a nice touch as opposed to only paper to go cups often found.
The king-sized bed would have been comfortable enough for Goldilocks, not too soft and not too hard. The bathroom, with double sinks, had plenty of room to spread out toiletries, and the water pressure on the ample shower was pretty impressive. The bathroom also had a feature I’ve never experienced before: a motion light above the bathroom sink that turns on when you walk in in the middle of the night. It was a perfect on-demand-only night light that was a useful idea.
Room amenities include two plush robes, two slippers, and thoughtful incidentals like a mending kit, shoe horn, and a dental kit. The air handling, always something I’m aware of in hotels, was quiet and effective.
Executive Lounge
We took full advantage of the well-appointed executive lounge for all-day beverages and snacks, stopping in after a busy day of sightseeing for a hot tea, draft beer, or handful of nuts. Sitting and enjoying the rooftop view over the boulevards was a great way to kick back between activities while still feeling like you’re experiencing the city.
Breakfast was great. I couldn’t resist starting the day up there in the lounge with a bowl of that extra creamy French yogurt with chia and berries, and then following it up with a baguette with ham and butter, a Parisian-style sandwich. The plentiful buffet offered all sort of options to fuel up for the day ahead: hot scrambled eggs, American bacon, mushrooms, and potatoes, cold cuts and cheeses with pickles, olives, and mustards, cereals, yogurts, dried and fresh fruit, fresh squeezed orange juice, and two espresso/cappuccino machines. Not to mention croissants, both plain and chocolate, tiny muffins, and baguettes.
We never made it to the early dinner buffet, though. There were just too many delicious restaurants nearby to try!
Overview
The Marriott Ambassador Opera is a beautiful, comfortable, clean, and centrally located Paris hotel. The rooms are large for Paris standards with thoughtful amenities. Best of all, the hospitable staff all made us feel welcome and at home. Definitely recommend this one to you! Here is their website for your reservation.
Below is a map that I made showing the location of the hotel, airports, Eurostar station, and a handful of nearby restaurants:
