Sofitel Paris La Défense

La Défense is known for its public art, including monumental sculptures by Calder and Miró. Appropriately, this modern hotel moves the aesthetic inside, as evidenced by the original artworks adorning its interior. A Ruddy Candillon lightbox installation, which enlivens the lobby, is one case in point. Abstract paintings by Pierre Bonnefille and funky armchairs -- some white with earth-tone seat cushions, others vividly upholstered in pomegranate and orange -- add further character to Jean-Philippe Nuel’s interior design. Striped carpeting carries the color scheme through to Le Lounge, a curvaceous double-height dining area right off the lobby with an adjoining bar and book-stocked reading nook. Stairs ascend from it to the mezzanine-level meeting rooms, where business folk routinely gather. Like the area as a whole, this hotel is geared toward their activities, so it is busiest on weekdays; both the number of guests and the room rates drop accordingly on weekends.

This curving, contemporary hotel sits on a plaza in France’s premier business district, and the office towers looming all around it serve as the headquarters for many major corporations. It is just a quick walk to the Esplanade de La Défense metro station, where sightseers can catch public transportation into central Paris. However, there is no mistaking the fact that the city’s top tourist draws are not on your doorstep. The good news is that La Défense, while admittedly short on charm and entertainment options, does have its own attractions -- including Tour First (France’s tallest skyscraper) and Les Quatre Temps (arguably Europe’s largest shopping mall). Dominating both is the Grande Arche de La Défense, which stands as a Modernist counterpoint to the Arc de Triomphe, two-and-a-half miles away.

• Four-minute walk to the Esplanade de La Défense metro station 
• 10-minute walk to Les Quatre Temps shopping mall 
• 12-minute walk to Grande Arche de La Défense 
• 13 minutes to Palais des Congrès de Paris via public transport
• 16 minutes to the Champs Elysees via public transport
• 17 minutes to the Arc de Triomphe via public transport
• 22 minutes to the Louvre Museum via public transport
• 32 minutes to the Eiffel Tower via public transport
• 39 minutes to Gare Du Nord (Eurostar) via public transport
• 33-minute drive to Charles de Gaulle International Airport (more with traffic)
• 36-minute drive to Orly Airport (more with traffic)

The clientele here tends to value comfort and convenience over charm. As a result, the contemporary-style accommodations, done up in calming earth tones with flashes of fuchsia, lack the wow factor of other luxury hotels. But, in keeping with Sofitel’s brand-wide standards, they are spacious: depending on the category, rooms are 258 to 301 square feet, while junior suites, which include a sofa-bed and separate seating area, are 377. They are well-outfitted, too: All have air-conditioning, minibars, safes, and tea/coffee-making equipment plus lots of electronic bells and whistles -- including free Wi-Fi, Bose sound systems with iPod docks, and 48- to 55-inch HD smart TVs, complete with video games and free on-request Apple TV components. The one-bedroom Prestige Suite (covering a whopping 710-square feet) has a home cinema as well.

Sofitel’s signature MyBeds, which come with down mattress toppers and luxe linens, get raves from past guests; ditto for the bathrooms which feature welcome touches like robes, slippers and Hermès toiletries. Although Classic and Superior-class rooms only have a walk-in shower, Luxury ones and all suites also feature separate bathtubs that invite soaking and Privalight interior windows that provide privacy without sacrificing natural light. 

Sofitel is one of the luxury brands in the AccorHotels family, a France-based group that includes ubiquitous European names like Ibis and Novotel. When you combine that brand with this particular location, it is no surprise that the features would include not only well-equipped meeting rooms and a business center but extras like secretarial and translation services. The hotel also is home to a pair of elegant restaurants -- Le Lounge (a slick white, skylighted space) and La Tavola (a playful, Baroque-inspired one reserved for private events). Both serve contemporary bistro cuisine that takes full advantage of fresh local ingredients. Room service is offered, and small bites, along with the expected beverages, are served in the lobby bar. 

Other on-site features included a bright fitness room, free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour front desk with concierge and currency exchange, and a private indoor garage with valet parking. An airport shuttle service, dry-cleaning service and turndown service are available, too. But one notable absence is the lack of any spa, pool, or on-site beauty/wellness treatments. Being a modern, purpose-built property, this hotel has been designed to accommodate disabled guests. Children are welcome, as are small pets; both cribs and babysitting for the former can be arranged on request.