Hotel Review: Le Dokhan’s, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel, Paris
Paris is full of beautiful and historic buildings and is arguably the most romantic city in the world. Countless world-famous attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, the Palace of Versailles, and top-notch gastronomic hotspots continue to bring tourists into the city. To accommodate a 24/7 influx of visitors, Paris is abundant in both affordable and expensive lodging options. Though I prefer sleeker, modern hotels, I decided to try something different since Paris is full of properties with a rich history. After perusing a few options on Marriott’s website, I found a property called Le Dokhan's and immediately fell in love with it.
Le Dokhan’s showcases its gorgeous 18th-century building in the heart of Paris, France.
What Card Did I Use to Book the Hotel?
I earn tons of Marriott Bonvoy points by using my American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card. It is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $3,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. It earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 3X points on restaurants and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X on all other purchases. Paired with Marriott’s promotions and AMEX offers, it opens a door to endless points earning opportunities.
The Bonvoy Brilliant comes with great benefits that can substantially offset its annual fee. Photo credit: www.americanexpress.com
The Bonvoy Brilliant does come with a hefty $450 annual fee, but has tons of perks to significantly offset its costs. The card features the following benefits:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status - The mid-tier status offered by Marriott
$300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit - Can be used towards your room rate
$100 property credit when booked directly with Marriott and staying a minimum of two nights at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties
1 free night certificate - Redeemable for properties up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
Access to Priority Pass lounges
15 Elite night credit - Can be helpful if you are chasing Marriott Bonvoy status
Even if you don’t stay at Marriott properties often, this card is still a must-have in my opinion. It’s a true example of a keeper card, as the benefits outweigh the steep $450 annual fee.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
I have another Marriott Bonvoy credit card: the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business Card. It is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you spend $5,000 within your first 3 months of card membership. The card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 4X points on dining, U.S. shipping purchases, U.S. wireless telephone services, and at U.S. gas stations. All other purchases earn 2X points.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Card is the only Marriott business card on the market. Photo credit: www.americanexpress.com
The Bonvoy Business Card’s annual fee is $125 and offers decent benefits to justify the cost:
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, the low-tier status offered in Marriott’s member ecosystem
One free night certificate, redeemable for properties worth up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
15 Elite Night Credits that will help you achieve a higher Bonvoy status
As you can see the card’s benefits are less substantial than the ones from the Bonvoy Brilliant Card, but it is a great long-term keeper card due to its annual free night certificate perk. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary if you want to chase a higher Marriott Bonvoy status because it is the only Marriott business card that is on the market and will grant you an additional 15 Elite Night Credits. Lastly, even though it is a business credit card, it is very likely that you could get it approved. Check out my article on how to apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
Why I Chose Le Dokhan’s: A Boutique Hotel with Historic and Artistic Charm
According to Marriott, Le Dokhan’s was originally built in 1910 during the Belle Epoque era and only contains six floors and 45 rooms. The rooms are immaculately designed by famed French interior designer Frederic Mechiche. The hotel lobby is decorated with authentic pieces of Picasso and Matisse, greeting guests with the delicate scent of a custom wood-burning fragrance. I could see that Le Dokhan’s really emphasized conveying the ambiance as that of an intimate residence rather than a touristy hotel.
The lobby features an original artwork by Picasso. I hear he’s quite famous.
I was immediately impressed and booked a four-night stay using my Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant. One night at Le Dokhan’s Classic Queen Bed Guest Room will cost you €312.88, equivalent to 348.36 USD. Four nights came to a total of 1,393.44 USD. With my Brilliant card’s 6X Marriott Bonvoy multiplier, I earned 8,360 Bonvoy points.
The lobby was intimate and gave us a residential and cozy atmosphere.
Where Is the Hotel Located?
The hotel is located in the 16th arrondissement (Paris’ administrative district) and is very close to iconic monuments such as the Musée Marmottan Monet, the Paris Museum of Modern Art, Champ Elysées, Arc de Triomphe, and the Eiffel Tower. If visitors are looking to go to other attractions, the hotel is conveniently surrounded by multiple subway stations, including Trocadéro (M6 and M9 lines), Victor Hugo (M2), and Boissière (M6). Though the hotel does not provide a shuttle service, you can still use the metro to get to Charles de Gaulle Airport from the hotel.
The hotel was conveniently located next to three subway stations.
Quiet and Intimate Lobby
As soon as I entered the hotel, the atmosphere changed from the busy hustle and bustle of Parisian streets to a quiet and intimate setting. I was pleasantly greeted by two gentlemen behind the desk, but my room was not yet ready because I arrived around noon. However, I was upgraded from a Classic to a Deluxe Queen Bed Guest Room upon checking in. Not only would my room be on a higher floor, but I would get a small table and seating area with the upgrade. Because Parisian hotel rooms are generally quite small, I appreciated all the extra space I could get.
Getting upgrades is why I invest in hotel statuses. Get the Bonvoy Brilliant to unlock automatic Gold Elite status!
While a desk representative was checking the readiness of the room, I waited in the lobby. My surroundings felt very personal, like a social gathering area in a private luxury mansion.
The lobby/waiting area was carefully curated with unique pieces of art.
The parquet floors and wainscoting were from a 17th-century château. The walls and the floor were carefully decorated with authentic paintings by Matisse and Picasso and aristocratic metal sculptures.
Another original piece by Picasso was in the gathering area.
My favorite part of the lobby was the fireplace. Later I learned that the firewood has a custom-made fragrance, especially for Le Dokhan’s. The atmosphere warmed us up slowly from the cold February winter in Paris.
The fireplace added a cozy, intimate atmosphere to the hotel,
Our newly upgraded room was located on the 4th floor. I was super excited by the elevator’s unique appearance; its interior lining was furnished by genuine Louis Vuitton trunks!
Be aware that the elevator is extremely small. Two average-sized adults with small suitcases will comprise the maximum load. Despite the elevator being so tiny, I never had to share or wait long for it during my four-night stay.
Be aware: The elevator is tiny and might make visitors feel as if the Louis Vuitton-lined walls are closing in on them!
Room Review: Elegant, Classic, Cozy, and Parisian
The room was not huge but felt accommodating enough for Parisian standards. The floor carpet was soft and clean and the bedroom walls were comprised of French-style fabric! It was soft to the touch and felt luxurious. Even though the mattress was rather soft, the bed was comfortable and I enjoyed it. Each side of the bed had a tiny nightstand and reading lamps, just large enough to rest a wallet or cell phone.
The room was as Parisian as it gets. I loved the French-style fabric wall.
The TV was rather small, at most 32 inches if I had to guess, but this wasn’t a problem since I don’t watch the telly during my travels. Next to the TV was an electric kettle, free instant coffee and tea, expensive in-room nuts, and a petite bottle of wine. A tablet was on a charging block with 4 USB outlets, which I used to charge my phone. The tablet came in handy when I watched YouTube videos to ease in for the night. I was slightly disappointed that the room did not have a Nespresso machine, and I had to find a plug outlet for the electric kettle to use it.
I really wish there was a Nespresso machine, but the instant coffee did the trick.
To the right of the bed were two chairs, a small round coffee table, and a bench. On the table were two complimentary bottles of Evian and a pamphlet detailing room services they provide.
The seating area came in handy when I had breakfast in the morning.
The seating area opened up to a cute French balcony. Had I visited Le Dokhan’s in the spring or summer, I could see myself opening the windows and enjoying a glass of wine and cheese platter. The windows let in a decent amount of sunlight and were perfect for ventilating the room when needed.
The French balcony made the room feel more open and commodious.
The balcony view wasn’t the best since I could see right into someone else’s apartment across the street, but having lived in the concrete jungles of New York, I was accustomed to the urban vibe.
Classic Parisian view from the balcony.
Bathroom Review
The bathroom was definitely on the smaller side but had two large mirrors, making the room appear bigger. The floor and walls were marble-finished.
The bathroom was entirely marble-finished and the mirrors made it appear more spacious.
The water pressure in the shower was great, but as you can see in the picture below, only the first half of the tub was covered by a flimsy glass panel. Because of the European design, I inevitably splashed water everywhere whenever I rinsed myself.
The shower’s open design was hard to ignore when I took a shower every morning.
The bathroom also had a makeup mirror and fixed hairdryer, the latter showing its age but worked great, on par with current higher-end models. Amenities were provided by Carita.
The amenities were by Carita, a luxury brand by L'Oréal.
Delightful Surprises from the Hotel Staff
After dropping my luggage off, I had a quick lunch and returned to the room to nap. When I opened my hotel room, I was pleasantly surprised by two macarons, a bottle of white peach juice, and a voucher for one glass of champagne per person at Bar Le Dokhan’s, located on the first floor of the hotel. It was a nice touch of appreciation by the hotel staff, and I later visited the bar to redeem my voucher.
I always appreciate when the hotel recognizes a brand loyalist.
Bar Le Dokhan’s: Romantic Ambiance with Disappointing Service
Per Marriott, Bar Le Dokhan’s was the first champagne bar in Paris. It is led by sommelier Matthias Breton and has the city’s largest champagne menu with 240 different choices. The bar carries exquisite selections of caviar, foie gras, and other Maison petrossian’s specialties.
Bar Le Dokhan’s was the first champagne bar in Paris, but the service was far from distinguished.
The bar invites jazz musicians one night a week and winemakers to come in and share their experiences over evening tastings. Marriott members also enjoy 10% off on beverages. Unfortunately, I didn’t experience wine tasting or jazz performance, but I enjoyed a glass of champagne.
The champagne was delicious and the romantic ambiance definitely contributed to the experience.
The bar is intimate with about 20 seats, romantically curated with chandeliers and candlelit tables. I went to the bar on Wednesday night and there were only 4 other people seated, keeping the atmosphere from feeling overly crowded or busy.
The Bar Le Dokhan’s transforms into an inviting area for morning breakfast.
I loved the ambiance, but the service was highly lacking. When I arrived at the bar, the sommelier wasn’t present. He came out from a hidden door behind the bar about 10 minutes after we were seated to take my voucher and give us a menu. I browsed the menu but I couldn’t justify the price and decided to only enjoy the free champagne given by the hotel. The sommelier may have sensed that I was only there for the freebie and simply put down two glasses of champagne in front of us without any context. I was curious to hear what they were since I saw he had mixed two different kinds of champagne. It was delicious, but the sommelier never came back to check on us. The service was disappointing, to say the least.
What I Liked: Great Location, Historic Beauty, and Charm
I loved Le Dokhan’s historic charm, beautiful artwork throughout the hotel, and the quiet room. The last thing you want to worry about is sleep quality after spending hours sightseeing and walking in a populated city. The guest room was very personal and intimate. The bed was very comfortable and the balcony windows sealed the noise from the streets very well. During my four-night stay, I did not hear any noise from neighboring guests or passersby.
I slept like a log for four nights thanks to the balcony windows doing a great job dampening the noise.
The location of the hotel was ideal for travelers. It was close to three different subway lines, yet the area was not overly touristy and allowed me to immerse myself as if I were a local. Lastly, the overall service was great. I was able to get free bottles of water upon request. I know this is might not sound like a big deal, but Marriott hotels can be stingy with Gold Elite status members and below. Sending us free champagne coupons and check-in/check-out macarons and fruit juice were memorable hospitality touches that I enjoyed very much.
The historic and artistic charm made me feel like I was not in just another touristy hotel.
What I Disliked: Terribly Designed Shower and Lack of Everyday Amenities
I really didn’t care for the bathroom, mainly the shower. I understand that the hotel was potentially averse to installing shower curtains in such a historic property, and Europeans also commonly shower without any barrier. However, it was ergonomically poor and led me to use an additional towel to sponge the water I splashed on the floor after every shower. As mentioned, the glass panel was flimsy and movable; it was scary when I tried to reach for the facial cleanser on the sink and temporarily leaned on it, thinking that it wouldn’t move, but it shifted and I honestly thought I was going to fall through the glass. Luckily, a rubber stopper on the side of the sink prevented the panel from completely falling and shattering.
Paying $350 a night, I expected there to be a decent coffee machine, preferably a Nespresso or even a Keurig.
Other items I found lacking at Le Dokhan’s were common amenities such as a gym or Nespresso machine. I like to exercise during my travels, and it was disappointing not to have the option of conveniently working out in the hotel. I’m not sure how many boutique hotels in Paris offer fitness centers, but maybe providing free day passes at nearby gyms could be a viable alternative. For how nice the hotel was, I was surprised to find that Le Dokhan’s didn’t offer Nespresso machines in their rooms. I was only offered instant Nescafe coffees, which were okay but unimpressive.
Summary
Le Dokhan’s is loaded with historic beauty in addition to rare, authentic artwork such as paintings by Picasso and Matisse, as well as a Louis Vuitton trunk elevator. Though the bathroom was strangely and inefficiently designed and the hotel did not have common boutique amenities such as a Nespresso or gym, the bed was very comfortable and the French balcony brought in ample lighting and fresh air. I had high hopes for the champagne bar, but the service was disappointing, to say the least. However, I was still pleasantly surprised by the great hospitality provided by the staff and enjoyed small touches like check-in and check-out macarons and fruit juices. Whether you’re visiting Paris for the first time for a honeymoon or seeking a local getaway as a full-blooded Parisian, Le Dokhan’s is an intimate and charming hotel in which to stay. I recommend this charming lodging to anyone looking to spend time in Paris and plan on returning in the future.
