Elysees Opera Hotel in Paris

We arrived at the hotel around 11am and the room was ready, which after a 4am start, was fantastic news.

We’d booked a balcony room and yep, the balcony was definitely the star of the show. The hotel itself? Lived-in. A little scuffed paint here, a bit of crumbling plaster there - nothing dramatic, just not quite what you'd expect from a 4-star hotel.

The aircon...what aircon? It wasn't working in our room, we flagged it, but nothing happened. Luckily it was only April, so we didn’t melt, but in summer? That could be a deal breaker.

The bed didn’t give 5-star cloud vibes, but it did the job. The hot water took a holiday one morning but the staff sorted us out with showers at a nearby sister hotel. Not ideal, but appreciated.

Breakfast - I went down once for breakfast and it was fine. Nothing special. If I had a do-over, I wouldn't book the breakfast and just go out for a pastry in the morning (which is what we ended up doing anyway). My partner was happy enough with it.

Coffee machine in the reception area is a nice touch, grabbing a quick nespresso pod before heading out in the morning was good.

Location-wise, we were delighted. Tucked on a quiet street, with the metro close by and the charming Montmartre area just a stroll away. Boulangeries and great eats all around.

Bottom line: if you’re the type who spends hours lounging in a luxe hotel bed, this might not be your scene. But if you’re mostly out exploring and just need a decent crash pad at a fair price for Paris? This place will do the trick (especially if balconies are your thing).