k-herm
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2004
- Messages
- 278
I'm posting this review because no-one else here has yet; probably because it's fairly new accommodation. I hope it's helpful to those who might be looking for off site close to Disney Paris.
The Residhome apartment building is situated in Val d'Europe, right next door to an Ibis hotel and on a quite stretch of pretty suburban dual carriageway. It is a 10 minute walk to the shopping complex which is a day out in itself - there are hundreds of quality shops, a huge supermarket, mutitude of restaurants and cafes and the Sealife Centre and the outlet village.
From the front door it is literally 1 minute to the entrance of the [new and shiny] RER station which takes you either into Paris [35 mins, trains every 10/15 mins] or into Disney [5 mins, trains every 10/15 mins]. You can buy tickets from an automated machine [there are no staff here at all] and the machine has an option for English text. Be warned though, it does not accept notes, only coins or credit cards and it does not give change, nor can you buy a Paris Viste ticket here. You can buy carnets of 10 tickets which will take you to Disney from here but it's not obvious how to do it - make sure you have your teenage daughter with you, she'll figure it out.
If you need a Viste, or change, or general help you need to walk across the road to the manned part of the RER station, past an open area which is a bus station. This isn't obvious unless you know the layout [which you now do].
The lobby of the Residhome building is clean, open, spacious and modern but has little in the way of seats for lounging, no vending machines or TVs or games machines - it's purely a checking in area. We were checked in efficiently by a polite and helpful young French woman who quickly turned to speak English after hearing my attempts at her language. We had arrived around midday and [as we expected] our room was not yet ready, so we were directed to the luggage store room which is kept locked until a guest needs access when a receptionist will open the door for you and then lock it once you have retrieved your bags. We used this service on our last day too, when check out is 11am but our taxi transfer wasn't arriving until 3pm.
Also downstairs is a restaurant and bar. Here we have a problem - the bar wasn't open at all during our stay. Now, of course, I bought some beer from the supermarket and drank it in our room, but it would have been nice to sit at the bar and people watch. The restaurant wasn't open either, apart from breakfast, which we didn't take. A shame, as we often like the convenience of eating in the place we are sleeping. Yes, I should have asked why both were closed, but I didn't. I'm guessing it's simply due to a lack of demand - the Residhome didn't look to be full during our stay.
Getting up to our [first floor] room was done by lift from the lobby. There are 2 lifts and a door to a stairwell. To use the lift you need to enter a code on a keypad. The code is given to you in check-in and doesn't change during your stay. I doubt it changes at all to be honest, as the numbers used were a little worn on the keypad.
Entry to the room is by the usual credit card style key. We are a family of 5 and had booked a 1 bedroom studio which meant we got accommodation which consisted of a large room separated by big sliding doors...I'll explain the layout better: As you enter the room there is a tiny "lobby" [maybe 4ft square]. On the right immediately behind the opened entrance door is the toilet. It is a small cubicle with just a toilet and toilet roll holder.
Next to this is the bathroom with a separate door. It's a strange layout which means that once you're done in the loo you have to go "next door" to wash your hands. However it works well in the morning - someone can have a shower while someone uses the toilet...no queueing.
The bathroom itself was rather pleasing. Fresh, clean and bright. It had a proper shower cubicle [although the shower head holder was broken in our one], a long bath with a shower overhead and glass screen [you could possibly have someone showering while another has a bath and another uses the loo!]. There's a sink with mirror, hairdrier and shaving point. There were 5 bath towels provided and a floor towel. You can pay extra for clean towels but I just pinched some from the cleaner's trolly I saw unattended outside our room one morning. [I believe there is a laundry service, but I didn't enquire about this...we washed our t-shirts and smalls in the bath as required].
Next along is the bedroom proper. It had 2 single beds pushed together with a table and lamp at each side [one lamp didn't work]. We found the beds comfortable. There is very little free floorspace. It has a huge wardrobe with sliding doors and a small safe with an electronic code you set yourself. You wouldn't get a laptop in it, but it's fine for passoprts, money, camera, jewellery, etc.
It does have the selling point of a decent size flat screen TV on a swivel wall mount. The choice of channels is limited to maybe half a dozen French ones and CNN and BBC world news, both in English. There is a double glazed window which keeps out noise well and can be opened wide to let the fresh air in. The view we had was out onto the road and some [not unappealing] buildings across the road. Some rooms on the other side of the building must look out over the [boring concrete] courtyard which links the Residhome and the Ibis hotel.
Through the sliding doors is the "living area". This consists of a kitchen area which, although small hosts a 2 ring electric [halogen?] hob, a microwave, sink, small dishwasher, fridge [no freezer compartment], plates, cutlery, chopping board, bottle opener, dustpan and brush, etc. There is a breakfast bar with 2 stools. This separates the kitchen from the living area.
The living area, again is short of floor space but packs in a dining table [extendable] 4 chairs [not particulary comfy], a sofa bed, a chair bed, another wall mounted TV with a small table/shelf underneath.
Our 3 kids slept here, but adults would be as comfortable on the big fold out sofa beds. If you have the beds folded out there is no spare floor space to speak of and you'll have to sit on the uncomfy chairs. One good point is that the beds can be folded back with all the bedding in place - get the kids up, fold down their sofabeds pillows and all and you've got your living room back in 20 seconds.
We stayed for 6 nights and be aware that there is no laundry, no fresh towels, no cleaning included in your rate. These things can be purchased for a fee if you want, but this isn't a hotel, it's self catering rental apartments.
As a summary, I would happily stay at the Residhome again. It's convenience of being so close to the the shops of Val d'Europe and the RER for Disney is a winner. It's clean, well appointed, reasonably priced [we paid €120 each night for 5 in August], and the reception staff were lovely. Being able to come "home" after a busy day in Paris or Disney and cook some pasta, open a chilled beer and catch up on world news was just so fine.
What could be improved upon?
More comfortable chairs.
Bar and restaurant open.
...not much really.
The Residhome apartment building is situated in Val d'Europe, right next door to an Ibis hotel and on a quite stretch of pretty suburban dual carriageway. It is a 10 minute walk to the shopping complex which is a day out in itself - there are hundreds of quality shops, a huge supermarket, mutitude of restaurants and cafes and the Sealife Centre and the outlet village.
From the front door it is literally 1 minute to the entrance of the [new and shiny] RER station which takes you either into Paris [35 mins, trains every 10/15 mins] or into Disney [5 mins, trains every 10/15 mins]. You can buy tickets from an automated machine [there are no staff here at all] and the machine has an option for English text. Be warned though, it does not accept notes, only coins or credit cards and it does not give change, nor can you buy a Paris Viste ticket here. You can buy carnets of 10 tickets which will take you to Disney from here but it's not obvious how to do it - make sure you have your teenage daughter with you, she'll figure it out.
If you need a Viste, or change, or general help you need to walk across the road to the manned part of the RER station, past an open area which is a bus station. This isn't obvious unless you know the layout [which you now do].
The lobby of the Residhome building is clean, open, spacious and modern but has little in the way of seats for lounging, no vending machines or TVs or games machines - it's purely a checking in area. We were checked in efficiently by a polite and helpful young French woman who quickly turned to speak English after hearing my attempts at her language. We had arrived around midday and [as we expected] our room was not yet ready, so we were directed to the luggage store room which is kept locked until a guest needs access when a receptionist will open the door for you and then lock it once you have retrieved your bags. We used this service on our last day too, when check out is 11am but our taxi transfer wasn't arriving until 3pm.
Also downstairs is a restaurant and bar. Here we have a problem - the bar wasn't open at all during our stay. Now, of course, I bought some beer from the supermarket and drank it in our room, but it would have been nice to sit at the bar and people watch. The restaurant wasn't open either, apart from breakfast, which we didn't take. A shame, as we often like the convenience of eating in the place we are sleeping. Yes, I should have asked why both were closed, but I didn't. I'm guessing it's simply due to a lack of demand - the Residhome didn't look to be full during our stay.
Getting up to our [first floor] room was done by lift from the lobby. There are 2 lifts and a door to a stairwell. To use the lift you need to enter a code on a keypad. The code is given to you in check-in and doesn't change during your stay. I doubt it changes at all to be honest, as the numbers used were a little worn on the keypad.
Entry to the room is by the usual credit card style key. We are a family of 5 and had booked a 1 bedroom studio which meant we got accommodation which consisted of a large room separated by big sliding doors...I'll explain the layout better: As you enter the room there is a tiny "lobby" [maybe 4ft square]. On the right immediately behind the opened entrance door is the toilet. It is a small cubicle with just a toilet and toilet roll holder.
Next to this is the bathroom with a separate door. It's a strange layout which means that once you're done in the loo you have to go "next door" to wash your hands. However it works well in the morning - someone can have a shower while someone uses the toilet...no queueing.
The bathroom itself was rather pleasing. Fresh, clean and bright. It had a proper shower cubicle [although the shower head holder was broken in our one], a long bath with a shower overhead and glass screen [you could possibly have someone showering while another has a bath and another uses the loo!]. There's a sink with mirror, hairdrier and shaving point. There were 5 bath towels provided and a floor towel. You can pay extra for clean towels but I just pinched some from the cleaner's trolly I saw unattended outside our room one morning. [I believe there is a laundry service, but I didn't enquire about this...we washed our t-shirts and smalls in the bath as required].
Next along is the bedroom proper. It had 2 single beds pushed together with a table and lamp at each side [one lamp didn't work]. We found the beds comfortable. There is very little free floorspace. It has a huge wardrobe with sliding doors and a small safe with an electronic code you set yourself. You wouldn't get a laptop in it, but it's fine for passoprts, money, camera, jewellery, etc.
It does have the selling point of a decent size flat screen TV on a swivel wall mount. The choice of channels is limited to maybe half a dozen French ones and CNN and BBC world news, both in English. There is a double glazed window which keeps out noise well and can be opened wide to let the fresh air in. The view we had was out onto the road and some [not unappealing] buildings across the road. Some rooms on the other side of the building must look out over the [boring concrete] courtyard which links the Residhome and the Ibis hotel.
Through the sliding doors is the "living area". This consists of a kitchen area which, although small hosts a 2 ring electric [halogen?] hob, a microwave, sink, small dishwasher, fridge [no freezer compartment], plates, cutlery, chopping board, bottle opener, dustpan and brush, etc. There is a breakfast bar with 2 stools. This separates the kitchen from the living area.
The living area, again is short of floor space but packs in a dining table [extendable] 4 chairs [not particulary comfy], a sofa bed, a chair bed, another wall mounted TV with a small table/shelf underneath.
Our 3 kids slept here, but adults would be as comfortable on the big fold out sofa beds. If you have the beds folded out there is no spare floor space to speak of and you'll have to sit on the uncomfy chairs. One good point is that the beds can be folded back with all the bedding in place - get the kids up, fold down their sofabeds pillows and all and you've got your living room back in 20 seconds.
We stayed for 6 nights and be aware that there is no laundry, no fresh towels, no cleaning included in your rate. These things can be purchased for a fee if you want, but this isn't a hotel, it's self catering rental apartments.
As a summary, I would happily stay at the Residhome again. It's convenience of being so close to the the shops of Val d'Europe and the RER for Disney is a winner. It's clean, well appointed, reasonably priced [we paid €120 each night for 5 in August], and the reception staff were lovely. Being able to come "home" after a busy day in Paris or Disney and cook some pasta, open a chilled beer and catch up on world news was just so fine.
What could be improved upon?
More comfortable chairs.
Bar and restaurant open.
...not much really.
The location can only be beaten by the 
