Item: Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil
Rating: 9.8
Author: Marie-Claude Ravary

Here is our review of our experience staying at the Courtyard Paris Créteil, a 4-star hotel owned by Marriott Bonvoy.

Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil – Booking

When traveling to the world’s capitals such as Paris, it is not always easy to find a place that is affordable, well connected, and allows us to rest comfortably after a day of meetings.

This is even more complex when you are traveling with your spouse, whose meetings are not in the same area.

While I was attending an event near Porte de Versailles, and my husband near Châtelet-Les Halles, we were looking for a hotel located near a metro line serving our 2 destinations, while favoring the simplicity of public transportation.

For the reservation of this hotel Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil, we chose to pay in cash; that is to say 160 € (taxes included).

The main reason being that there was a promotion from Marriott Bonvoy to get double the Elite Nights, making it easier to maintain our Status… promotion only applicable for cash paid reservations.

General information

Open in early 2021
Hotel with 112 rooms on 6 floors accessible by two elevators
Reception and common area (hall / restaurant) on the ground floor
Several arrangements to promote accessibility for people with reduced mobility (PRM)

Restaurants	Yes	USB sockets in the room	Yes
Accepts animals	Service animal only	Smart TV	Yes
Mobile card	No	Shower/Bath	Shower
Balcony	No	Accessible for people with reduced mobility	Common areas, some rooms
Parking	2 EUR / hour 15 EUR / day	Lounge	No
Gym	Yes, 24/7	Breakfast included	According to status or 10 EUR
Pools and Spas	No	Room with kitchenette	No

Review : Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil | Marriott Bonvoy - Créteil-49

Earning Marriott Bonvoy Points

The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points for free stays at over 8,000 hotels worldwide is to have the Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card (and/or the Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card).

In addition to the exceptional welcome bonus of each of these two cards, you’ll earn 2 points per dollar on all your purchases and 5 points per dollar at any of the Marriott establishments. On top of that, every year, you’ll receive a free hotel night certificate (worth 35,000 points) and 15 Elite Night Credits toward your Marriott Bonvoy status.

Compare

Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card

American Express Marriott Bonvoy

Annual fee: $120
Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$700Total$700Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.: $700
Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months: Up to 70,000 points

Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

The Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card is the best credit card in Canada for free hotel nights.

New Cardmembers can earn up to 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points with the current offer:

Earn up to 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership.
Plus, earn 10,000 points after you spend $500 on your Card in your 13th month of Cardmembership.

The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.

Every year after your first Card anniversary, you receive an Annual Free Night Award good for a redemption of up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide. At a valuation of 0.9 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, that certificate is worth roughly $315, which on its own more than covers the $120 annual fee. That is the main reason to keep this Card year after year instead of cancelling it.

To get the most out of the certificate, aim it at a night that would otherwise price close to the 35,000 point ceiling.

The Card also gives you 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year and automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Those credits count toward the next Elite tier, so you begin every year 15 nights ahead of where you would otherwise start.

You move up to Gold Elite status automatically when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card in a year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your Card.

Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.9 cents each. On that basis, the 70,000 point welcome offer is worth about $630, and an Annual Free Night Award used at its full 35,000 point ceiling is worth about $315.

Marriott Bonvoy points pull their weight on free nights rather than on gift cards or merchandise, which is why this Card should be judged on the hotel stays it produces.

You earn 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases. Points can be redeemed for free nights with no blackout dates at more than 7,000 hotels around the world.

The Card carries a solid package of coverages: $500,000 travel accident insurance, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage and hotel or motel burglary at $500 each, car rental theft and damage up to $85,000 for rentals of up to 48 days, Purchase Protection for 90 days and a one year Extended Warranty.

Two things to plan around: the 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, and the 21.99% purchase interest rate, which makes this a Card to pay in full every month. Like all American Express Canada Cards, no minimum income is published for this Card, and you can see whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.

Legal

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Annual fee

Primary card$120

Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0

Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

5xMarriott Bonvoy hotels
2xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,210

2nd Year Value$312

Travel insurance

Delayed BaggageUp to $500

Lost BaggageUp to $500

Flight DelayUp to $500

Hotel BurglaryUp to $500

Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded

Extended Warranty+1 years

Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil – Location

The hotel is located in Créteil, at the very end of the M8 line, in the heart of the Val-de-Marne department (south-east of Paris). Several hotels have been strategically located there, while several large companies such as Essilor International SAS and even the EUROPARC Business Center are nearby.

During our stay, we met business travelers from all over the world.

Review : Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil | Marriott Bonvoy - Créteil-02

Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil – What to do in Créteil

Due to the nature of our stay in Paris, we unfortunately did not have the time to discover this suburb.

However, in front of the hotel there is the Parc des Sports where it is possible to go for a little jog. If you are traveling with children, the Parc des Sarrazins is a 7-minute walk from the hotel and has a playground. If you want to rest after a long day of meetings (as was our case), know that in 10 minutes of walking, you will find yourself near the Lac de Créteil where pedestrian paths have been developed.

If, like me, you are interested in architecture and heritage, one of the symbols of French architecture of the 1970s is “Les Choux de Créteil” (1969-1974) by architect Gérard Grandval (1930-2021). This emblematic development was awarded the title of “Heritage of the 20th Century” in 2008. You will surely have noticed it in some movies or TV series. Unfortunately, although characterized as one of the most unusual urban developments of Greater Paris, this Cité (social housing park) has not been the most maintained. I therefore recommend that you contact the CAUE 94 to find out if guided tours are organized there.

Review : Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil | Marriott Bonvoy - Créteil-01

Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil – Registration

Opening in early 2021, the hotel’s interior design is inspired by the rough Parisian architecture of the 1960s, recalling Créteil’s architectural icons “Les Choux” and the Hôtel de Ville.

It welcomes a mixed clientele, despite a preponderance of business clients during the week. We benefit from a courteous and quality service. The establishment emphasizes that its staff speaks French, Spanish and English.

Public transportation is easy to get to, as the Pointe-du-Lac station (line M8) is about 200 meters from the establishment. If you feel like it, it will take you about 45-60 minutes to get to the Louvre, the Pompidou Center, the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe, the Conciergerie or the Musée d’Orsay.

Review : Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil | Marriott Bonvoy - Créteil-13

From the footbridge at the metro exit, you can see the Courtyard Paris Créteil, including its windowed restaurant terrace. The entrance is through a double door that can be operated by buttons for people with reduced mobility.

In the lobby, you will find on your right the “Business Corner”, in front of you, the elevators, and on your left, a small lounge area next to the Reception, behind which is the Kitchen & Bar restaurant.

Although the space is smaller than other hotels, it has been very well thought out and is very pleasant. The “noisy” aesthetic is realized in a harmonious way and integrates several frames / images of artists of the period such as Piet Mondrian and Jean Dubuffet.

Despite our late arrival (due to work), the staff offered us a professional welcome and was attentive to our well-being.

Review : Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil | Marriott Bonvoy - Créteil-12

Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil – Room

The room options are :

Deluxe King (1 King bed, some connecting rooms available)
Deluxe Twins (2 single beds, some connecting rooms available, no extra beds/cots allowed)
and the Deluxe Queen with PRM access (1 Queen bed, connecting rooms available, extra bed not allowed)
Superior (located on the top floor, 1 King bed, some connecting rooms available, free parking)

True to the aesthetic chosen for this hotel, the room is functional, even if uncluttered. I particularly liked the little reminders of Mondrian through the use of bright yellow accents for certain decorative elements. Because our room is also accessible to people with reduced mobility, the space is larger than some others, and the layout allows people in wheelchairs to move around with ease.

The back wall has a large window, whose windows can be opened to ventilate the room, if not bring in natural light.

As with every time we stay at a Courtyard, we were delighted with the quality of the mattress and bedding. We are always very comfortable there and love to lounge around.

The bathroom is spacious for a Parisian hotel, and has a walk-in shower with a large opening. The overall design of the room is very nice, without being cold, despite the industrial look.

Although we were only there for one night, I find it interesting that the room is equipped with a large “Dressing room” (closet) to store the contents of our suitcase. This small detail is very appreciated when traveling for several days.

As in the majority of hotel rooms, a safe, an ironing board, a mini-fridge and coffee-making facilities are available to guests.

Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil – Breakfast

Located on the first floor, behind the Reception, the Kitchen & Bar is bathed in natural light, thanks to its “indoor terrace” style layout. The place is very pleasant and has been designed in such a way as to create zones that can accommodate both groups and solo travelers.

The morning brunch was generous and varied. This one offered a combination of American (pancake, bacon, scrambled egg) and French (croissant, baguette, madeleine) breakfast, complemented by an assortment of fresh juices and an excellent coffee!

Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil – Other services

Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil – Business

As mentioned, due to its location near large companies, on weekdays, the Courtyard Paris Créteil seems to serve mainly a business clientele. A “Business Corner” is available to residents. Two rooms are also dedicated to events for up to 75 people, when gathered together.

Although we were traveling on business, the hotel’s website mentions that children up to 2 years old stay free if they sleep in a crib. Children up to 17 years old stay for 30 € per person/night if they sleep in an extra bed.

Extra beds/cots are by request only and must be confirmed by the facility. Also note that some connecting rooms are available, which is a definite advantage when traveling with a family.

Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil – Fitness room

A gym is available every day between 6 am and 11 pm. You will find the essentials to relieve the stress of a working day, while weights, treadmill, elliptical and stationary bike are available.

Review : Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil | Marriott Bonvoy - Créteil-17

Courtyard by Marriott Paris Créteil – My general impression

Despite being somewhat out of the way, we were delighted with our choice of the Courtyard Paris Créteil for our recent business trip.

Even if it added about fifteen minutes to our journey by public transport, compared to other identified hotels, we appreciated the quietness of the place allowing us to rest after long hours of meetings.

The (breakfast) was also a must, as it exceeded our expectations… and I must admit that I succumbed to its greediness!

While we stayed there for professional reasons, we are keeping this option for a future family trip, because we could take the opportunity to explore the regions south of Paris and get out of Normandy and Britain.