I had a reservation to stay in this hotel for 7 nights, however en route to Paris learnt there had been a death in my family, of my newborn niece. Flustered and panicked, I arrived at the hotel, told them I would be cancelling my stay and did not even need to check in, as I needed to fly to London straight away to return to my family. I was told by the woman at the reception desk (a manager for sure, if not the owner) that their cancellation policy stated I would have to pay for the entire stay whether or not I was there!!! I did not check into the hotel, did not even see the inside of a room, yet was charged for a 7 night stay, When I took this up with my bank and the travel agency I booked through, the hotel initially agreed to refund me, then they changed their story and said I had asked for them to hold the hotel room for me for 7 nights!! The manager/owner of the hotel was one of the most cold, callous, greedy human beings I have ever encountered - I was crying the entire time I was stood in the lobby of the hotel, and her response was to sneer at me, and to ask me not to put my bottle of water down on the table as it would leave marks! Never known such inhumanity in my life - and certainly didn't expect it in a city such as Paris. Steer clear of this place, cannot believe such businesses are able to operate!!

Small but perfectly formed.... This 16-room hotel situated between Rue de Rivoli and Rue Saint-Honore in Paris' old 1er arrondissement is a delight. Clean and simple, it scores highly over its modern counterparts by retaining a significant amount of old-Paris charm, not least of which is the teeny, charming, bookcase-sized elevator that runs between the hotels' 4 floors.

We stayed here for 2 nights and the various reception and room staff were all extremely friendly and very helpful. If you're looking for a cosy little pied-a-terre while you check out the classic areas of Paris, and cannot be bothered with the self-important swagger of the Rive Gauche crew, then this hotel is a great spot to put down some roots for a weekend.

This hotel has a good location but gives you little else for your money.

Its photos looked charming, but the reception room was roped off like a museum exhibit so no one can use it. My bedroom was basic, poorly furnished, poky and noisy (wafer-thin walls). Breakfast was mean even by Parisian standards. And although my online booking print-out clearly said 'all taxes included' in the price, the Madame insisted (rather rudely) on adding them to the bill as extra. Which meant I had to pay more than expected.

In all, this was a place that seemed in a calculated manner to provide the very least it throught it could get away with. Not a formula for a good hotel experience.

Anyone who's ever seen the TV show Fawlty Towers might have an inclination as to how abysmal this hotel is. I wasn't laughing when the hotel billed me the full 160 euro's for the 5 minutes it took me to witness the horror of the room; and promptly check out. I've stayed in some dives in my time, and am well aware of "shabby-chic" - but please do yourself a favour and check into the hotel round the corner for an extra 20 euro's.

According to the hotel de la tamise's website it was once "the residence of the Dukes of Noailles..." and from the state of the rooms the decorators haven't been in since he left! The room's wallpaper was hanging off and there were large patches of mould on the wall beneath the window.

How this hotel continues to operate can only be attributed to its central location. Steer well clear, and please, don't get ripped off like I did.