Marriott's Village d'Ile-de-France

We stayed there in July 2009, it was a breath of fresh air. Designed after Giverny- Monet' village and was really a fun place to stay- We had my 83 year old husband, a 6 yr old grandson and 16 year old granddaughter. They immediately went straight out through the unit and out the door to the beautiful lilly pond- feeding the ducks and a stray kitty. It is very close to airport, bicycles, DVDs rent, concierge was wonderful. We immediately cancelled our reservation for a suite at Westin on Champ d'leysee and really enjoyed the place. The concierge gave me the "zip" code for the parking lot of a museum next to Eiffel Tower and were off in our car with the Garmin set. NEVER ever have I traveled through a major city- mid morning in a foreign country- with such ease! No longer a problem, as I missed the turn over the Siene, the Garmin type GPS simply recalculated and it was no problem. My new favorite place to stay in Paris. If you think of a big circle around Paris with the airport north of town- this is northeast so fairly close, with Giverny and Versaille on the other side of airport and ring around city, it was very easy to travel here- Also, the TGV runs into Paris- but car was too easy and then take metros around town. Food easy to buy in the on site market- I know my nephew and his family who were stationed in Belguim used it several more times with the annual pass we upgraded his Disney tickets for about $30 more over the 2 day ticket price. They stayed here 3 more times and loved it. Each unit is a town house syle- 2 story with your own little unique flower garden as you enter- Beautifully furnished, and I highly reccomend.

My wife and I stayed at the resort in 2009 and were very disappointed with the cleanliness of the units. Unfortunately things have not changed much over the past year.

My son just returned and he was originally placed in a unit that was occupied by an intruder that the desk was unaware of. They moved him to another unit that was bug infested and filthy. They did clean his room on a daily basis after complaints were layed but this doesn't compensate for a general problem in maintenance.

Traded into this property via interval international for the week of 09/13 to 09/20/2009. Property itself is nice with more of a '"natural" way about the landscape as compared to the "manacured" look. The unit was sufficient in size although the kitchen was tight if more than two people tried to occupy it at one time. The water pressure is outstanding. Almost too strong really. The only problem I had was the dryer did not dry my clothes. I just used the drying rack provided and air dried the clothes. No big deal.

If you are going to Disney this location is very convenient. I was not there for Disney. Although Central Paris is not very close one can easily get there via public transportation. A bus (#34) stop right outside the property and you can get off at either Disney or the Val de Europe Mall and catch the (RER) Train righ into town. About a 40-45 min train ride. I purchase a "Paris Visit" pass which gives you unlimited access to the public Buses, Subway and RER train systems. I used these almost exclusively during my stay. I would not recommend driving a car into Paris. The streets are difficult enough to navigate on foot much less while trying to drive. A navigation system is HIGHLY recommended if you insist on a car.

There is no need to go to the Val de Europe for Groceries if you just need a few items as there is a small market within walking distance from this property. However, if you want to STOCK up and a huge wine selection the Auchun is remarkable even by USA standards. Also at this plaza are a few restaraunts and pastrie shops if you want to stay close.

I noticed another person complain about the resorts proximaty to Paris. Well maybe he/she should read the info better because the distance is no secret. Bottom line is if there was no Disney Paris there would probably be no Marriott Paris. It is what it is.

Remember you are in Europe not America. Things are different. Appreciate it for what it is.

PS. Hopkie's review below is dead on.

biggest drawback is 45 min train trip to Paris. Great town house type set up.

We stayed here in July 2007. I am a Marriott owner and have stayed at 6-7 different MVCI resorts around the world.

We really enjoyed our stay here and I would definitely recommend this resort. You must go here with the right expectations because it is a slighlty different experience than what you are used to with other Marriotts.

First, the rooms. Excellent 2 storey townhouse layout with a beautiful garden out back. Well appointed by French standards - if you have stayed in Paris you know what I mean. The kitchen was well appointed - a bit smaller than the American properties. Negatives - the internet service is useless. We gave up on the air conditioning.

Grounds - the resort is meant to feel like a small French village and despite the somewhat modern feel they do a remarkable job of accomplishing this. There is an abundance of playgrounds and walking trails and the grounds are immaculate. The outdoor pool is not heated so plan swim days for the sunny days. Aside from this the pool is beautiful with a lazy river (much smaller than Aruba!) and a nice fountain. The golf course (owned by Disney) that surrounds the property is brand new and well worth a visit. The gym is one of the better ones I have seen in MVCI. There is a bar in the lobby - drink there - don't eat there. The Marketplace is well stocked - the prices will truly shock you.

Staff - we found the staff to be very friendly and helpful, never a problem in 2 weeks.

Area - Rental car a must. France has very modern roadways and driving is a breeze (bring your GPS!). Do not even think of driving into Paris. It is a short drive to Disney (hint - park in the multi-level lot at Disney Village). Also a short drive to a shopping centre (Val D'Europe) that rivals anything I have seen in America. Buy groceries and drinks at the Auchon lower level. The commute to Paris is 25-35 mins depending on the time of day. I had no problem with this but I am a subway commuter back home. I find the Paris Metro to be one of the best in the world - the station at Val D'Europe is modern and accessible. (hint - park free at the Auchon at the mall and walk to RER).

Disney - about a 2/3 scale model of Magic Kingdom Orlando - the Studio park was about 1/2 scale. Remarkably we found the staff very friendly and eager to speak English. (Actually true throughout Paris too). We enjoyed 3 full days at the parks over the 2 week stay- this is all you need. It is loads of fun - I am an Orlando regular and I was not at all disappointed. Don't come here to visit Disney but visit Disney if you come here. Do visit Fountainbleau, Provins and Veaux-Vicomte - they are stunning.

In all this is a great place to take it down to 1st gear (or even neutral) and experience the French countryside. A perfect place for a family with young kids. A brilliant place for a family reunion. A perfect place for day trips around the countryside. Not so good if you want/plan to spend a lot of time in Paris, but that is a different kind of vacation.