Mudpie Fridays >> France >> Our stay at Les Quais de Lutece – Park Asterix

Our stay at Les Quais de Lutece – Park Asterix

We visited Parc Asterix over the May half term holidays and stayed overnight at the Les Quais de Lutèce. The first 4-star hotel is right on the site of the Parc Astérix amusement park. They also have two other hotels Hotel Les Trois Hiboux and Hotel La Cité Suspendue. Hotel Les Quais de Lutece is their newest addition it has a roman theme throughout. Based around the heart of the famous Lutetia. Which was the name for Patis in Roman times on the banks of the Seine. It has got to be the best places and theme park hotel we have ever stayed in and it really made the difference to our trip to Parc Asterix.

AD – We were gifted a stay at Les Quais de Lutece and theme park tickets, in return for this review. All words and opinions are my own.

Table of Contents

Where is the Parc Astérix Hôtel located?

Parc Asterix is located about 22 miles north of Paris, with the nearest airport being Charles de Gaulle airport. We caught an early Eurotunnel out of Folkstone arriving in France and it took about two and a half hours to drive to using the toll roads. You can take an alternative route without tolls but it is much longer. Once you arrive at the theme park it is possible to go straight to the hotel as it has its own parking. The hotels are easy to find as there is signposts pointing you in the right direction. You drive around the theme park on the parameter road. The parking is reasonably limited considering there are 150 rooms in Les Quais de Lutece. We did manage to park but if you struggle there is another car park close by if you continue just past the hotel.

Arrival at Hotel Les Quais de Lutece

It is not possible to access your room until 5 pm. However, you can check into the hotel when you arrive. We did this and picked up our park tickets at the same time. Depending on how you purchased your stay then it could be that you will have online tickets prior to your stay. One of the benefits of checking in early is that there is a height chart so you can get wristbands for the children. This was particularly helpful for Harry who is just 120cm and it meant that once we had the 120cm band he did not need to be measured on each ride. You can also write your phone number on the band if needed.

The reception staff at the front desk were very helpful and most spoke fluent English. Giving opening times of the bar and restaurant and directions to your room as well as how to get into the park.

How do you get to the theme park?

Driving around the parameter road it felt as though you were a long way from the theme park. But actually, it is only a five-minute walk away. Leaving through the main doors at the back of the hotel you walk through the beautifully themed middle area. Before heading out the back of the hotel and along a little pathway. It is all clearly signposted. There are security bag checks before entrance and turnstiles to scan your tickets. Even on our second morning, there were no big queues. Ths entrance brings you in near the wooden roller coaster with the 30m drop – Tonnerre de Zeus.

Our room at Les Quais de Lutèce

The hotel features family rooms which sleep families of either four or five. The quality of everything in the room is extremely good which I think will mean it will stand the test of time. It is by far the best theme park hotel room we have ever stayed in. You open the door into the main room. Which has a king sized double bed and a flat-screen TV as well as a desk and plenty of storage. Ours also had views out over the central area. Down a little corridor is a large family bathroom with a shower and a separate toilet. A further along behind curtains there is another storage area with a safe. And a separate sleeping area for the boys which has two full sized bunk beds.

It is the little things that matter in a hotel like this, there is air conditioning available although it shuts off when the windows are open. Toiletries in the bathroom including hair ties and shower caps. The furnishings are simple but of good quality. There is also full coffee and tea making facilities provided. The shower is hot and powerful.

Dinner & Breakfast at Hotel Les Quais de Lutece

Both meals are severed in the restaurant which is just opposite the hotel entrance. Sittings are eve half an hour and need to be made in advance. I would recommend doing this at the time of booking. As when we arrived the only breakfast slots that were available were either 7 am or 9.30 am. Since the theme park opens for hotel guests at 9.30 we decided on 7 am. But after a busy day and late night, it was a bit early.

Dinner slots work in the same way. Both are self-service. The buffet is exceptional. a buffet breakfast is included with the room but dinner does cost extra. XX for adults and XX for children. Although you can go up as many times as you would like. The kid’s meal also comes with a drink. For dinner, there is a selection of hot and cold starters including a shellfish table. Then there is a hot main course, followed by a dessert table and of course a whole area dedicated to cheese and fruit. I have not seen a self-service buffet like it. On this basis I would allow longer for dinner, I think we were in the restaurant for around two hours in total. And with the staggered meal times, it was never too busy.

If your little ones are too tired then it is possible to order room service from a reduced menu.

Other Facilities

As well as the restaurant there is a bar located inside the hotel. It has an inside and outside seating area. Open from early afternoon to midnight it is a good place to unwind. There are also various wooden games dotted around the hotel. We found some in the reception area, bar area and also on the mezzanine floor above. The hotel also has a fitness centre although we did not find it.

Reasons to stay at Hotel Les Quais de Lutece

Early access to the theme park at 9.30 am, with some of the best rides being open at this time. Which are Pegasus Express, Discobelix and La Riviere d’Elis
Easy free private parking – the main car parks can get very busy and cost 12€
Private character meet and greets at the hotel between 9 am and 9.30 am each morning
The food in the restaurant is outstanding
Large comfortable rooms perfect to relax in after a busy day at the theme park
The ability to purchase either one day or two-day theme park tickets. In our opinion, you really need two days to make sure you see and do everything that Parc Asterix offers.