Hotel in Paris

Updated on February 26, 2008
A.L. asks from Cedar Park, TX
18 answers

Hi Ladies, another question for all of you experienced travelers. My husband and I are going to Paris for a week and I am in charge of accommodations. It always makes me nervous because I've never been there and although the internet has great information I always like to hear personal experiences from other people. What hotels have you been to in Paris? something to look for? something to avoid? Of course I want to be close to the museums and the river but do not want to spend my whole vacation budget on the hotel. Thank you so much for your help.
A.

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So What Happened?

Thank you so much to all of you for your advice. The trip was wonderful and I could not ask for more. We booked a great hotel in the 1rst Arrondisement (tiny and precious) and the metro system did the rest. Thanks a lot for all your help!

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J.B.

answers from Dallas on

We stayed at Hotel Ferrandi back in 2002. It was on a quieter street, and it was small, but nice! Great croissants!

Jennifer

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E.

answers from Dallas on

Go to tripadvisor.com and it will list the favorite hotels in order along with travelers comments. I never go anywhere unless I go to this website. I always find the best hotels for my budget, meals and things to do and when to do them.
Good luck and no matter where you choose, it will be a fatastic trip. Paris is wonderful. I would like to go there and live for a while. It would take that long to see everything.

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M.B.

answers from Dallas on

I would recommend you buy the Rick Steve's book on Paris and read the reviews and find something that suits your needs. I stayed at the Hotel Muguet when I was there the summer of 2005 and it was perfect for my needs, which are very basic:
http://www.hotelparismuguet.com//index.html
It is just minutes from the Eiffel tower and is convenient to the subway as well as a charming area with sidewalk cafes, shops, etc. The hotel is relatively inexpensive (under 100 Euros 3 years ago, but looks to be higher now), but extremely clean and well run.

As a caution, Paris subways and trains (especially the one from the airport) are notorious for pickpockets, so I highly recommend your hubby wear a money belt and I recommend to take one of the shuttle buses that can take you to and from the airport. You can book the return one at the hotel. Also, sidewalk cafes are also wonderful targets for the pickpockets, so if you carry a purse, guard it well. That all said, I was traveling alone and had absolutely no problems other than someone getting too friendly when I was waiting for the subway early on a Saturday morning. These stories are all based on a colleague who lives just outside Paris and had his laptop stolen on a train and other colleagues on the same business trip whose wives lost their purses. You just need to be aware as in any large city.

Enjoy! It is one my absolute favorite cities.

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L.M.

answers from Dallas on

Hi...I'm jealous...I really want to go back soon!

We stayed at the Hotel Napoleon. We actually had a top floor room that walked out onto the roof. We were a block from the Arc D'Triumphe...which was an amazing view and then if you looked straight out from the room/roof you saw the Eiffel Tower. Also, it was one block over from the Champs Elysee which is fantastic to walk and look and eat!!! Have a great time. I found this hotel on www.luxurylink.com and had a great deal on the price. have fun!

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N.F.

answers from Dallas on

Check out the Cookie magazine archives. They did a whole article on Paris and great hotels, especially if you are taking the kids. I would check from like Oct/Nov 2007 to Feb 2008. I wish I could remember exactly which one, sorry.
Personally, the most wonderful hotel I stayed at in Paris was the Regina, pronounced RE-GY-NA, I know compose yourself, but that was the way they pronounced it...
Have a great trip!

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C.A.

answers from Dallas on

We, along with another couple are going to Paris in March. We are staying at the Hotel Royal St. Honore. I used a Frommers guide book (our travel guide of preference) along with reviews online to select it. I don't know if it was a good choice but the Frommers guides have always worked well for us on past international trips. It is walking distance from the Louvre on the right bank. It was the highest rated hotel we could find and still afford. I booked on Wed. and the best rate was on their website. I booked the Louvre package. The nightly rate was the same as it was on hotels.com, travelocity.com etc. but it included breakfast and admission without waiting in line at the Louvre. I have also gone back and fourth through email with their concierge to book other things and they have been very helpful.

www.hotel-royal-st-honore.com (hotel website)
www.tripadvisor.com (great for user reviews)

Good Luck!

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S.D.

answers from Dallas on

We booked our honeymoon trip to Paris through www.go-today.com. I cannot say enough good things about the website. We were able to book our hotel reservations, trans to and from the airport, purchase Metro (subway) passes, tickets to museums, a pass to cruise the Seine River, etc., all through this website. I think our flights were also arranged through the website. We read tons of hotel reviews before choosing our hotel, and we weren't disappointed. We stayed at the Hotel Chateau de Frontenac, which is a small hotel off the Champs Elysee (nice part of town), and it was close to the Seine and lots of museums. It was clean, very quiet but also quaint and small. Hotel rooms in Paris are much smaller than here. Their croissants and hot chocolate for breakfast were to die for! But I'm sure that's true anywhere in Paris.

Find some travel books (like Frommer's) on Paris at Half Price Books also. They will give you the best "insider" descriptions about Paris, as well as educate you on the customs of Parisians in terms of how to get around, how to dine, how to dress, etc. Believe me, in Paris it's a BIG DEAL to know that stuff, and Europeans can spot Americans a mile away!! We had a strange, elderly Italian guy approach us on the traffic circle around the Arc de Triomph (sp?) to try to sell us an Italian leather jacket out of his car. Maybe we looked like easy targets. It wasn't scary or anything, just bizarre. Always be aware of your surroundings and be cautious handing your camera to anyone to take a picture of you.

Dining there is an EVENT, so be prepared to spend 2 hours anytime you eat in a sit down restaurant. One thing I learned from one of our travel books is that the waiters expect you to go through all the courses of the meal, including dessert. If you don't, don't be surprised if it seems like they think you're being rude. The whole dining experience there was a total culture shock to us, but we also really enjoyed it since we knew going in what to expect.

OH!!! One more thing... If you are planning to take any electric items, like hair dryer, hot rollers, cell phone charger, etc., BE SURE to purchase a European electric converter before you go!! We spent ALOT of time trying to find one in Paris after we got there, and it was impossible.

I know you only asked for hotel information, so I hope you don't mind that I offered other tidbits of advice. I wish I had known about the converter before I went!

Have a wonderful time in Paris!!! Be safe!!

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C.S.

answers from Dallas on

Go to http://www.1.worldventures.com and you can find the absolute best price on hotels and where they are located.

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A.G.

answers from Dallas on

I ahve stayed at The hotel du PAntheon twice. We didn;t want to break the budget but wanted something nice and boutique like... The rooms are small but we didn't stay in the room much... the bathrooms are clean and plenty big for two. They are decorated wonderfully. I love the feel! Take some good walking shoes and get a train schedule and go see the sites. There is SOOO much to do. We never stop but to grab a pastry or bread here and there. We usually take a small backpack and put food, hand sanitizer and water in it. stay hydrated! We are adventurous and not really scared to try the city bus. We don't tell many people that but sometimes it is ALOT faster. We have also bought a bus tour and hopped on and off at different sites and used it as a shuttle as well as education. Some buses don't make stops so you just have to ask. The museums are to die for. you can walk most of Paris if you are used to that sort of thing. We usually stay away from most of the large department stores and try to find all the fun boutiques. The food is not what I really like except for brie, bread and sweets. Last time I was 4 months preg with twins so I brought packages crackers and stuff to munch on so I didn't get stuck eating something I couldn't stomach. There are fairs or flea markets that we always try to hit. They are outdoors and have fresh fruit and veggies,too..if you like antiques, this can be really fun. I have found some fun stuff like a wine chiller (bucket) that is silver and has the crest and name of a vinyard in the south of france for near nothing....go into all the little shops...Linens, quilts, baby clothes and collectables are great finds....Have fun!!! oh, if you are a light sleeper, take a white noise maker with batteries...it helps when you are aclimating! don't trust the adapter kits.. we have blown two white noise makers with adapters...

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D.B.

answers from Dallas on

My mom and I stayed at the Regina Hotel in Paris when we went this summer. It is right across the street from the Louvre and Tuilerie Gardens. Metro access is right there also. It is a beautiful old hotel with polite and helpful staff, gorgeous rooms, and a great buffet breakfast. They have a website you can check out. My only complaint was we had a neighbor who talked rather loud on the phone(just 2xs) but I've had that in hotels here. We had a room that was facing the courtyard and was very quite otherwise.
Do the Eiffel Tower, but don't waste your money eating there unless you really like French cuisine. The Louvre, Versailles, and the boat ride down the Seine were my favorites.
D.

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C.V.

answers from Dallas on

Hello A., my husband and I used Rick Steves travel books. He has many recommendations anywhere from 2 - 4 star places. He concentrates on places that are behind the scenes. We went almost 3 years ago and stayed at a 3 star. I don't recall the name. When we go again, I plan to look into rooms at convents, they are much less expensive and will be worth our stay even if they have curfews. We enjoyed our stay in Paris, me more than my husband since we went there to visit my mom's childhome house in Brittany.

Use Rick Steves books for sightseeing as well. His books are well worth it. Check the library, they do carry his books.

Bon voyage!
C.

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A.I.

answers from Dallas on

http://www.hotelvernet.com/

My husband and I went to Paris in September and it was an amazing trip! We stayed at this hotel and liked it. It is not cheap but it is not the most expensive either. It is a great location too. When you go, the first day you should do one of the double decker bus tours. You can get on and off the bus at various sites and see the city at your own pace without having to pay taxi prices. It also has an audio tour to explain what you are seeing. It gives you a really good sense of where everything is in the city. There is so much to see in that city that if it is your first time (like it was mine), be prepared to be exhausted at the end of each day. Paris is by far the most beautiful city in the world. I cannot wait to go back.
A. G

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M.F.

answers from Dallas on

It's been a while, but I used the Let's Go guide to find a hotel and stayed in this little place near the river, in sight of Notre Dame, called Hotel Esmeralda. The location really was awesome, and the price was great. Here are some recent reviews
http://www.travel-library.com/hotels/europe/france/paris/...

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E.R.

answers from Dallas on

http://www.hotel-saint-germain.fr/

This is the hotel I stayed at in Paris about 6 years ago and it was perfect! We walked everywhere - never a need for a cab from this hotel. If your looking for a nice hotel with a nice room with a bed and bath that feels nice and safe in a good location- then this is it. The room in the courtyard that I was in wasn't huge..just a bed and bath basically. But I never spend a lot of time in my room. When we rest or take a break; we would go across the street and sit at a cafe with a glass of wine and watch Paris happen!! Also I had a Rick Steves book and he had a 3 day walking tour of Paris. It was great - you might can find it on his website - I'm not sure...if not I'll see if I can find my book for you. I actually found this hotel in his book. (Not sure if I'm spelling his last name right) I did Amsterdam , Paris, Riveria and Italy with his information from books and all was great. If you have any particular questions let me know ...I'll try to help! Have a wonderful time!

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H.P.

answers from Dallas on

My husband and I went to Paris and LOVED it. I left part of my heart there :(
I am not familiar with the hotels... we stayed in the Latin Quarter in an apartment. It was tiny and uncomfortable (very small shower, single bed, no air, etc.), but it was famous (Hemingway once lived in it). If you find some good reasonable hotels to stay in, let me know, as we want to go back.
The advice about pickpockets is good-- it happened to me at a museum. Food isn't what we are used to here, so I was hungry a lot. We found that buying a baguette & some cheese & fruit and then heading to the park was the best lunch! There are parks everywhere throughout the city. I highly recommend the boat ride down the Sienne in the evening. The bookstores are great too. The plane ride is awful-- it is so long-- so prepare to need to recover once you get there!
The D'Orsay and Louvre are obviously amazing-- prepare a whole day for each. However, everything in Paris is "close", so don't worry about the area when you choose a hotel. Everything is scattered throughout the city in the different areas, but it is all accessible.
Anything you need is just a short Metro ride a way... and the metro isn't bad at all.
I relive my trip there often in my dreams. I hope you love it as much as I did.

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D.L.

answers from Dallas on

http://www.cluny-paris-hotel.com/
Everything is really high over there now because of the difference between the Euro and the dollar.
We have stayed there several times. It is very old, only has about 8 rooms,on the left bank,near subway and bus stops. It is within a few minutes of musems and Catherdals.
I was pick pocketed on our last trip.(crowded musems and trains are favorite places for pick pockets) Fortunately all she got was my passport and Drivers liscense. We had to file Police report, go to the US Embassy. This happens so often there they have great system in place, only took about an hour to get passport replaced once we got to Embassy. Just FYI we got my "stuff" back a couple months later. It was found in a trash can (just wanted money or credit cards I guess)and turned in to police. My hubby picked it up the next time he was there on a business trip.
Hope you have a great trip.

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R.J.

answers from Dallas on

A., you could not find a hotel with better location than Hotel Brighton on the Rue de Rivoli. It's directly across from the Tulleries Gardens. The Louvre is on your left as you stand in your room and look out the window. The Eiffel tower is visible on your right - and ablaze with lights at night! If you stay on the 2nd or 3rd floor (we were on the second) in the spring before the trees bordering the Tulleries leaf, you can see everything. The staff was extremely helpful. Breakfast service was delicious in the beautiful peach and marble dining area...great plate glass windows so you can watch the street scene while you relax and eat. Be prepared for a tiny two-person elevator. :) You can read many reviews at expedia.com, etc. I paid 105 euros for a double twin room in 2003.

Also take a look at Hotel Therese. It's a beautiful, small hotel that's close to L'Opera Garnier. http://www.hoteltherese.com/

I stayed there in 2002, and they were finishing a remodel.

If your boys are old enough to enjoy suits of armor and a military museum, don't miss Musee de l'Armee at http://www.invalides.org/

Have you read that you can buy museum passes? You can choose English language on this site: http://www.parismuseumpass.com/en/home.php

I agree that Rick Steves' travel books are wonderful. Also try Fodors city guides (you can see online at www.fodors.com).

Paris is wonderful! I've been three times. Enjoy the trip. :)

R.

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