Sara1211

Hi everyone!
I am new to actually asking questions, but a frequent "reader" here- especially when I go somewhere. I need advice, please.
My DH and I are going to Paris for 6 days the second week in December. He would like a hotel near the Eiffel Tower. We are in our 5o's (I have JUST turned 50 ) and love to eat, go to museums, site see, etc. I have been to Paris before, but he has not. Last time I went was 25 years ago and stayed in a youth hostel... We are looking to spend about $200 a night, but could maybe go higher.
Thanks in advance!

nytraveler

The area around the Eifel Tower is very quiet and not close to a lot of other things. (And few hotels have rooms with views of the tower.) I know is is the icon for the city - but it's actually quite far west versus many of the other things you will want to see and do.

I would opt to stay in the 4thm 5th or 6th instead - near more to see and do - and more cafes/restaurants. Whatever you do make sure your hotel is near a metro station.

Sara1211

Thank you!
any rec's for those 3? Is something around the Louvre a good idea? The Hotel Luxembourg Parc? (I liked the look of that one.)

PeaceOut

We stayed at Hotel la Bourdonnais, in the 7th and liked it very much. Nice-sized quad room for our family, with A/C and a lift. GREAT view of the Eiffel Tower from our little balcony (room 503). Friendly front desk, too. Offered a simple breakfast buffet, but we chose to visit Rue Cler in the mornings, for coffee, croissants, crepes and fresh fruit. A nice market next door to the hotel was handy, too. Metro stop on the corner, Batobus stop close by, too, at the Eiffel Tower. Even an ATM machine at the corner bank. Loved the location and the upscale neighborhood. An easy walk through the Champs de Mars to the Eiffel Tower.

Christina

The luxembourg Parc would be a good central location, go with that. You seem very interested in staying near some big tourist attraction, but that isn't the way to pick a good hotel nor a good locaiton for a hotel. The immediately proximity of any big major museum or tower is not going to be that nice as a place to stay due to what will be around it. Why would you want to stay near the Louvre? I can't think of any reason unless you were planning to visit it almost every day (some artists or art historians might). It is a central area, though, so might be convenient for those reasons. Some people do stay near it and like it okay, but it's nothing I would especially recommend for most people. There are just a lot of shops and it's a business area on the street right near it and it isn't even that easy to cross IMO (rue de Rivoli). The shops are souvenir shops mainly, nothing wrong with that, but there are lots of tourists walking up and down the sidewalks for that reason, of course, and because a lot of tourists go to the Louvre. And rue de Rivoli has a lot of traffic.

$200 a night is a modest budget with the value of USD vs. euro. If you can get a room for that at the 4* Lux Parc, I'd grab it, I've never seen anything that cheap there. That is only around 140 euro. I thought rooms there started at over 200 euro a night.l

Hre is a nice 3* hotel in the Latin Qtr, but their rates would also be around 200 euro for a double room http://www.paris-hotel-parcsaintseverin.com/en/

This owner owns several nice hotels in the 5th-6th area (H du Pantheon is nicer than H des Grands Hommes, but rates reflect that). http://www.hoteldupantheon.com/
You can get a superior double in the Grands Hommes for your budget, see what they offer

Christina

FYI if you do want a hotel "near" the Eiffel Tower, here are some good choices, that wouldn't be so bad an area. But I wouldn't choose a hotel literally right near the Tower as you couldn't see it and it isn't very nice right around it, but there are several nice hotels in the 7th maybe a half mile or so away from it, near the Ecole Militaire metro stop, I think you might like that area.

http://www.duquesneeiffel.com/en

http://www.hotelparismuguet.com/

http://hotel-paris-bosquet.com/

be sure to check the special deals through their booking functions, as a lot of Paris hotels now have special internet rates or rates for 3 or more nights which will be a lot lower than the regular room rate.

If it were me, I'd like these hotels okay and prefer the area to that around the Louvre.

Sara1211

Great info Christina! Actually, we want central location mainly, hence the Hotle Luxembourg. I remember the Metro as being super easy to navigate, so I'd love to stay somewhere that we can really experience local life while having easy access to touristy things. Cafes, shopping... As far as budget, we were starting at around $200, having no idea. (our budget is not endless, though.)

maryanne1

The Relais Bosquet is a nice one if staying near the Eiffel Tower. We had a view of the Eiffel Tower. I agree staying in the 5th or 6th would be nearer sight. We stayed in The Danube in the 6th 2 weeks ago which I enjoyed. It was 212 euros for a superior room.

StCirq

I've stayed at the Hotel Duquesne many times, a very nice place and an easy 10-minute walk to the Tour Eiffel. I don't know why anyone would want to stay in the immediate area of the TE, as it's in a large park and boarded on one side by the river. The hotels just to the west of it are pretty awful, to the east over near rue Ste-Dominique and the Ecole Militaire much nicer.

I don't know the Hotel Luxembourg, but I wouldn't want to stay right near the Louvre, either - traffic, crowds, commerce, business, noise. The métro and buses are so easy to use that you don't really need to be in the heart of the tourist areas.

qwovadis

Paris Hilton(yes she is named after a hotel) best I have done
1 block away or so.Join HHonors.com for upgrade to best available FREE.I got a tower view suite that was to die for at night for under 100 euros a couple of years ago late May
2009 as I recall.

$120 Paris Hilton Hotwire.com $120 both well located as an HHonors guest got an ugrade to a partial tower view suite at ...http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ence.cfmLittle Secret On Getting The Hotel You Want From Hotwire ...
Use BetterBidding.com to help you identify each hotel ... 4* Hilton Paris @ $119 / night. 4* Moevenpick Hotel And ... the amenities listed under each hotel from Hotwire.com.
www.myfavdeals.com/?p=27

caroline_edinburgh

I've stayed at the Hilton and it was OK, but agree that area not not particularly nice and not convenient for much else. Every other time I've stuck to the 6th.

Michel_Paris

For a first time visitor, I'd recommend the 4th,5th,6th. There is nothing wrong with the 7th, as you said the Metro/RER is a great way to get around. Being a bit closer to the centre (aka Notre Dame IMHO) just makes you neighbourgood a bit more interesting to walk around. You lose a bit of the 'local' feel, since you, and a lot of the other tourists. will be in these areas.

Other plus...direct line to CDG if you are near St Michel or Luxembourg.

One hotel I've recommended a few times here is :

www.paris-hotel-lutece.com

Located on an island in the Seine, across bridge from Notre Dame. Small island, nice main street, good restaurants, mostly old mansions, quiet at night, easy access to Left/Right bank.

This one is right on the Seine, across street from Notre Dame and 100' from the RER to CDG. Some rooms have views of sun rising over Notre Dame. We rented roof-top alcove a few years back. Noise was not an issue.

www.hotelnotredameparis.com/pages/location.html

Weekender

I have stayed at the Luxembourg Parc several times and highly recommend it. Located across the street from the Luxembourg Gardens and near St. Sulpice.

Sara1211

WOW- thank you all so much! Now, about restaurants...

Mathieu

Hi, just got back Nov. 2 from a month in France and while in Paris, I stayed in 3 hotels all close to the TE and investigated a fourth that is the closest of them all to it.

1. Hotel Novotel, 257 Rue Vaugirard, Paris. In the 15th Arr.
This hotel is modern and clean and is just steps from Vaugirard Metro stop on line 12. Also close to Montparnasse train station.
The rooms are modern and medium sized, but larger than the infamous closet-sized Paris hotel rooms.
Toilet and bathroom (both a shower and tub) are in separate rooms. Lots of hot water and water pressure.
Very good buffet b'fast included in some room rates. Enjoyed a nice dinner in the hotel restaurant one evening.
Beautiful rooftop patio with view of the TE. Took me 20 mins to walk to it and lots to see along the way.

2. Best Western Sevres, Montparnasse, 153 Rue de Vaugirard, Paris.
This hotel is a short distance away from the one above and closer (5 mins) to Montparnasse train station which was the reason for my 1 night stay there.
It is a small hotel with a tiny little elevator that barely fits 1 person and 1 suitcase.
The rooms are quite small but tastefully decorated. Toilet and shower in one room. Lots of hot water and pressure.
TE about 15 mins walk covering part of the same route as the above.

3. Hotel Ibis Tour Eiffel, 2 rue Cambronne, Paris. also in the 15th Arr.
This hotel is a few steps away from Cambronne Metro station on line 6 which intersects line 12 at Pasteur. There is a Pierre Herme outlet just where Vaugirard meets Pasteur, and a short walk from all 3 hotels.
The hotel is located in quite a charming and busy intersection with lots of restaurants, a large flower shop and a very good Boulangerie and patisserie (Le Privat),
A large hotel catering to business people and tourists.
Rooms are small but bigger than the Best Western and smaller than at the Novotel.
Bathroom is small with shower only and toilet all in one room. I could not be in there with the door shut, though its possible for a smaller person.
Lots of hot water and good shower pressure.
My room had a charming view over the rooftops of Rue Cambronne and some rooms do have a view of the nearby TE. However for those that don't, just walk to the end of your floor where the elevators are located and look out the window and it's right there. Rates are also good at this hotel.

4. Hotel de la Paix, 19 rue du gros Caillou, Paris in the 7th Arr.
I didn't stay here but looked it up as it was offering rates for 85 euros. The rooms look nice and TA gives it favourable reports except for the common complaint that the rooms are small. I'm imagining it to be similar to hotel #2 above - which can be quite charming.
Best of all seems to be it's very close proximity to the TE. The hotel is near Champs de Mars, which is virtually at the foot of the TE. Closest Metro (750m) is La Tour-Maubourg on line 8.

Good luck.

kwren

Another vote for the Duquesne Eiffel Hotel. We had the Tour Eiffel room and it looked directly out onto the Eiffel Tower. I would lie in bed to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkling. Beautiful view and gorgeous little hotel!

Scootoir

We have stayed in the 7th since 1998 and find it very convenient. We like the Hotel Relais Bosquet and the Muguet; have also stayed at the Hotel Londres Eiffel where we had a view of the Eiffel Tower. Some rooms at the Relais Bosquet have an ET view but we have always asked for a room on a high floor looking over the courtyard. The area of the 7th around rue St. Dominique has lots of cafes and bakeries.

ozgirl

Another vote for the Duquesne Eiffel - we must have the same room kwren! Not just the view but extremely friendly and helpful staff.

kwren

ozgirl - maybe we did! I have to admit that I moved the bed table to the other side of the bed then slid the bed over so I would have that perfect view! We had plenty of room to be able to do that and still walk around! I think other rooms should also have that view. The one on the website looks a bit smaller than the one we had. The next time my husband and I are there, we're going to stay there.

Sara1211 if you want to stay there, be sure to specify that you want a direct view!

OzJohnno

I would heartily recommend the Hotel Eiffel Seine and after our 5 night stay there in early September I wrote this review for tripadvisor.

Location - Location - Location. We found this great boutique hotel was perfectly placed for us to enjoy Paris on our 5 day stay. As everyone says the Eiffel Tower and the Seine are minutes away with access to the Paris Metro and RER just across the street. There are restaurants everywhere with a little supermarket just down the street. You can find breakfast from a number of little bakeries in easy walking distance. I have to admit it was a lot cheaper than taking up the hotel's option of a 16 Euro p/p breakfast.

The room we chose was small but it was user friendly and we didn't spend all that much time there. The bathroom was very modern and functional. The staff were just great, offering helpful advice in faultless English. We enjoyed being greeted by "Bullet" the Hotel cat when we arrived back from a long days sight-seeing.

I have to say the lift is the smallest I've ever seen in my lifetime. 1 person with luggage barely fits and it's cuddle time when 2 people use it. The only drawback is that staff have to use it to take their equipment from floor to floor and at times you can wait a while for it to be your turn.

We thought this hotel represented very good value for the price we paid but should we ever be lucky enough to return to Paris we'd definitely stay here again but we'd book a larger room.