kcunningham1999

Sig other and I looking for an early May week in Paris. We have 350k in United Miles points but can't get any respectable hotel using points. Decided to spend $400 per night on a good hotel 6 nights $2.5k. Conflicted about dropping the extra money or stay in better hotel than avg or slightly below for free that is further out, but having $2.5k to blow for the week. Decisions....

Anyone used United Points any points in Pairs and had a good hotel experience?

Recommended for use with United Points.
Residhome Parc Du Millenaire
Best Western Montmartre Sacre-Coeur
Park & Suites Prestige Paris Grande Bibliotheque
Hotel Riviera

More Expensive Choices that you can use United points for:
Saint Augustin Elysees
Meslay Republique

Trip advisor says they are all a bit suspect.....

Dukey1

"a bit suspect" in exactly what way or are they all "a bit suspect" for a bunch of different reasons which make you worry about wasting those points?

I'm about to stay in a Paris hotel that one reviewer slammed on Trip Advisor because "they didn't put a little chocolate on the pillow at night."

Hey, so stay somewhere that does next time if it makes you feel better.

adrienne

You're spending $400+ per night plus you are using United points? Do you need to spend that much money and points on a hotel? I thought if you were using points you didn't need to also pay for the room.

Would you consider paying less money and getting a better location?

I looked up the first hotel and it's not in Paris.

cathies

Why would you want to stay on the outskirts of the city? That's just plain silly.

Andrew

I still recommend Priceline's "Name Your Own Price" option for people who are flexible but want a decent hotel in Paris without spending a bundle. I used Priceline for Berlin last week successfully (paid $75/night after all taxes/fees for a 4-star hotel in a great location close to Brandenburg Gate). Paris is certainly going to be more expensive than Berlin, but last year I paid about $100/night and got a Holiday Inn near Gare de l'est (where I wanted to be before a train the next morning). You could spend maybe $150 to $200/night and get a 5-star somewhere decent perhaps if that's in your budget. I use BetterBidding's website for my Priceline research these days.

adrienne

Hi Andrew - I'm going to Berlin in the fall. Can you share the hotel you booked and how far in advance did you book? Thanks!

annhig

I'd definitely spend my money/points on staying somewhere reasonably central - staying on the outskirts costs you time as much as money, and it can be difficult if you want to go back to the hotel before going out in the evening.

if you're not too fussed where in the centre you stay, then the Priceline idea is a great one.

kcunningham1999

thanks for feedback. we can use points and stay for free. the best of the best per our review of trip advisor are listed earlier in prev post. We can use United points for about 90,000 to 150,000 and not pay any cash. We are opting to pay $2.5k for a nicer hotel. That's the plan now. these hotels are not that far out. Either that or I'm not reading map correctly. Hoping someone had a good experience with any and booked using United points. Thanks for input.

cathies

Are u able to provide links to the hotels you are considering?

Andrew

adrienne: <i>Hi Andrew - I'm going to Berlin in the fall. Can you share the hotel you booked and how far in advance did you book? Thanks!</i>

I booked my Berlin hotel about five hours in advance. ;-) Seriously! I had four nights and the first one at a dumpy place didn't cut it, so the next morning I booked for the next three nights on Priceline. I got the 4* Maritim Proarte Hotel - but I had read about it weeks earlier as a likely choice in the "East" zone on the BetterBidding site, so I was kind of expecting this hotel. It's right on Friedrichstraße only a block north of Unter den Liden so in a pretty great spot. It's two blocks from the TXL bus stop if you are flying into/out of Tegel Airport by chance.

You do need to be flexible enough with Priceline not to assume you WILL get a certain hotel, however.

adrienne

Thanks, Andrew.

tuscanlifeedit

As mentioned, the first hotel listed isn't within Paris.

Looks to me like the next to the last has a 4.0 tripadvisor.com rating. I'll go that low, but not lower. And that one Saint Augustin Elysees, has a central location.

Can you upgrade to a better room within that hotel?

travelnut265

Are you going to Paris for the hotel experience or to see some of Paris? How long are you going to spend each day in your room? Do you want to spend time travelling to Paris or staying close?

nytraveler

The first hotel listed is NOT in Paris - the address is:

49 avenue de l'Arche
92400 COURBEVOIE

Any hotel in Paris will have an address that says Paris and the zip will indicate the arrondisement - starting from 1 in the center and spiraling out to 20 on the far edges.

This is a corporate hotel for an industrial/business center outside of the city - not for tourists. Don;t know how long would take you to get to the main tourist area - would guess at about 35 or 40 minutes - then time to the sights you want to visit (since I don;t know where in the suburbs this place is exactly and how long it will take you to get to the closest train).

Either pick a hotel in a central location and pay partly with points and the rest in cash - or make up y our mind to spending a lot of time trekking to and fro - and spending evening in a quiet business area rather than a quaint Paris neighborhood.

janisj

None of those are really anywhere I'd pick.

The Best Western is out beyond Sacre Coeur

Park & Suites Prestige is across the river from Bercy

The Meslay Republique and the Saint Augustin Elysees probably are in the best/most convenient locations

(do you mean the Hotel Riviera Elysees?)

Gretchen

"not that far out". Really? In Paris, it is important (at least to me) to be IN Paris. ;o)

Seamus

None of the places you list are close to $400/night, so I suspect you mean that you have looked at alternate properties at that price point. If you've the budget then by all means go for it, but it is not really necessary to spend that for adequate accommodation in Paris

Agree with janisj's assessment of your original list.

For the price of free the Meslay looks wonderful, and it's in a great location for getting around - right at the recently remodeled place de la Republique where 5 metro lines (3,5,8,9,11) converge and good bus service, too. Easy walk to the haut Marais / rue de Bretagne area, too.

As for tripadvisor reviews, short of absolutely universal bad reviews with specific issues cites I take them with a grain of salt, especially the ones that are the equivalent of "it's not lie the Marriott back home."

Leely2

I like the Republique location a lot, right by the top of Rue du Temple just a few blocks from Square du Temple, close to Jacques Genin and other tasty places!, but I know nothing about the hotel itself.

Andrew, I am pondering a trip to Berlin this summer, so that is interesting about Priceline.

kerouac

Frankly, I would be attracted to the place out at Bibliothèque, but that's just me. It is in a zone of exclusively 21st century buildings and you couldn't see a Haussmannian building from there even using a telescope.

Ackislander

Interesting, Kerouac.

I am traveling alone to Paris this fall and am thinking of staying somewhere in the area bounded by the Place d'Italie, the Porte d'Ivry, and the area around the new Bibliotheque National. Any recommendations?

I am interested in a simple but comfortable hotel rather than charm, have stayed in Ibis and thir fellow brands. Interested in exploring a corner of Paris I do not know.