Special hotel in Paris for 1 night before a week in an apartment?
Jul 9th, 2007, 04:04 PM
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Special hotel in Paris for 1 night before a week in an apartment?
Through the luck of the FF draw, we HAVE to go to Paris one day before our apartment in Palais Royal is available - DW is crestfallen but has agreed to our one extra night in Paris (the week in Paris to be followed by a week in Provence and a week on Cote d'Azur). My question is - - - can you hear the snare drums yet - - - do I bust our budget (such as it is) and book a night at something really fancy (and outrageous) like George V, Ritz, or Meurice so we can experience one night's worth of filthy rich, or be sensible and book something like Brighton (where we stayed in 2005 and truly enjoyed)? We're already planning some foolishly expensive activities - a.k.a. fancy dining - but should we spend even more of our daughter's inheritance for this one evening.
I realize this is a silly post, perhaps, but then I'm a silly kind of guy occasionally.
KC
I realize this is a silly post, perhaps, but then I'm a silly kind of guy occasionally.
KC
Jul 10th, 2007, 02:10 PM
#3
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I would splurge for the night. Just one night, it's worth it. To have that experience would be fun. Feel like King and Queen for a night.
If you do decide though, enjoy it and don't doubt yourself for a minute.
emh
If you do decide though, enjoy it and don't doubt yourself for a minute.
emh
Jul 10th, 2007, 04:52 PM
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Wow! I wish my husband were as "silly" as you!
But still, I'm not sure I could justify that kind of money on a place to sleep, even though I'm sure it would be wonderful.
What does your wife think about it?
But still, I'm not sure I could justify that kind of money on a place to sleep, even though I'm sure it would be wonderful.
What does your wife think about it?
Jul 10th, 2007, 04:58 PM
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If you plan on lounging around the hotel and living like your names are Louis and Marie, then I say go for the swanky hotel and live it up. If on the other hand, hotels are just a place to sleep for you, I say bust the budget on another fancy meal.
Either way, have a great inheritance-busting time!
Either way, have a great inheritance-busting time!
Jul 10th, 2007, 05:00 PM
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If your wife 's ok with it, go for it!
Since you are already going to be there for a week afterwards and will be out and about, you can actually spend time in a super lux place and not feel that you wasted your money. So spend time and wind down from the trip over in a lux place, do it up and then move into your apt and experience all other facets of Paris!
Your vacation sounds divine. We spent a summer on the Cote; youll love it!
Since you are already going to be there for a week afterwards and will be out and about, you can actually spend time in a super lux place and not feel that you wasted your money. So spend time and wind down from the trip over in a lux place, do it up and then move into your apt and experience all other facets of Paris!
Your vacation sounds divine. We spent a summer on the Cote; youll love it!
Jul 11th, 2007, 01:03 AM
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Funny, but I guess I think differently. If I were about to spend a week in a Paris apartment, I'd be afraid that a night before in a fabulous deluxe hotel would make me appreciate the apartment less. I'd be more likely to stay in a budget hotel for the night with cramped quarters, then when you arrive at the apartment it will seem more luxurious than it is. I also don't think I'd get the value of the "amenities" at a really expensive hotel in just one night -- so it would seem more like a waste of money.
Jul 11th, 2007, 01:57 AM
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Hi K,
>DW is crestfallen but has agreed to our one extra night in Paris...
I know how she feels. I was once forced to spend an extra night in Paris, and it was awful.
I could only raise my spirits by having a dinner of seared foie gras and a glass of Monbazillac, 6 oysters and a glass of Chablis, Confit de Canard and a glass of Pinot Gris de Alsace, a cheese platter of Boursin, aged Chevre and Munster with a glass of Gewurtztraminer de Alsace, and creme brulee with a glass of champagne.
>do I bust our budget ... or be sensible and book something like Brighton (where we stayed in 2005 and truly enjoyed)?
I'd return to the hotel that you enjoyed on your last visit, but I believe in "fly cheap, sleep cheap, eat well".
>DW is crestfallen but has agreed to our one extra night in Paris...
I know how she feels. I was once forced to spend an extra night in Paris, and it was awful.
I could only raise my spirits by having a dinner of seared foie gras and a glass of Monbazillac, 6 oysters and a glass of Chablis, Confit de Canard and a glass of Pinot Gris de Alsace, a cheese platter of Boursin, aged Chevre and Munster with a glass of Gewurtztraminer de Alsace, and creme brulee with a glass of champagne.
>do I bust our budget ... or be sensible and book something like Brighton (where we stayed in 2005 and truly enjoyed)?
I'd return to the hotel that you enjoyed on your last visit, but I believe in "fly cheap, sleep cheap, eat well".
Jul 11th, 2007, 02:12 AM
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Ira where did you have that fabulous meal at? Sounds delicious.
To answer the OP, I would not stay at a 4* luxe hotel on the first night. The last night I might consider it, but not the first. (And I'd only consider it as a once in a lifetime event.)
With $1000 I'd be much more inclined to dine at Le Cinq rather than stay the night at the George V.
But that's just me. Sounds like you have a fabulous vacation planned!
To answer the OP, I would not stay at a 4* luxe hotel on the first night. The last night I might consider it, but not the first. (And I'd only consider it as a once in a lifetime event.)
With $1000 I'd be much more inclined to dine at Le Cinq rather than stay the night at the George V.
But that's just me. Sounds like you have a fabulous vacation planned!
Jul 11th, 2007, 02:34 AM
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Down a notch, one of our favorites:
http://www.hoteldaubusson.com/
On arrival, sit down immediately in the georgeous lobby and request two glasses of Champagne.
http://www.hoteldaubusson.com/
On arrival, sit down immediately in the georgeous lobby and request two glasses of Champagne.
Jul 11th, 2007, 04:20 AM
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Thanks for all the opinions, advice, and good wishes. Cooler heads, I fear, will prevail. As pointed out by some of you, why spend a thousand bucks to sleep (well!) when you can spend a third of that on a very nice sleep and the rest on other "comforts?" So perhaps a visit to the Hemingway Bar at the Ritz for an apertif, a fine meal at an outrageously expensive but "once-in-a-lifetime" restaurant, and a walk along the Seine. After all, the buget will still be busted, but so will my gut. 
KC
KC
Jul 11th, 2007, 07:58 PM
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Splurge. Book the presidential suite at the L'Astor Hotel (near place de la Madeleine). It has a 360 degree rooftop balcony and an incredible view of both Sacre Coeur and the Eiffel Tower. Definitely worth a splurge. Not sure of the current rate, but it was running around 750 Euros a few years ago.
When our usual room was booked, they upgraded us to this room. What a treat!
When our usual room was booked, they upgraded us to this room. What a treat!
Jul 14th, 2007, 02:07 PM
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Patrick - I agree with you -- we stayed at nice places in Paris, Montruex and Florence and had a harder time with budget and finding a place in Rome (the hotel Russie wanted 1,500.00 a night for our family of 4 and I could not do that... crazy for us) but our apartment was rather bare bones - dh and I agreed that if we stayed there first it would have been fine -but after we were a little spoiled by the time we got there...
any rate - we stayed in a suite at the hotel De Louve and it was lovely. Certainly not the Four Seasons..but very nice and spacious - we had a connecting room for our daughters and two full bathrooms. It was a great location as well.
any rate - we stayed in a suite at the hotel De Louve and it was lovely. Certainly not the Four Seasons..but very nice and spacious - we had a connecting room for our daughters and two full bathrooms. It was a great location as well.
