jeepyland

Hello everyone,

We'll be in Paris next month for one last vacation before the baby comes. I'd love to hear your thoughts on any of the hotels below. We'd like to stay in Le Marais, Ile St. Louis, or St. Germain, and would prefer a place with some charm. I'm not wild about modern with muted colors like the Hotel Duo. Here goes:

Marais House
Bretonnerie
Hotel d'Aubusson
Les Marronniers (wasn't originally a contender but it gets so many great reviews on Fodors)

Thanks very much.

Travelnut

Before you get content with your list, have you checked for availability? Next month is very very short notice.

jeepyland

I just wrote to the Lutuce but all others are available.

Travelnut

Marais House is probably the most upscale but the comments and reviews on Tripadvisor seem weird and somewhat suspicious. Just an impression.

Hotel d'Aubusson is probably the next best quality hotel (4*), and if you find it affordable it would probably make you quite happy.

Bretonnerie looks charming, perhaps the decor is a bit darker - it's a 3*...

Hotel des Marroniers is a mixed bag if you read the Tripadvisor reviews.

francophile03

I would personally choose the Hotel des Marronniers. It's moderately priced and seems to have charm with the garden and traditional styled rooms. However, from various comments the rooms are tiny even for Paris. Yet it's so very well-located.

Second choice would be La Bretonnerie. It's in a very nice area as you probably know already and the hotel itself seems quite good too.

SamLovesParis

You can watch a video a video of a Junior Suite in Hotel de La Bretonnerie here: http://www.myvideoplanet.com/hotels/...la-bretonnerie

jeepyland

That's so cool - thanks, Sam!

A question for others who have stayed at Bretonnerie: Do all rooms have only a bath tub with hand-held hose, or did anyone encounter a shower stall? I'd really rather not squat in a tub and hose down.

bozama

Hotel Aubusson is in an EXCELLANT area , ( I stayed up the street) close to so much, yet still not a busy or noisey street. Near the Seine, cafes, shops, love the area.

Marais House looked ugly to me, dark dark dark.

Christina

Those hotels vary widely in terms of level and cost, I am a little surprised at those choices. I just thought the Aubusson was quite a different category than the Bretonnerie, for example. I always read really mixed reviews on the Marronniers (mainly that the staff was not very nice and the rooms varied widely), but I'd probably choose the Aubusson in that list. Although I think everyone says the superior rooms are the way to go, of course, but if you can afford that, it sounds great.

I wouldn't even consider the Marais House -- ugh. This place is really expensive, and I think are trying to get around hotel laws by calling themself a B&B. A hotel would not be allowed to have a room without windows, for example. I remember someone who stayed there came back to this forum and said how overpriced and terrible it was. It was a really bad review, as I recall.

jeepyland

To answer my own question, the Bretonnerie has tubs with hand-held shower hose only. Personally, I prefer a standing shower and thought this info might be of use to others.

As for Marais House, I wouldn't dismiss it because of one bad review. The place is clearly not for everyone but a) it does get its fair share of positive feedback on tripadvisor and b) while it may not be everyone's taste, it looks lovely to me. I am tempted because it is in the Marais (my first choice location) and is considerably less expensive than what is available at Hotel d'Aubusson (450 euros!!)

gruezi

jeepy,

(That's a cute name BTW)

Your question is top on my mind this week as I've pored over every hotel posting in the 6th on Fodor's and TripAdvisor for an upcoming visit next weekend.

I know Hotel d'Aubusson is well-reviewed here and on Tripadvisor, but I stayed there in November and didn't "get" the big deal about it considering the price, albeit the neighborhood and location is really wonderful. The service was very good and the linens quite nice, but otherwise I can't get too excited about the place. Charm is an individual thing I guess.

Next week I'm trying the Luxembourg Parc (which is running a special right now) just to comparison shop for myself. I imagine the location is not as convenient to some things as the Aubusson, but I hope the rooms are a bit more bright and the common areas cleaner...

My husband and I are becoming of the theory that the weak dollar means we just need to lower our standards and not expect as much. Oh well...I wish I could be one of those people who could just say, "who cares about the room? You're only sleeping there!"

I'm the princess and the pea, I guess. I need the place "I just sleep in" to be clean and not too dark to read in at night, and with a blanket that I won't be too grossed out by if it touches my face accidentally. Not necessary, but a plus, is no visible/touchable dust, or crumbs from the last occupant, and no mildew in the bathroom!!

Well, with the weak dollar, I am learning to travel with my bleach wipes and a pair of flip flops. I may even bring along a pillowcase next trip...I have found that knowing my face rests on something I know is clean and comfortable I can get over the rest of the stuff a bit better. Last week I stayed in a "less than my standard of cleanliness" B&B in Italy, and I asked for an extra top sheet to cover the gross blanket and this simple step made me feel a lot more at ease.

Do let us know where you decide on and how it works out!!

gruezi

ps I am seriously considering a new career as a restaurant/lodging critic. It really bugs me when places get away with gorgeous website photos and don't come close to the advertised rooms when you arrive...

Travelnut

Maybe some of these 'new' hotels are of interest:

Author: Travelnut
Date: 03/04/2008, 01:25 pm
The February 2008 issue of "France Today" has an article detailing five new or renovated hotels in Paris:

<b>Hotel Lumen</b>
15 rue des Pyramides, 1st arr
www.hotel-lumenparis.com
Stnd Dbl 340&euro;
former bank building, designed with 'themes of light', satin headboards, silver velvet drapes, cascading chandeliers

<b>Hotel es Academies et des Arts</b>
15 rue de la Grande Chaumiere, 6th arr
www.hotel-des-academies.com
Stnd Dbl 210&euro;
across from the art school, motif of &quot;Corps Blanc&quot; (White Figure) as a recurring theme, tiny sculptures in surprising places

<b>Hotel Saint Vincent</b>
5 rue du Pre-aux-Clercs, 7th arr
www.hotel-st-vincent.com
Stnd Dbl 240&euro;
by the owner of Hotel St Thomas d'Aquin, next door; on a tranquil side street, furnished with brocante finds which were refurbished with upscale fabrics, taffeta drapes, each room with different furnishings

<b>Hotel Arvor</b>
8 rue Laferriere, 9th arr
www.arvor-hotel-paris.com
Stnd Dbl 125&euro;
off rue des Martyrs, white walls, bright Daniel Burren posters, bookshelves on each floor, apple green, soft aqua or taupe room accents

<b>Hotel Particulier Montmartre</b>
23 ave Junot, 18th
www.hotel-particulier-montmartre.com
Stnd Dbl 390&euro;
follow a narrow passage to an unmarked gate to the Directoire townhouse, garden terraces, fireplace in the library, 5 enormous rooms or suites, each designed by a different artist

Travelnut

tops for Jeepy...

Weekender

I have stayed at the Bretonnerie a couple of times. The place is charming-every wall in the hotel is covered in fabric. Very well priced for what you get. The suites are good sized but mine did have hand held showers. A very nice place to stay!

jeepyland

Thanks, everyone - I'm very grateful for all of the help. What's proving to be the biggest problem is, believe it or not, finding a shower! I will be 6 1/2 months pregnant and don't want to have to climb in and out of bathtubs. Even d'Aubusson offers tubs only, apparently. Gruezi, can't wait to hear how you like the Luxemburg Parc. That sounds like a very solid choice.

Weekender

The Luxembourg Parc is the best of the bunch IMHO. Have stayed there and it is my favorite hotel in Paris. Cannot beat it for the money. Beautiful rooms/bathrooms with power showers. Book online on their website to get internet special rates.

Travelnut

Try these - the pix on Parisby.com show showers or tubs with overhead shower fixtures. Not sure about availability, except for the Royal St Michel - for that one, make sure you get all the baths are overhead showers. (weren't many pix)

Hotel Therese *** 180-281&euro;
5/7 Rue Therese, Paris, 75001
http://www.hoteltherese.com/en/hotel.htm

Hotel Henri IV Rive Gauche *** 185&euro;
9-11, Rue Saint-Jacques, Paris, 75005
http://www.henri-paris-hotel.com/

Hotel Royal Saint Michel **** 270&euro;
3, Boulevard Saint Michel, Paris, 75005
http://www.hotelroyalsaintmichel.com/

jeepyland

Ah, thanks again. What would I do without you guys? Travelnut, I wrote to the three you suggest below and will keep you posted. Also, an update what on what have discovered in the event that this information will be useful to other shower lovers in the future:

Hotel Duo has only one room with a shower.

Hotel Caron de Beaumarchais has two rooms but they could not guarantee that I would get one. I just wrote to Hotel de l'Abbaye because there are pictures of showers on the website.

The Luxembourg Parc - helas! - was booked.

Weekender

The Hotel de l'Abbaye is also a wonderful place to stay. Beautiful lobby with a several salons, bar/breakfast room that opens to a patio. I stayed in a larger twin room with a bathroom that had just been redone-all marble with separate shower. Place oozes atmosphere....great location near Metro, too.

InMiami

We stayed at the Bretonnerie for 10 nights last June and found it very comfortable. The fabric covered walls are getting a bit worn and some of the carpeting needs replacement but overall it is very attractive. Each room is quite different so look on their website before you choose. We stayed in the front on the top floor which was bright but there was also the sound of nightly street merriment and the noise of trucks in the morning. Some friends asked to be moved to the back and ended up in a tiny double. This is the epicenter of the gay area, if that bothers you, look elsewhere.