williamscb13

Hi, so I am going to Paris in two and a half weeks and we are still settling out where we will stay. It will be me (female despite screen name confusion), my two year old son and my sister. My sister and I will end up sharing a bed or having the beds split into two twins. We've shared beds on trips for year so it's fine. Baby will have a crib in our room no matter which place we choose.
She wants to stay at a cute, stylish hotel, I want to stay at an apartment where it might not be as stylish, but I think it will be good for us to have a little more space.
Here are our two choices.
Any comments, concerns?
Hotel Relais Des Halles -
http://hotel-relais-des-halles.com/us/index.html
I have no idea what kind of a room she has reserved.
or this apartment on Homeaway. It's in the Marais near Places Des Vosges
http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p107677vb

Christina

You've left out a lot of details that might affect a decision. For example, a big one -- how long do you intend to be there? If it's only a couple days, I can understand her point very well. There isn't any need to worry about space that much if you are only some place a couple days, you make do. That hotel is cute but the area isn't one of my favorites. But it is central and a block from a metro stop, so will be convenient. I think the apt is in a somewhat "nicer" location FWIW. That apt. is a few blocks west of kind of a tacky street with sex shops, etc. I'm not saying that as a caution for danger, but just that isn't not exactly attractive over there. Of course you are a couple blocks away.

The hotel is cute but isn't cheap (I saw around 250 euro a night for the room not cheapest category, which I would presume she booked for the space). Now that isn't so bad split by two people. However, when I checked the price of that apt. it was very expensive (close to $500 a night), so was more expensive than the hotel.

I think you have some issues given you will have your son with you, that give you some say. However, you say your sister booked the hotel and I wonder -- who is doing most of the planning for this trip? Both together? Or her? I just asked because I had to do all the planning for a similar trip and then the person who didn't do anything and wouldn't even respond to my emails with suggestions, etc., then criticized my choice of place to stay and said, why don't you look at xxx, or this, etc. I had done all the work. But if she jut booked something without your input even though you have been active in the planning and expressed your opinions far in advance, I think you do have some say.

But what about the money issue and the cost? Also, I couldn't see the terms on that apt, does it require security deposits, etc? Who is going to pay for all that, you? If you will, then she might agree.

StCirq

I wouldn't choose either of those, but if you're leaving in 2.5 weeks, you're going to have to make a decision soon.

Re: the baby and the hotel, have you actually looked into the logistics of getting a crib in a hotel room? You cannot make any assumptions about that at all, and I hope you know that by law, every individual, no matter what age, counts as a hotel guest and must be paid for and properly accommodated according to the fire laws.

DebitNM

I don't know how many nights you need, but I would call on this place. Great location. I just booked it for December. The office is in New Jersey and talk to Debbie. Tell her Debra from NM sent you! You can pay online and they make it all very easy.

http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_305.htm

Robert2533

It appears the apartment (one bedroom, one bath) is still available the last week of June, but the rate is €340/night. The hotel costs less, even for the suite, and has services not available at the apartment.

williamscb13

We are staying 4 nights. The other added benefit to the apartment is a washer and dryer. There is no way for me to pack enough clean clothes for my son to last the whole trip.

We will be splitting the costs. Actually, I paid for the plane tickets. I think she's picking up the rental car and will pay for hotels until she reaches the cost of her ticket then we will split everything. We are not particular and figure it evens out in the end.

We have both been trying to figure out a place to stay. And are very simpatico on most things, it's just we have to figure out if we will be comfortable having the baby in the room with us. What she hasn't thought about is that if we stay in one room in a hotel, he's definitely just in one room with us.

I think we will end up in a hotel for the rest of our time in Europe. I wish we could find another apartment but pickings are slim at this late date and for only 4 nights.m

Christina

sorry, in my post I meant the hotel is a few blocks west of that tacky area.

I don't think the crib is an issue if she told the hotel, they clearly allow you to book rooms for two adults and a child, as I checked. So she probably did that.

DebitNM

4 nights might make it tough for an apartment. But at the late stage in the game, a rental agency might just have a spot for 4 nights between other bookings. I would absolutely call VacationinParis - 1-800 403 4304

DebitNM

http://www.vacationinparis.com/infop/specials.htm

There seems to be a few fill in spots.

Robert2533

One of the disadvantages of the apartment is the checkin and checkout times. With only four days, you'll loose most of the first day checking in and will probably have to be out of the apartment well before noon when checking out.

Don't expect the washer-dryer to be anything like what you are use to at home. Most are small, only able to handle a few pounds of clothes at a time.

DebitNM

And "dryer" is really a euphemism. They really don't dry.

The apartments allow at vacationinparis allow you to check in as early as 9:30 am. if they are clean. Even if they aren't cleaned yet, you can drop your bags at 9:30.

KTtravel

Both places look nice. How do the prices compare? I would ask what type of room your sister has reserved at the hotel. Most of the rooms do look small.

A washer and dryer is a great convenience.

TPAYT

I would much prefer the location of the apt. and having a 2 yr. old in a tiny hotel room sounds very cramped.

I do agree about the washer/dryer. Very small and the few we've encountered took hours and hours and then the clothes were wrinkled and still damp. I would wash and hang to dry, it's probably faster.

williamscb13

We don't arrive in Paris until 2 pm so the first day is a waste. And thanks for the note about washers. I am fine with hanging clothes to dry. And the last day we will be renting a car and driving out of the city.

I have emailed Deb's vacation rental place and will call them later when I gave time.

I will have to check with my sister about the hotel room. She is all about style and tends to gloss over details. So if it's not the biggest room, we will probably be very cramped.

Christina

I like that hotel telling you the size of the rooms. They are not particularly small for a Parisian hotel, though, I think they are pretty good-sized for a hotel. Of course it will be smaller than an apt, though. The double superior rm is 18 m2, for example, which is definitely a big hotel room (almost 200 sq ft). The suite is 26 m2. I know some chi-chi boutique hotels in Paris that give you rooms that are only 12 m2, for example.

It would be fine for a couple but with a baby, sure you will feel tight. And I agree about the "dryer" in Parisian apts (and washers, which can take forever, also). I never use them myself, but I don't have a baby with me.

Christina

I only saw one VIP available end of June, the 1 BR Invalides. It will be about $260 a night with the short-stay surcharge. That's not bad, it's okay although I'm not carazy about that location, myself. It isn't that convenient to a metro stop or stores. It's kind of a weird location for an apt, I thought that was basically public land.

Supermum

the only place to stay in Paris is in the Latin quarter close to the Notre Dame...the Hotel Degres de Notre Dame is the quenticentially vintage French hotel, 300 metres from the icon...dont know that you will get a room at this late stage...

Gretchen

I haven't read another post on this thread.

What supermum says is EVERYONE's opinion about where they stay and is worth just that.

Now I'll go back and read your "desires" and maybe tell you where we have stayed a lot with great satisfaction.

MY POINT--everyone will tell you where THEY stay--and, of course, it is PERFECT.

Ackislander

French washers work.
French dryers work.
French washer-dryer combination work.

They just don't work like American ones.
Because they use far less energy than ours, a load of was is likely to take an hour and the dryer perhaps twice that.

Or you can go to a laundromat. The last one I was in proudly showed me that they were "all Maytag."

StCirq

<<the only place to stay in Paris is in the Latin quarter close to the Notre Dame.>>

Patently absurd comment.