lesboy

I have made four trips to Paris in the past 6 years and each time ended up near the Luxembourg Gardens and I've fallen more and more in love with its beauty and the relaxation that it provides. Therefore this time when planning a two week French trip which begins around July 7, ( I will actually only be in Paris two days at the start and two days at the end), I researched carefully an affordable 3 star near the Gardens. First I found the Elysa Luxembourg which had few internet comments I could find, but which had positive ones from the ones I did locate. I was attracted to it because it was only one block away and had a/c which I think is important (particularly after last summer's heat)as well as not terribly tiny rooms. Then after more research (including comments here) I discovered Hotel des Jardins du Luxembourg which had very positive feedback from travelers. I actually wrote to a few people who posted here on Rant and Raves and got one or two very helpful replies back). I have continued to research and have discovered additional attractive-sounding places like the Abbaye Hotel; Hotel Madison and today Hotel Central Saint Germain which is featuring a bargain rate and which had positive comments on tripadvisor.com which I look at frequently.
I have already made reservations at the Jardins des Luxembourg and Elysa Luxembourg and have read some forum comments on here already but would like to get more current reactions as the most recent was several years old. If you have been to either hotel and can react, you will help me make my choice; although I am currently favoring keeping my reservation at Jardins des Luxembourg. The advantages of Elysa for me as far as I know: rooms are not listed as "small" like in Jardin's comments and it is a block closer to the park and a few Euros cheaper and Jardin seems to have smaller but more stylish rooms; located on a quiet dead end street and with a very friendly staff.
I also keep thinking that perhaps I should have chosen closer to the Seine and to St. Germain as well, in case I want to go visit the Seine and Notre Dame too..A hotel like the Central St. Germain would be physically in a perfect position for that being only several blocks north of the Park but closer to the River....being right off Rue des Ecoles.

francophile03

You seem to be unsure where you really want to stay. I see that you have mentioned Hotel de l'Abbaye and Le Madison which are really much more expensive than the Elysa Luxembourg, Hotel Jardins du Luxembourg, and Hotel Central St. Germain. But those two hotels are very plush in comparison to the ones you mention.

Personally, I like being closer to the Seine. If you want to be near the Seine then Hotel Central St. Germain is good for the location as it's in the Latin Qtr.

One thing I read in Great Sleeps Paris by Sandra Gustafson about the Jardins du Luxembourg is that there are a couple of superior rooms on the ground floor with their own entrances. She says these lack privacy as the windows are out in the open and they don't open due to security reasons. So the only ventilation is from the transom over the door. Plus no closets in these rooms only moveable racks.

Underhill

For the area of the Luxembourg Gardens you might consider Le Sainte-Beuve.

Christina

I haven't stayed in either, but wouldn't make too much of the location or room size difference without finding out more from the hotel. They are not very far apart at all, it may be one block but not a long one. You can see comments on the "tiny" rooms of Elysa, also, on www.paris.org

I guess most hotels in that price category will have some small rooms in Paris and I think the only way to know for sure is ask the hotel the size of the room at the rate you are considering. I do think you are comparing vastly different hotels here, as Francophile mentioned -- not those two so much, but in comparison to the Madison or Abbaye which I think are a lot more expensive.

wliwl

We stayed at Hotel Elysa in 1995 and loved it. We were in Paris a couple of weeks ago and stuck our head in for old time's sake, and we were greeted like family! It was the same people working there. They had redecorated in the interim, which is always a good sign. We rented an apt this time because we were travelling with our kids and it was cheaper, but I would certainly stay there again.

francophile03

I noticed that there is a moderately priced 3* near the Lux. Gardens called Hotel Observatoire Luxembourg. The location and rooms look pretty nice. Has anyone stayed here recently?

wliwl

Here are some reviews on that one:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...de_France.html

To_Paris

I too have been reading about this hotel. I was quoted a good rate, but haven't seen this hotel talked about much on this site. I'm wondering if anyone on this site has stayed there and what you think?
Thanks

abc123kidz

I am looking for info. re: Jardins du Luxembourg (Luxembourg Gardens) in Paris. I cannot walk long distances (and I don't want to use a wheelchair) I am wondering if there is a map somewhere that will tell me where some of the key sites are in the gardens so I can decide what I can manage. I would love to see the Medici fountains etc. I will be staying on Rue des Ecoles in November. Would it be ok to go to the gardens then or too cold? I'm from Canada, so when I say cold...I mean REALLY cold!

Christina

Most city maps have enough info about the gardens to show the main parts of it. I don't recall if Streetwise Paris has anything other than the outlines, but I know the Green Michelin guidebooks have detailed maps on the gardens inside them.

I did find a detailed map for you online, however -- it is in French, but I think you can make out the main points:

http://www.a-paris.net/A-paris-balad...luxembourg.htm

The Medicis Foundatin is right off rue de Medicis in-between the Palais du Luxembourg and the entrance leading from place Edmund Rostand (which is where I usually enter). The basin where peple city around and kids sail boats is due south of the Senat (Palais du Luxe) and due west of place Rostand. Those are the main things, but the above map has more detail.

AS for if it will be too cold -- you never know, I guess you can see how you feel when you are there. It probably won't be, but the atmosphere of any public gardens won't be the same in November, of course, but there are still people around in all weather.

wliwl

http://www.beyond.fr/map/m2luxembourg.html

That is the only map I saw on line. It will not be too cold in Nov. It is a delightful place.

wliwl

http://www.senat.fr/evenement/ete_du.../2005/art.html

Christina

I checked my Streetwise Paris map and it doesn't have hardly any detail at all about the things in Luxembourg Gardens (other than the Senat). YOu could certainly use that map, or a similar one, to give you ideas of the distance to the gardens, and then the online map I noted above for the things within the Gardens.