I am planning to stay at the Hotel Virgina in the 14e. The room is at a good price (b/w 72-80Euros)and came well recommended by a Co-worker. the address is 66, rue du P&egrave;re Corentin and the Nearest Metro is Porte d'Orl&eacute;ans. I would like to make sure that it wont be a mission each time we want to go back to our hotel. Will I Be too Far from everything? How long would it get to take to get to certain landmarks or areas in the city (ie-Notre-Dame,Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, etc)by metro and by Taxi. Please Help.<BR>Also - any other info on the area would help such as area breakfast spots, restaurants and anything else you guys have to offer - THANKS

you're WAY out there, that's for sure. It won't be pretty and it's definitely not "charming." I never fail to understand why some folks get these hotel deals that are in totally shitty parts of Paris when you can easily book a room at a 3-star hotel for the same price in a really decent neighborhood.<BR><BR>Yes, you'll be on a mission every time you want to go to the major sights of Paris, and your co-worker should be shot.

I totally agree with the above-it's too far "out there" and that you can get a nice room for the same price more centrally located. One problem with that metro stop is that you would have to transfer often at metro stops which intersect with the RER and these are not recommended late at night. (You can download a terrific metro map at www.ratp.fr - click on English) Try for a hotel within walking distance of the river, so you can enjoy the city at night and stroll "home". If you scroll down, there are lots of recommendations for hotels in that price range.

It's not the 14th that's bad - it's that part of it, the bottom end of it and is very far out. Our son lived with a family on rue du Pere Corentin when he spent 6 months at school in Paris. It was really a schlep to get there. I would suggest a place in the central area. For more Paris information e-mail me: [email protected]

You are hearing from people (including me) for whom a convenient location is very important. <BR>On my first trip to Paris I stayed in the 14th, near the Denfert-Rochereau metro stop, and I thought even that location was too far out. Your location is just barely inside the city limits. <BR><BR>I always prefer to be able to easily get back to my hotel to change clothes, drop off packages, pick up a sweater, etc. If you have some time to change your mind and can find availability, try some of the hotels that come up here when you do a search on Paris hotel.<BR>You will find many past recommendations, even at your budget level.

I meant to add; I have a file on Paris. If you'd like to see it, email me.

I stay in the 14th all the time and like it very much, don't consider it too far out -- BUT I wouldn't stay where you suggest. That is a very large arrondisement and the part near the border of the 6th (St-Germain) isn't that far out, that's around where I stay. Even the area around Denfert-Rochereau wouldn't be that bad to me, and there are budget hotels around there, even around the price you name or less. <BR><BR>As for timing -- I guess a half hour at least on the metro to the Seine, probably more in reality in-between transfers, waiting around, etc. You could not consider going back to your hotel except once a day, at the end of what you are doing, most likely. Have you looked at a map? You could see where that metro is, on the edge of the city.

Take a look at this hotel: www.hotelmuguet.com.<BR><BR>It consistently gets good reviews, the price is 92 euros in Sept/Oct(roughly what you're paying for the 14th), and it is in a good location (between Eiffel and Hotel Invalides). You can see a lot from here without ever getting on the metro.

Keep in mind that you'll need to weigh the importance of the very inexpensive hotel against the costs of getting into and out of the areas you wish to visit each day. Add the real costs of the taxi, metro, etc. and the intangible cost of your time lost getting back to your distant hotel and you'll probably find that for just a few Euros more you can maximize your time in Paris, thereby saving money after all.

I would definitely suggest you change plans. Last summer my friends and I rented an apartment near the Montparnasse Cemetery and, although we loved being in a neighborhood, once we left for the day that was it. We would leave at 9 a.m. and return around 9 p.m. exhausted because returning to the apartment for a break would have eaten into precious Paris time. I had a list of evening resaurants, and we passed on all of them because we didn't have the energy for yet another metro/bus trip. This spring I stayed on the Seine across from the Louvre and everything was within easy distance. The metro and bus system is great, but you don't want to live on it.

Way to far out....and there are great bargains to be found much closer to the center of the city. Look at the National Geographic Traveler article from last year (every magazine has a file guide list so you can find out the specific issue) that had a great article on nice (sparse, but nice) hotels in several areas for under $100 (US) per night. Several were in fantastic neighborhoods that are much more convenient to all the things you'll want to do while you are there. Try some of the great options in the 5th, 6th & 7th...

Message: We stayed at Hotel de Turenne in the 7th, a block or so from the Metro Ecole Militaire, and a couple of blocks from the Invalides. The hotel is 2-stars but is comfortable and clean, with a nice continental breakfast offered for additional charge in their breakfast room. We had a twin-bed room, bath, and two windows that opened out onto Avenue Tourville. The only night noise was from occasional traffic, which we got used to immediately. The hotel is not fancy and the rooms are typical smallish, but we would return here in the future; the price for the twin/double was about $80-85 US (whatever the web site indicates was current). The surrounding area includes an ATM, a laundromat (both just at the same corner), and some nice cafes / restaurants. Eiffel Tower is about 15 minute walk. We don’t look for a lot of evening activity so we liked the relative quiet of the area here. I made our reservations directly with the hotel by faxing my request and receiving confirmation back. The web site indicates A/C is available – we didn’t need it since we were there in April 2001. (don’t confuse it with the ‘Grand Turenne’ which is more expensive and located elsewhere).<BR>http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/h75007turenneengl.html<BR><BR><BR>

Thank You for all of the advice

Another recommendation for a hotel in the 7th - the Hotel de France, 102 boulevard de la Tour Maubourg (metro, Ecole Militaire, between les Invalides and le Tour Eiffel). Totally renovated this past winter, best mattresses I've encountered in Paris, nice staff, and about $75-$80 for a single room.

If this is your first trip to Paris and you are trying to save a couple of euros, the only place to stay is in the Quartier Latin. Walk a couple of blocks to Notre Dame and St. Chapelle and you are just a few Metro stops from the Louvre. You will also enjoy the evening walks around the neighborhood bistros and along the Seine. Hotel location is everything when you are touring the great cities of Europe.