8ieme arrondissement hotel
 

My boss has a meeting in Paris on rue de Boetie in the 8ieme arrondissement. Do you know of any hotels in the area? Our travel bureau doesn't seem to know what arrondissement means and needs a zip code. I'm not getting much help from the assistant in Paris who does not seem to understand what a zip or postal code is. I've looked at Paris maps and can't locate arrondissements. I know this is business related and but can any fellow Fodorites help? <BR>Perry

For the record, Paris is divided up into many districts call Arrondissments. <BR>Roughly speaking they spiral outward clockwise by numbers from Arr #1, which is on the right bank of the Seine and includes the Tuilleries Gardens and the Louvre. Arr #2 borders #1 on the north, while #3 and #4 are to the east. <BR>The 5th, 6th, and 7th districts are on the left bank, with #5 being the eastern most of the group. Number 8 is a right bank area. Geographically it lies to the west of #1 and includes the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs des Elysee, and Gare St. Lazare in the northeast corner. <BR>Highered numbered Arrondissements are outside of this inner circle. <BR>If you will consult this website: <BR>http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/75paccue.htm <BR>you wil find a good guide to Paris hotels. There are numerous 4-star hotels in this area, including a couple of Best Westerns and the Franklin D. Roosevelt, that have English speaking staff. <BR>Rue la Boetie is in the central part of the 8th. It intersects with the Avenue Champs des Elysees, on the north side, about half way between the Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde. <BR>From Avenue Champs de Elysee, Rue de Boetie it runs east-northeast to Place St. Augustine. Avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt is a major cross street running north and south. <BR>Parisian zip codes for the 8th area would all end in 08 -- 75008. <BR>There is no reason why you need a travel agent to make the reservations. The big hotels all have English speaking staff, and many respond to faxes and emails. <BR>For the Best Western entries in the list, you can call the stateside reservation number and handle it from here. <BR>Tell your boss that if he had to pay for the expert advice he will get on this forum, he would pay a nice sum. <BR>If your boss wants to know how to dress for the evening, run a search on the key word Ron. I think the thread is still active.

What corresponds to a zip code in Paris (I can't remember right now what it is called) is a five-digit code (750-- followed by the number of the arrondissement). Thus, the 8th would be 75008. Hope this helps.

Oops! I guess I should have finished reading Redneck's reply.

Goodness Redneck! I'm overwhelmed - so much great information. <BR>Thank you

I am NOT trying to plug this particular site this morning - - the questions just seem to fit, and they seem to be independent, third-party reports: <BR> <BR>so, once again, from www.timeout.com - <BR> <BR>Hôtel Lancaster <BR> <BR>7 rue de Berri, 8th (01.40.76.40.76/fax 01.40.76.40.00). <BR>M° George V. Rates single 1650F-1950F; double 2250F-2650F; suite 3000F-10,000F; breakfast 120F. Credit AmEx, DC, MC, V. Hotel services Air conditioning. Conference services. Health club. Lift. Parking. Porter. Room services Double glazing. Hairdryer. Minibar. Safe. TV/VCR. <BR> <BR>Dating from 1889 and now a self-proclaimed 'Palace of the 90s', this sumptuous, elegantly renovated townhouse has 60 individually designed rooms, offset by a private collection of objets d'art from Empire pieces to the paintings of former resident Boris Pastoukhoff. Marlene Dietrich had a suite here for three years, still in her favourite lilac. The tone shies away from glitz and provides a sense of an exclusive private club. <BR> <BR>And... lest I sound like a broken record, here's from a totally different website that served me well this past October (I put Dad into the Hotel de chateaudun from this site, though it's in the 9th) <BR> <BR>from www.webscapades.com - - and it has a nice clickable map, which will help you get a handle on the arrondissements very readily - - <BR> <BR> <BR>Waldorf Madeleine <BR>12 boulevard Malesherbes <BR>75008 Paris <BR> <BR>(Caveat: the following copy is written by the hotel itself, or its marketing partners at webscapades) <BR> <BR>Situated at a corner of a beautiful Haussman-style block, near to the Madeleine church and within a short walking distance from the Champs Elysees, the Tuileries gardens and the Grands Boulevards (department stores), this deluxe hotel has been completely renovated in 1995. The renovation has kept most of the original architecture details, and, from the lobby up to the rooms located under the roofs, it conveys a sense of space and exclusiveness. The 45 spacious, deluxe bedrooms are equipped with air conditioning, desk, double-glazed windows, private deposit box, mini-bar, hairdryer, pay TV, telephone with dataport, electronic door lock and marble bathrooms (with bathrobes). <BR> <BR>I was very satisfied using webscapades, and the propert was "fine" according to my dad (it's hard to get a lot of commentary out of him!) they do have a toll-free (US) number with American operators, for what it's worth (should also be toll-free to Canada). <BR> <BR>One last comment, for the French phone numbers, omit the "0" at the front of the initial two digit code, when you are OUTSIDE France. <BR> <BR>Feel free to write me, if I can be of further assistance. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>www.allexperts.com

The best friend a visitor to Paris can have is a good guide book, like Fodors Paris guide or Let's Go Paris and the Michelin Paris #12 street map, complete with index. <BR>Sorry I did not notice the ca in your address, but I am not sure there is a Hotel Wilfred Laurier in Paris -- or Ken Dryden (assuming you follow hockey.) <BR>

Thanks everyone - now am I pushing my luck if I ask for a very nice restaurant recommendation. My boss will be entertaining the president of a well known company in Paris. (Not Tim Horton's Redneck).

You're never "pushing your luck" here - - gosh if there's one thing we all like to do here - - it's yak, yak, yak! <BR> <BR>When is this trip?

As a New Yorker, the Zagat's Guide is one of my bibles for selecting restaurants. They have a Paris guide and their general website is www.zagat.com. I checked out their top listings on the Right Bank for food (if the president is French, it's the most important criterion), then decor and service. Their recommendations in order of highest ratings first began with Taillevent. Other restaurants highly rated in all 3 categories were Alain Ducasse; Lucas Carton; and Le Grand Vefour. Taillevent (8me arrond.), Lucas Carton and Le Grand Vefour (1r arrond.)are classics and among the most famous and oldest in Paris. My choice would be Taillevent and I'd make the reservation immediately. (Cost per person is over $100 without drinks).

Jim, I think you need to find out from your boss just how "nice" he wants to go. Paris has many world class restaurants where prices start at 550 francs per person and spiral upwards. There are so many and they are so varied, you will undoubtedly get a long list. I am not going to try and provide one, because that sort of putting on the dog is out of my league. (I wouldn't care if the other guy ate at McDonalds!!) Fodors has as good a list of suggestions as anybody. Look at the upper left corner of this screen and you will see a round icon that reads Fodor's. Click on this and you will then see a listing for restaurants. Follow that entry to Paris and a long list of places will appear. <BR> <BR>If your boss really wants to roll high, go to Guy Savoy on Rue de Troyen near the Arc de Triomphe. I have been told that it is truly great. Now, warning: <BR>I have never eaten there because I don't think I could afford to look at the menu. Prices are somewhere around $85 - $90 US per person for openers. Add a $100 - $ 200 bottle of wine to this and the bill for 2 could easily top $300. <BR>There are other excellent choices at lower prices like La Coupole, but that is quite a ways from the 8th. (It is near the Montparnasse Tower well south of the Seine.) I have no idea what your boss is like, but I think you might want to give him a list and let him exercise his own judgement before he ends up blowing $400 or more for 2 people. <BR> <BR>

I'm enjoying this research, so here's what Zagat's Paris says (rating scale is 0-30)about my top choices: <BR> <BR> F D S Cost <BR>TAILLEVENT 28 25 27 fr792 <BR> <BR> 8ème Arrondissement <BR> 15, rue Lamennais (George V), Paris, FR, 75008 01 44 9 5 15 01 <BR> <BR> "No words can sum up" J.C. Vrinat's "legendary" bastion of haute cuisine near the Etoile, but dazzled diners try: "a monument", "the gastronomic reference", "perfect, of course"; again voted No. 1 for Food, Service and Popularity, it exudes "real class without chichi", and "even if the menu isn't full of new ideas", Philippe Legendre's cooking remains "irreproachable", backed up by a "wine list to dream about" and "remarkable service"; prices are steep and a few find "no genius here", but most consider it one of "the greats" and say "false notes are rare." <BR> ---------------------------- 23 26 25 fr656 <BR> <BR>AMBASSADEURS (LES) <BR>8ème Arrondissement <BR> 10, place de la Concorde (Concorde), Paris, FR, 75008 01 44 7 1 16 16 <BR> "One of the city's most beautiful dining rooms" is this "absolutely luxurious" French in the Crillon Hôtel overlooking the Place de la Concorde <BR> (perfect "for special occasions"); as befits the setting, service is "grand" and the cuisine is "refined" and "classy", so even though prices are high and a <BR> few claim the menu just misses perfection, the bottom line is it makes you feel like "King Louis XIV at Versailles." <BR>--------------------------------------- <BR> <BR>F D S C <BR>23 24 24 fr643 <BR> <BR>Régence (Le) <BR>8ème Arrondissement <BR> 25, av. Montaigne (Alma Marceau/Franklin D. Roosevelt), Paris, FR, 75008 01 53 6 7 65 00 <BR> <BR> Parisians "adore" this "elegant" haute cuisine restaurant in the Hôtel Plaza-Athénée on the Avenue Montaigne, where "talented" chef Eric Briffard <BR> is "in top form", turning out "sophisticated" food marked by "great originality"; it's also one of the "most beautiful" restaurants in Paris, with a "magical <BR> ambiance" and "attentive but discreet" service that make any meal "a real occasion", but of course, such occasions don't come cheap. <BR> <BR>-------------------------------------- <BR>F D S C <BR> 27 25 25 fr802 <BR> <BR>ALAIN DUCASSE <BR>16ème Arrondissement <BR>59, av. Raymond Poincaré (Trocadéro/Victor Hugo), Paris, FR, 75116 01 47 2 7 12 27 <BR> <BR>Alain Ducasse, France's first six-Michelin-star chef, "flirts with perfection" in his "luxurious" townhouse in the posh 16th, creating "unparalleled" <BR> French haute cuisine that draws raves: "top of the top", "sublime", "exquisite"; there's quibbling over the decor ("superb" vs. "pretentious") and some <BR> feel Ducasse is "too often absent" and his prices are "delirious", but for most it's "a total experience of pampering" that's "almost worth all six stars <BR> itself." <BR> <BR>----------------------------------- <BR>Hope your boss appreciates all you've done for him. <BR>

Just to clear up any confusion resulting from spacing issues--F D S C are part of the rating scale and mean Food, Decor, Service and Cost. The numbers, eg. 23 25 27 fr656, should be aligned in the same order with the initials. Hope this clears up any questions. Is everybody ready to leap on the the Concorde?

I think this is actually risky business, believing that your boss - - if he truly doesn't know much about Paris can choose a 3-toque Michelin restaurant and can have the kind of evening with his guest that he desires. <BR> <BR>There is a substantial chance that the president of this company has some favorite place he/she is willing to share when your boss talks to him next (and surely they are on speaking terms by telephone, right? otherwise, I think it might be far too presumptuous to take someone to a restaurant without knowing something about the person!) <BR> <BR>I think that there is a chance that this VIP guy might come right out and say to your boss (if, for example, they should go to Guy Savoy or Alain Ducasse) "you don't have a clue what you're doing here at this restaurant, do you?" <BR> <BR>In any event, I think that your boss ought to telephone this person, and ask if they might take this opportunity to go somewhere that would allow them to escape the hustle and bustle of the city (Parisians are forever obsessed with "escaping the city" - - just like New Yorkers are always wanting to run off to the Hamptons). Your boss might ask "Is it true that it's a pleasant drive out to St. Symphorien? Do you think we could get a reservation at Chateau d'Esclimont?" This gives the other party the opportunity to <BR> <BR>1. Accept, and not only accept, but offer to drive, and that way they have the 45-60 minute drive together to break the ice and get acquainted a little better. <BR> <BR>or <BR> <BR>2. Accept the idea, but maintain some reserve by suggesting some place in the city - - maybe driving out into the country suggests a little bit too much familarity. <BR> <BR>or <BR> <BR>3. Dismiss Esclimont altogether and let your boss know what kind of place he really does like. I think that many Parisian VIP's will take the lead in this situation and make the choice of a restaurant, confirm the reservation, and quite possibly, even insist on treating your boss. <BR> <BR>For more info on Esclimont, by the way, see www.slh.com/pages/s/stsdesa.html - or just read the following (from Fodor's review, on Preview Travel): <BR> <BR>The 16th-century château is well worth seeking out if you wish to eat and sleep like royalty. On luxurious grounds, with lawns, a lake, and a heliport, this member of the Relais & Châteaux group is a regular spot for Parisian power brokers. Rooms are luxuriously furnished in reproduction 18th-century French pieces. The cuisine is sophisticated and varied: Quail, lamb, lobster, and game in season top the menu. Dinner reservations are essential and a jacket and tie are required. <BR> <BR>48 rooms. Restaurant, pool, 2 tennis courts, fishing, helipad. Directions: 19 km/12 miles southeast of Maintenon: take D116 to village of Gaillardon, keep an eye out for church, then turn left. Credit cards: V, MC. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR> <BR>P.S. If your boss closes some multi-jillion dollar deal, have him send me a few shares of stock (wink!)

Don't throw stock; throw money. I'll buy my own stock!! But no joke, Paris is the home of many millionare high rollers who are awash in francs. One of their cigars costs what I pay for a good meal at a restaurant.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I know the president might suggest a restaurant but I do not have much time to get an agenda ready. I work for the senior v.p. of a high tech company. He along with our president will hopefully sign a joint venture. I am not getting much help from the assistant in Paris and I know from the last meeting at a uk location she did not send me directions until after he was gone. Thank god for faxes in hotels. The meeting is next week. I'll let you know the outcome. <BR>I'm Jim's wife. I can't post my company email.

Hi Perry. Good Luck! or Bon Chance. <BR>Usually this forum is filled with tourist types seeking to economize. <BR>A serious request for a corporate executive with a big budget is not something we regulars usually deal with. But let me say this much: I don't think there is a bad choice among the leading restaurants and hotels in Paris. Even inexpensive places to eat are acceptable to most people. So the restaurants in the +550 francs per head range are world class. <BR>Competition among the restaurants is keen and standards are the highest I have ever seen. So unless you are working for a total martinet, you and Jim should be thanked for your efforts. <BR>And so should we!! <BR>I presume your boss has the budget to take a taxi from CDG to the hotel. <BR>That is the most expeditious way.

<BR>Bob, thanks for letting me know about the cab. I usually lease a car but being Paris I thought they would be better off taking cabs. Jim says to please clarify that he has nothing to do with this. He is a retired cop and he knows nothing about corporate travel. We love to travel but can't even use the upgrades my boss gives me because they can only be used on full fares. We always go on charters or discounted fares. I am using his email address because I can't post my company one. <BR>p.s. it is driving me crazy knowing that there are two rooms in Paris that will be paid for but not used as I am booking both our executives one room each for two nights so that they may have access to it by 10 a.m.

I consider myself to be a good driver and, armed with a map, I can give excellent directions to an even better driver, my wife. But! I would not want to drive in Paris. The streets are crazy, the traffic patterns wild, and <BR>parking is a real challenge. If you have a car, there is a real question of what you will do to get out of it and go somewhere. There are many ways to get from Charles DeGaulle Airport to the city. There is the Roissy Bus that makes a beeline for the Garnier Opera house. There is the RER, the fast rail way that shares stations in common with the Metro, there are vans which pick you up for a reasonable fee and take you to your destination within Paris, and then there are taxis. Of the alternatives, the taxi is the most expensive, but also the most convenient. I of course used the van service. There were 3 parties on the van, including us. We had a short wait for it, and we had to visit two other hotels before we got to ours. But while we rode, I watched and picked out various points of interest. But executives have a way of being in a hurry, so I think the taxi is the most expeditious way. Your boss will not have to share the ride with parties unknown. If he has an executive style budget, he probably will not think a cab fee is too high. I am not sure what it will run, but $50 to $75 is what I would expect. I am sure someone else can give a better figure. Anyhow, good luck on this. I hope your boss thinks you are a genius!! <BR>

Thank you Redneck, Janine, Rex, Carol and Bob. I look at this forum almost every day and dream along. Who would have thought I would use it for business! Brilliant idea! <BR>Perry