simalgrey

My husband and I are going to Paris in September (our first time to Europe!) We have booked a stay at the Hotel Esmeralda for 8 nights. We would appreciate comments about this hotel from anyone who has stayed there.

Also, what's the best way to pay for a hotel that doesn't accept credit cards? We weren't planning on using traveller's checks.

mclaurie

Tripadvisor.com is a great place for hotel reviews. There are quite a few for your hotel there. Here's the URL

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

It's evidently very well located and a bit "quirky." It doesn't sound like anything you might have experineced in the US (assuming that's your home? but maybe not).

There's also a search function here. Type esmerelda hotel AND paris in the box above and you'll find a number of mentions. Here's one thread solely about that hotel but it's 2 years old. After reading it you might decide to look some more depending on how adventurous you are.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...mp;tid=2026995

One way to pay would be to get cash from an ATM.

tod

Hi simalgrey - I have stayed at the Esmeralda and like you got suckered by the exciting Latin Quarter, the fact our room looked straight at the magnificent Notre Dame, and there is a cute little park across the street(very narrow street)BUT.....it's a flea pit!!
The furniture is crap, they never serviced the room properly(at all).
The bathroom is old and disgusting and you could put your leg out of bed and practically be in the Jon!
I have just this Thursday returned from London, Paris(7 days) the Loire, Guernsey etc. etc.
In Paris we went for the Holiday Inn Paris Opera @ 179E and it is fabulous!
Our bed was ginormous and everything was spotless and shining.
You can keep the Esmerald and its view.
By the way, our room was on the first floor, having first to go through and iron door, down a dark passage and up dusty ancient steps( oH wow) then try to get the key to work in the lock.
Thanks, but no thanks.
TOD

bookchick

Hi simalgrey,
I believe StCirq, one of our "regulars" here on the European Talk forum, also had a nightmarish experience at this hotel, and ended up going to another hotel in the 7th.

Bonne Chance,
BC

SuzieC

I have a good friend who is still a travel agent...she loves to stay there...but even she'll admit its "kitch" with little style. She books the rooms in the attic ...just for the spectacular views, and does things like be up at dawn to see the lights of Paris dwindle; I suppose its very poetic.
Anyway, I doubt its fair to compare at its prices of what...? 50E's a room to a hotel with 170E's a room...
If you're really really on a budget, can I suggest Hotel St. Andre' Des Arts, in the 6th? Cheap and clean and good sized en-suite rooms?

StCirq

I think if you do a search on this board you'll see my posting about my hellish experience at the Esmeralda. Cancel your reservation immediately and find other lodgings - Paris is full of great, inexpensive places to stay that don't have rip-off artists at the front desk, mold and dirt in the hallways and rooms, and cats and dogs running freely in the rooms.

edovre

We stayed at Familia hotel 3 years ago. It is owned by the same family, and is located immediately adjacent to Esmerelda. We thought it was great. No frills, to be sure, but you don't go to Paris to dwell in a hotel room. It is small, uncharmingly antiquated, loud, but we didn't see any cats, dogs, or other small mammals in the hallways. The location is ideal. I was told that the Esmerelda is similar, and is essentially used as a spillover for guests who cannot get into Familia. Again, qualify this post by the fact that our stay was 3 years ago. Have fun.
Erik

jamikins

Try Hotel les Argonauts on ww.eurocheapo.com My hubby and I stayed there last year and it was great. 69 euro a night including breakfast and it is a stones throw from Notre Dame.

Christina

I like a nice view from a hotel room, all else being equal and I get a nice view of a park from the hotel I usually stay at. However, I would never book a hotel just for that if it was crummy otherwise, as you aren't there much during daylight, anyway. Besides, I don't think you are guaranteed any view at Esmeralda.

I think edorve is mistaken about the Familia's owner and its location next to Esmeralda (which it isn't, it's not even that close), and is confusing the Familia/Minerve hotels with Esmeralda.

tod

Simalgrey- Just to convince you one more time, when my friend and I were shown to our room, we took one look and ran to the window to see if there was a drainpipe we could shimmy down in case of fire.... not kidding we knew we would never get out of there alive.
Described as "Bohemian" is stretching it somewhat. Its an old old building with rooms and a front desk, period.

edovre

Christina is right; I stand corrected.

simalgrey

Wow! Thanks so much for your responses! I was drawn to Esmeralda because it was included in the Avant Guide to Paris. I hold the series in high regard since I had a great experience at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City (recommended by Avante Guide to NYC). The uniqueness and style of the hotel made our visit to NYC most memorable and I wanted my first Paris experience to be likewise.

Having said that, I of course don't want to sacrifice cleanliness for the sake of the cool factor. I think I will pass on the fleas and take Tod's advice. Thanks to all!

p.s. I would welcome recommendations for any hotel under 100Es that might fit the bill for me!

francophile03

The reviews I've read about this hotel makes me wonder why anyone would put up with a badly maintained hotel just to have a view of N.D. In fact, there are other hotels which are clean and charming located nearby with a full view of the cathedral and if not, then at least a partial view. To name a couple: Hotel Les Degres de Notre Dame (but has no elevator due to the ancient building) and Hotel de Notre Dame.

tully

Parc St Severin is a lovely hotel with very nice views. My room overlooked the St Severin Church, the hotal is down a little side street but only 2 blocks from the metro & the boul'Mich.

StCirq

Take a look at www.hoteldefrance.com

It doesn't have views of Notre Dame, but it does have views of Les Invalides, which is lit up at night and beautiful.

I think a double goes for something like 72€ now. It's clean, the staff are friendly and helpful, and the neighborhood is great.

elle

If you liked the Chelsea, you'll love the Esmeralda (although there's no Sid and Nancy room. . . )

Joe_in_Silver_Spring

The Esmeralda, by all accounts, is a place to avoid. However, that doesn't mean you should go to the Holiday Inn. I've stayed in lots of great, charming 2 star hotels in Paris (Champs des Mars and Hotel des Grande Ecoles are two examples)which give you a sense of the city. I've stayed in one Holiday Inn in Europe, in Liege, and while the room was huge I could just as well have been in Wiscosin or Georgia. I'm not a hotel snob, but I would stay away from American chains in Europe.

mclaurie

LOL Elle. I thought the same thing.

Siamlgrey, what did you like the most about the Chelsea Hotel? The rock and roll connections? The location? I've never seen the rooms. Were they clean? How long ago were you there, BTW? I think it would help people to know what exactly you like besides a low price.

Christina

I think you are a hotel snob, Joe, as you are making remarks about all American "chain" hotels in Europe based on one experience with one hotel in Liege.

(BTW Hotel des Grandes Ecoles isn't a 2* hotel, it's a 3*)

Most American chains in Europe are simply marketing consortiums or franchises of local hotels. Perhaps Radisson and Marriott are not, but owned by those companies. Holiday Inn is a franchise, I believe; BW, for example, is just a marketing consortium.

Those hotels are no different than many other local hotels without such affiliation. The HI Republique in Paris is a registered historic monument. I would not want to stay in the area of the HI Paris Opera, but the hotel is French, Belle Epoque style, of moderate size, and is nothing like a HI in Georgia and very much like many other typical Parisian hotels, but nicely refurbished and with modern amenities.

Being an American chain isn't really the issue, either, as there are French chain hotels which are dreary and boring and uncharming, also--most of these tend to be around highways or suburbs or are simply modern constructions.

capo

Re: <i>The Esmeralda, by all accounts, is a place to avoid.</i>

By &quot;all&quot; accounts? While I've never stayed there -- and it's certainly a hotel that's not to the taste of a lot of people -- my understanding is that it gets a lot of repeat customers.