gracejoan3

I often tell people for their first trip or a short trip that a hotel would probably be best for them. They have the concierge services to help them with all that they need.

After that, it is whatever they feel comfortable with.

Neither way is the "best way".

fishee

BT -- you're absolutely correct. Some hotel lovers enjoy being pampered and just the general experience that a hotel offers. For many people, a hotel just "feels" more like a vacation which makes a lot of sense. Enjoying hotels doesn't translate into being a less independent or adventurous travelers at all.

I think of hotels as being more romantic -- it's just about our personal associations, really. I enjoy apartments but I'm going to Latin America for the first time next month and it would never occur to me to rent an apartment in Costa Rica -- give me the nicest hotels they have to offer.

gracejoan3

I would certainly agree to go for hotels in Costa Rica!!

cestlaVIrginia

the best of both worlds does exist! to an extent, of course. My parents used Parisian Home as an agency when I studied abroad there... their apt was far nicer than any hotel at the same price, and parisian home offered similar services to a hotel... housekeeping once a week, a bottle of wine waiting in the apartment, fresh flowers, and room service (they have deals with local restaurants and guarantee meals delivered in 30-60 minutes, a real treat after climbing montmartre or l'arc de triomphe)... the apartment experience was better than a hotel since it was in an ideal location (latin quarter) and i could stay in the guest room whenever i wanted to get a break from my french host family.

cestlaVIrginia

oh p.s. my parents stayed in this one... i hit post my reply too early!
http://www.parisianhome.com/en/apart...20&start=2

caroline_edinburgh

"housekeeping once a week"

i.e. cleaning & changing towels once a week ? I like things to be nicer than that when I'm on holiday !

As for the suggestion that only risk-averse people stay in hotels - when I was younger I hitchhiked everywhere & camped by the side of the road. Now I'm older, and can afford it, I prefer a bit more pampering.

Plus as someone else said, I live in an apartment at home, so a holiday apartment is no novelty - and probably less nice than mine !

robjame

Virginia - I note that all but one of your posts are touting this particular company. In fact your above post sounds like an infomercial. LOL
Personally I wouldn't use them for that reason.

NeoPatrick

Virginia, I'm really sorry your experience is Paris was so terrible.
You spend a whole year there studying, but you came here and registered just to tell us about the apartment agency your parents used -- in fact you've made 7 posts and all do nothing but tell us about that agency. Meanwhile you never had a single other experience in Paris worth sharing with us.

But what is really funny is that you made this post:

Author: cestlaVIrginia
Date: 02/26/2007, 09:29 am

"Although I'm not familiar with parisvac, i am currently studying abroad here in Paris . . ."

Then just two days later, you posted this post:


Author: cestlaVIrginia
Date: 02/28/2007, 07:57 am

"while studying abroad in paris last year. . ."

So in other words, just two days after studying in Paris it seemed like a year ago?
If you're going to advertise here, at least get your stories straight!!!

cupid1

Naturally personal preference and length of stay will influence an individual decision.

However, in the interests of accuracy it should be noted that choosing an apartment doesn't automatically entail sacrificing luxurious accommodations, daily maid and concierge services, luggage storage, credit card payment, or 24-hour emergency assistance. We've enjoyed all those things with apartments but no hotel, no matter how expensive or the number of stars, has ever personally walked us around our new neighborhood to point out the locations of necessities and the favorite hidden dining haunts of locals.

There are as many options for apartment amenities as there are for hotels.

BTilke

Cupid1, then perhaps you should try the Dorint/Sofitel in Baden-Baden, because they will do exactly that for you (and more). Plus they have a terrific on-site spa and two excellent restaurants!

jmcdo

If the choice is between a bland, corporate hotel and a unique, well-located apartment, I like apartments better because it makes it so much easier to remember your travel experiences. If the choice is between an uncertain apartment in the suburbs and a fabulous hotel close to the sights, I will take the hotel. I make my choice based on whichever accomodation will add the most to our vacation experience.

robjame

Maybe that is a good point jm

What can you get in Paris for €100/day in the way of a hotel or apartment?

€100 - gets you Hotel Residence Monge
www.hotelmonge.com
or
this Clichy apartment
http://www.frenchyrentals.com/clichy.html

(I compare these two cause I have used both companies)

Anyone else care to play?

BTilke

Well, for 140€, I've gotten this hotel:
http://www.sofitel.com/sofitel/fiche...he_hotel.shtml

The apartment we rented doesn't have a website, but I'd say overall, I got more for my money at the hotel.

missypie

With respect to prices, the math changes quite a bit when you're with a larger group and would need 2 to 3 hotel rooms. For example, our gorgeous three bedroom, two bath apartment in Barcelona was 275 euro per night. That would be 137.5 per room if we had gotten two rooms at a hotel or 92 euro per room if we had gotten three. I think the quality of our apartment far outshone any hotel we could have booked for 137.5 per night.

robjame

I think that's fair missy.
After all, BT didn't post a list price - the price he quoted was a deal as the best regular price I could find on that hotel was €210.

BTilke

First, it's she, not he. Second, why should I post "rack rates" for a hotel when I've never paid one (the apartment we rented went in high season--that is, during the French Open--for $5000 a week)? And the best deal you can find probably will never be as good as the best deal I get as an Accor Favourite Guest. I could have posted an even lower rate since we've accumulated enough points to have earned free stays for several nights at Accor properties for last few years running, including free nights at that hotel. It's harder to accumulate points for free stays at most apartments, as far as I know.

robjame

WOW - chill out BT
I didn't quote rack rate at €210 and you know better than that. Rack rate at this chain hotel is over €500.
Boy you have a lot invested in this discussion, don't you.

BTilke

I didn't say YOU posted a rack rate, I said that I could probably find a better deal than the cheapest you could find because of my FG status. Also, I think your "game" is deliberately skewed toward apartments a bit, because a hotel can often be a lot more than just the rooms or you can earn free stays at many hotels due to point programs (esp. nice if you travel a lot on business and the company lets you keep the points for personal use).
I don't have any more invested in this than you. And I am perfectly chilled, I happen to be picking hotels for a trip to Paris next week-end, which is a pretty relaxing activity.

bella33

Missy: We stayed in hotels in Spain in 2003 and Italy in 2006 when it was just 5 of us. As there were 8 of us in 2007 we also found the "math" of an apartment price very appealing. We stayed in an apartment for 8 in Madrid and in Barcelona. The one in Madrid averaged $40 per person and in Barcelona about $35.00. We enjoyed both the hotel and apartment experiences, but definitely chose the apartments for economics. I'm going to Italy with my daughter in June and we're staying in a hotel since there are just 2 of us.

4everywhere

Apartments generally make me feel part of the place, the culture. I can nest.

I pamper myself with music, food and provisions from a local grocer. I always buy flowers for the empty, waiting vase. I never "cook dinner", but breakfast, snacks, and late night munchies are better served in an apartment.

The space is generally larger, though the location has to be carefully researched.
What looks good on the inside can be horrible on the outside.

I stay in apartments when travelling alone, and for stays longer than 5 days. I've done this primarily in Italy (all over) and Prague.
Most recently, in Budapest (a disappointment and costly), and in Costa Rica (great apartment, great hotel).

In general, I will continue to prefer apartments and bb's to hotels.