Best value in Paris
 

My husband and I are planning three days in Paris as a part of our 10 day honeymoon in December. We are looking for advice on where to stay, keeping in mind location, convenience, hospitality, price, and comfort.

Seeing it's a honeymoon, describe a bit what the bottom threshold of your comfort level is - you could find a double for 50 Euros but...

Please accept a word of friendly advice, this is meant in the kindest possbile way.

It's quite obvious you are a "eurofirstimer" as you are making a classic mistake that newbie travelers often make. I clicked your name and discovered you have only 10 days in Europe, during which time you will have 3 days in Paris, 3 days in Athens, and 4 days in Rome.

Please listen, this is very important. Have you given any thought to the fact that you will spend a ridiculous amount of time just getting from one place to another? You will barely get to a city, get oriented, then it's time to leave. Sure, you will see a few sights while you are there, but you will have no time to really get the feel for any place before you must move on.

If you want to see more than one city on your trip, consider combining London and Paris. You could fly into one city and leave from the other, taking the high-speed train inbetween. This is just one idea, I'm sure you will get a lot of other great ideas from this board.

Please give it some thought and post back with your new plans. And congrats on your wedding plans. :-)

I couldn't agree more with PM's comments. In Paris I can recommend a couple places: The Hotel Jeanne d'Arc in the Marais is well located and a good value as is the Grand Hotel Leveque on the Rue Cler. Both are popular and have websites.

First, thank you for all of your advice. I appreciate it, since obviously I have never been to Europe. I completely realize we will be spending a lot of time traveling (we are flying to every location). We have only 10 days, and of course, I wish we had weeks, but because of work and money restraints, it is not possible. We have already booked our flights; we are flying into Rome and out of Paris. Would you suggest saving Greece for another trip? I am dying to see London also, but we are saving that for a future trip simply because my husband (being in the military) has friends there. It is cheap to take a military flight to/from the states and London. Do you think our time would be better spent sticking with just Rome and Paris? My husband and I are both young and ambitious, and though we don't want to exhaust ourselves, we bounce back easily and are used to traveling long distances with little time!:)

The main problem may not be 'bouncing back', but rather that the time spent going to airports, waiting for flights, etc. takes time away from what could be spend roaming around the wonderful cities you're in. I'd skip Greece for this trip.

Keeping to Rome and Paris you'll still have plenty to see and do, and you'll even have some time for day trips (easy by train) outside those cities if you want a little change of atmosphere. You've got a lot of travel years ahead of you to see other places, so do these two great areas right this time. You won't regret it. And congratulations!

I would definitely agree with limiting this trip to Rome and Paris. Both are large cities with much to see and do. You won't want to leave either after your short stays and will be making plans to see all you couldn't get around to for future visits.

I just booked through Northwest Travel (Airlines) 7 nights at the Etiole Residence, 155 Ave De Malakoff, for $56.00 per night using what they refer to as units (2), this is a Best Western member. You can see the hotel on the Best Western Web site. This is for August 9-16th. I come from a small remote part of the world and have been working with a travel agent for the past week on this and she has come up with some remarkable information and pricing. My trip will be for 35 days starting in Frankfurt (2 days) and going to Paris (7 days), St Malo (5 days), La Rochelle (3days) and Avignon (14 days) and ending in Frankfurt (4 days). I will a single traveler with not very good French skills but lots of (eager) learning to be had!

Hi

My wife and I went to Paris i n April and we stayed at TimHotel Tour Eiffel. It was "only" about 85 € per night and I assume that you might want something better for your honeymoon. But I have posted a review of the hotel together with a trip report (with pictures and links) on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com/Paris_France.htm . Maybe you can find some general information there that might be of some use if this is your first trip to Paris.

We also went to Rome in July last year and I have posted a trip report on this page http://gardkarlsen.com/rome_italy.htm :d

I also agree with P_M . Don't try to cover too much ground on you trip. Rome and Paris are both amazing cities.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

Hi Eur,

>we are flying into Rome and out of Paris. Would you suggest saving Greece for another trip?<

Absolutely.

What is your hotel budget?

((I))

Although this is our honeymoon, we do need to be reasonable as far as hotels go (meaning we don't need a 5 star...we don't intend to be in the hotel for much of the time). Do you recommend any 3-4 stars that are nice? We don't want to spend any more than about 100 euros/nt.

I realize it's your first time to Europe. Realistically 4-5* hotels are about at least five times more than your budget.

For 100 euros per night - since it's off season - you might find a 3* available (4 or 5* are many times that). But - I would look more at location, the amenities you want and people's recos rather than the stars. Sometimes a 2* can be much more charming and in a better location than a 3* - but it doesn't have an elevator or something.

To get the most from these cities you definitely want to be right in the center - with at least some of the sights and many restaurants, cafes and shops within a few minutes walk.

Sorry - can't help with specific recos since this isn't our price point - but definitely agree to do only Rome and Paris - 4 or 5 days is the minimum to get a feel for either one. (Also, so much of Greece is about the islands - which you really can;t do in winter - suggest you save it until you can really enjoy the experience.)

I realize you're on a honeymoon which generally involves a hotel, but you might find that you can get a much more charming apartment (and with more space) within your budget.

While you won't get the daily maid service and will be washing out your own french press and coffee cups in the morning, I would much rather stay in a cute studio apartment with wood beam ceilings, hardwood floors, and a little terrace where I can bring flowers home and great snacks from the markets vs. a tacky and cheap hotel room with depressing chintz floral drapes and dirty carpet for 100 E/night.

vrbo.com will give you some sense of what's available and also craigslist which might be slightly riskier. (I only use cragislist if I can find their listing on another site as well). Parisperfect is great but most of the apts IIRC are much higher than 100 E/night. I stayed in a cute studio apt for 70-80E/night (in Dec) in the most central location possible in St Germain Des Pres with cafes, bookstores, restaurants, and boutiques right outside my door. The only problem was that it got very little natural light and I think you could do better for your honeymoon but you can check out the Rue Princesse apartment to see what you can expect for 80E/night. Good luck!

You want "location, convenience, hospitality, price, and comfort?"

Which two?

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice. I'm sure we will find something we are happy with.

A room for 100€ can be had at a reasonably central hotel that is clean and will have an en-suite bathroom, TV, and elevator. Most hotels in Paris are in older buildings and may have different room sizes and shapes. You might be able to hear some plumbing once in a while; the halls have self-timing lights so just push the button and the light will come back on. They might have radiators in the room for heat instead of central heat. Nearly always, the breakfast will be an extra charge, which you can take or decline (and go eat at a cafe instead). You just need to know that this is normal and correct for French hotels - they won't look like those in the US for $100. So be ready to accept the charming differences and enjoy yourselves.

Hotel Vendome Saint Germain * * 96-127€
8 Rue d'Arras 75005
http://www.paris-hotelvendome.com/

Hotel Minerve *** 100-116€
33 Rue des Ecoles 75005
http://www.hotel-paris-minerve.com/

Hotel Eiffel Rive Gauche ** 65-105 €
6, rue du Gros Caillou - 75007
http://www.hotel-eiffel.com/hotel_rg_home.htm

Grand Hotel Leveque ** 87-110€
29 Rue Cler 75007
http://www.hotel-leveque.com/index.php

Hotel Louvre Forum ** 91-101€
25 Rue du Bouloi 75001
http://www.paris-hotel-louvre-forum.com/

Definetly stick to Rome and Paris. You ought to easily be able to find something in your price range in central Paris. Search the board here for "Paris Budget Hotels."

Rome will be more difficult. But again, search here for the same thing, but with the word "Rome" replacing "Paris". I don't know of a good budget hotel in Rome, but suggest you check several sources, including the Rome books by Sandra Gustafson. I have been bookmarking Rome apartments

I have been bookmarking suggested apartments in Rome that are mentioned here on Fodors. Try SleepinItaly.com for suggestions.

Or use the money you'll now save from not getting to and from Athens (a lot) on upgrading your accomodations in Paris and Rome.

In Paris, we were very happy with the Hotel Muguet. 100 euros, great location, small but clean rooms. We'll definitely be going back and would stay there again.

Not going to repeat the great advice you've already had from OPs. One advantage of an apartment is that you can save by preparing own breakfasts, sandwiches, midnight snacks, et.c also by buying drinks in large bottles and decanting into small ones for use during the day, so you save your precious euros for sightseeing, evening meals, a better apartment.
You should find some great deals for December and you won't need A/C!

For a short stay, first time, honeymoon, I would not suggest an apartment. There can be just too many "surprises". A concierge--or even a desk clerk--can be a comfort when needing directions, advice, help.
I suggest you look at the Hotel Muguet. It may have increased in price a bit but might be in your price range.
Definitely leave Athens out, and it's a good call about London. The latter can be very expensive. Paris is/can be the bargain destination of western Europe.

Hi. As much as I love staying in one town a week at a time, I might as well be the one who reminds you that you could indeed have a wonderful honeymoon and stay in three places, just not Athens.

Look into the possibility of a night train from Venice to Paris. You could do a six day visit to Rome/Venice, night train to Paris and still have four nights there. For your first European trip, there is absolutely nothing wrong with hitting the highlights. You'll come back again and again. Read the current thread that mentions 2 1/2 weeks of preparation in its title. It's inspiring. J.

p.s. Folks, I'm not trying to start an argument here, but reading NorCalif's thread reminded me of how wonderful a sampler trip can be for a first-timer.

I think a well-researched trip on this board easily trumps the benefits of a concierge. I usually know more and better transportation options than my hotel concierge who usually just wants to call me a cab and I *always* have a wider and better range of dining options from doing research here and at chowhound.

Four nights in an apartment isn't a short stay and I do it all the time -- four nights in a mediocre hotel room can feel very long, esp. on a honeymoon when I think most people would like to expect more than just a clean room. Check out some well-reviewed apartments and see what you think.

I loved Paris in the winter, it was incredibly beautiful and not too crowded, very romantic. Bring a good coat and a pair of boots and have a great time, whatever you decide!