un_flaneuse

Try these hotels. Centrally located with access to transportation and I think they will be in your budget. You do not state the age of your nieces but remember that hotels usually have rules about minor children staying in a room alone. Not sure about Hotel Diana but Hotel Marignan has triple rooms.

Hotel Diana
https://hotel-diana-paris.com/en/

Hotel Marignan
https://www.hotel-marignan.com/

Sturion

Disney is free ...both parks because my sister is a Disneyland employee in Anaheim, CA. One of the nieces going with me was also a Disney employee years ago. Hence, she wants to visit.

Sturion

Thank you suec1... seriously thank you. I appreciate the information and will make some inquiries and research

Sturion

Thankyou Palen. I really appreciate the valuable information that you've provided. I will purchase my train tickets now, as to get the best rate and good seats.

kerouac

I have no criticism about either going to Disneyland or Brussels. There are really a lot of judgmental busybodies on this site sometimes. Brussels is an excellent counterpoint to Paris and taking the Brussels metro will really make you understand how simple the Paris metro is in comparison.

The areas in Paris with the most hotels and the 9th and 10th arrondissements, which are still quite central with dozens of metro stations. These areas are preferred by most European tourists, who don't have the same budget as the North Americans, the Chinese or the Brazilians. Two areas extremely dense with hotels are the Faubourg Montmartre area (which is not in Montmartre) but near metro stations Bonne Nouvelle and Grands Boulevards. Another nice area, which you might find convenient since you are going to Brussels, is the Gare du Nord area. Gare du Nord is the largest and busiest train station in Europe and also the departure point for Brussels. It also has hotels in every price range. You won't find it recommended much on the (mostly) American message boards, but that is mostly out of ignorance or totally outdated experiences from years ago.

tracilee

menachem

If that's the case, as kerouac also points out: staying near Gare du Nord is a good bet. Loads of transport options within Paris (buses!) RER access for Versaille, easy trains to Brussels.

walkinaround

For once, I agree with you Kerouac. I'm not a fan of Disney either but how can you make a blanket statement that "Disney Paris is a huge waste of time and money"!!! That's pretty sweeping. I visited there on a one day excursion from Paris (for a couple of children in the group) and while it was not my idea of how to spend a day, it was certainly not a huge waste of time and money. Overall, I would say that it was a pretty good value. It was actually quite an inexpensive day trip and without a lot of down time in travel. Also, not everyone is obsessed with money and costs. Just because the OP has a modest hotel budget, it doesn't mean that she wants to go cheap on everything.

I get that we all have different levels of communication skills but this kind of exaggerated and sweeping language is not helpful. For someone who seems to reject much of what is viewed as typically American, you certainly have not rejected the American habit of exaggeration and sensationalised language. Might as well say "Disney Paris is like literally the hugest waste of money in the whole wide world". I don't want to be unfairly critical but it would help to sharpen up how you communicate.

I also have no idea why you're asking if the nieces have expertise in the difference among chocolatiers. That's just a weird way of looking at someone who wants to experience a little chocolate on their holiday. Chocolate is not my thing but come on... I once did a little chocolate experience thing and while it wasn't my preferred thing, I did learn a thing or two. It required no "expertise" and had no pre-requisites or certifications needed to participate or to get value out of it. It didn't seem like any of the other participants were certified master chocolatiers (if that's even a thing) either.

Pepper_von_snoot

I think Brussels is the ugliest city in Europe, however...

What kind of person are you?

If you were to be bougie ie bourgeois, the kind of woman who spends $600+ on a handbag and cares greatly about her looks, you probably would like the 6th or 1st arrondissements.

Montmartre is for the artsy-fartsy, romantic type, the type who likes to buy inexpensive straw hats and cotton scarves at a kiosk near Sacré-Coeur and would not spend more than 2€ on a coffee at a cafe (would not be caught dead at Cafe Nemours).

The Marais is very gay, lots of expensive boutiques and chic cafes.

The 7th arrondissement is also bougie, but you don't see the street theatre and fashion parade like you do along the Blvd St Germain in the 6th or along the Rue St Honore in the 1st.

The 5th arrondissement is full of students and if you are an old lady you aren't going to like looking at the flawless skin of the young Parisian woman. You will be so jealous.

Just my 2 sous.

Thin💃

Odin

Envierges

And then there are those like me who find Brussels severely under rated. Magnificent art museums and examples of Art Nouveau. And yes, on day trips from Paris, I even bought chocolates, sacks of seconds from Leonidas (my favorite brand) to bring back to Paris. And you can't miss a trip without having mussels in Brussels accompanied by a delicious Belgian beer. All varieties are recommended

kerouac

I almost agree, even if I have not seen all of the cities of Europe. Much of Brussels is incredibly ugly (lots of war damage and lots of construction in the 60s, 70s and 80s with absolutely no consideration for aesthetics) but there are some fabulously beautiful nuggets like the Grand-Place and I will even dare to say the Atomium. But I keep returning to Brussels because the people are so adorable and the whole country does not take itself seriously (so refreshing compared to so many of our other countries). That gives it LOTS if bonus points in my opinion.

Christina

I've done a day trip to Brussels and enjoyed it, and also think what you want to do on your vacation is no one else's business. A lot of people like Disney and have fun with their kids there, and you have free entry anyway. And it's a value statement to say you should prioritize rooms more than experiences, a value which not everyone shares.

10th arr is a good idea.

I don't stay on the RB too often, I think some hotels in the 12th might work for you, but this is a nice modest hotel near the area I do usually stay and it has rooms for 68 euro without private bathroom and 95 euro WITH. So that is in your budget. This is a very nice area and it isn't far from the Gobelins metro stop. That maybe isn't the best for getting to RER A easily or Gare du Nord, but you can do it.

Hotel Port Royal.
Tarifs

Now I do know a few good budget choices over in the 11th/12th but they seem to be more like 150 euro, which is over your budget but FWIW, here they are

https://hoteljeannedarc.com/en/overview.html

Hotel Daval ** | Hotel Bastille Paris | Rooms

So those would be closer to Gare du Nord and RERA.

PalenQ

The stated purpose of taking train to Brussels was to experience European trains and see another country. But ever think about the 2-hr trip Paris to London and back (2 more hours) for the day? www.eurostar.com for those trains.

Michael

Much of Brussels is incredibly ugly (lots of war damage

If there was, it's not easy to find. My impression is that Brussels is not particularly ugly and has lots of Art Nouveau residences. Here are some more striking examples:

But a lot of the old housing is plain without being ugly, and is often very nice on the inside:

As to post-war construction, a lot may be attributed to the fact that Brussels is the administrative capital of the EU.

PalenQ

Yes if you have a few days you can ferret out those Art Nouveau areas but most only see the Grand' Place area and though the Grand' Place is exquisite much of central Brussels is very modern - not sure why as I do not think much war damage. Anyway has to be at least IMO the least comely of any European capital city though Madrid may give it a run for that.

kerouac

I was thrilled when they finally tore down the Martini tower at Place Rogier.

MmePerdu

I enjoy the Hotel Soft, inexpensive, clean & updated, kind staff, nice neighborhood on a quiet street near Canal Saint-Martin, walking distance to Gare du Nord for your Brussels excursion:
https://www.hotelsoftparis.com

Michael

Nothing wrong with very modern if it is well done.

Leely2

You could try Cosmos Hotel too.
https://www.cosmos-hotel-paris.com/fr,1,6436.html