claricehk

I know I shouldn't have wasted the time complaining about something which at the end might not be changed, but...
My family(mom+dad+boys 4 & 10) and my brother's family(mom+dad+boy 6+girl 8)are traveling together this July to Paris. I started searching for hotels and apartments, ideally a place which could accomodate 8 of us under the same roof, so that the children could stay close as they really wish to(cousins live in different countries and don't see each other often).
So, I checked with the hotels recommended here as family-friendly, one of them is DUQUESNE EIFFEL. While surfing on their website I found their summer promotion rate, a Superior Triple for 109 €, very tempting, esp the fact that they have A/C. The hotel's children policy stated "on request and in superior room only, under 12 child stay is free".
So I reserved 2 Superior Triples, which I THOUGHT I have counted the elder child as an adult, and the younger ones could then stay in the same room free.
They rejected our booking, saying "we cannot contain 4 persons in our rooms", another staff explained "I am not allowed to fit 8 people in only two rooms". They counter proposed us to take 4 "communicated rooms", at 80€ each. IF we still choose to have the triple room, they will charge us a supplement of 51€ for each room(make the cost exactly the same as 2 connecting rooms). Why did they say they can't contain 4 people in a room in the first place? What is this supplement thing for then? The breakfast is not included in room rate anyway, and it will still be a triple room...
I don't think the kids are old enough to have their own room, and hate to split up w/ husband as children might feel insecure in a new place without parents in sight.
So our only choice is to pay for the supplement(if they confirm the "4 persons not allowed rule" has been lifted).
Same as the many apts we've inquired. Apts for 8 rarely exist, mostly accomodate up to 6(I presume it's 6 adults, right?)We feel perfectly okay if there're 2 bedrooms and baths/WC, where couples and younger kids stay in the double rooms and 2 elders could sleep in sofabed in the living room. Again, we're rejected because kids, no matther how old, are treated as adults.
Asking parents to pay exactly the adults' fee for their <10 years old children(in our case, 4 and 6 years old)traveling together, is discouraging. Is it true to say kids are not welcome in France?

starrsville

Because a triple room that it sleeps 3 bodies.

starrsville

That should have been, because a Triple means the room sleeps 3 bodies.

Have you read any reports or reviews of hotel rooms in Paris? Rooms are often very small. One post tonight shared that a room worked great for her during her earlier trip, but a room at the same hotel when she was a party of 2 barely had room for them to walk around the bed - and no room to unpack 2 carryon bags.

It is a mistake to try to transfer your American expectations of room size and chain hotels' offers that say "kids stay free".

In France, they don't.

Kids are welcome in France. Extra bodies in a room are not.

A triple sleeps 3 bodies ONLY - and no matter the age.

starrsville

If you rebook an apartment, book one that sleeps 8 if that is the number of travelers. Do not book one that sleeps 6 and "assume" that means 6 adults and oh, however many kids you want to pack in there.

Most apartment/vacation rental contracts in the US state that you can be kicked out of the rental- with no financial recourse - if you exceed the occupany level of the rental.

MelJ

There are many apartments in Paris that accomodate 8 people (and more). Try www.vrbo.com, hit on France, hit Paris and scroll down. With two families you'd probably be much more comfortable in an apartment anyway.

starrsville

Didn't you post earlier under a different screen name? (the "cousins who live in different countries" sounds familiar.)

starrsville

The Hilton may offer more of the kind of hotel room that you are imagining for 2 adults and 2 kids per room.

starrsville

I'm on the hotel website.

It says "On request and in superior room only, under 12 child stay is free (except breakfast)according to the hotel availability.

When you book online, you have 2 bedding options for a triple:
1.40m + .90m OR .80m x 3

and then your choice of up to 3 adults, but 0 kids. In other words, the online booking system won't let me enter 3 adults and 1 child.

So, if you booked online, you didn't indicate you planned to sleep 4 people in the room.

Did you contact the hotel directly to see if there was hotel availablity for 4 in the rooms they had open at the time?

In any case, you can cancel as long as you are less than 7 days out without any penalty.

Just cancel and book elsewhere (but listing the correct number of travelers).

Good luck finding a room for 4 in a typical Paris hotel room. Try the chains - including Hilton and Holiday Inns.

alya

What Starsville said

You appear to be confusing US rooms with European rooms - I'm sure you realise how old the buildings are in Paris so you will understand that when they say triple - the do mean 3 bodies! no extra space even for a small child.

While you may not like to sleep apart from your husband - this is exactly what we had to do when we visited Turkey and could only get twin rooms - he shared with our son and I slept in the same room as our daughter.

We (DD and myself) agree that this was one of our best vacations but then again she was 17 and we has good girlie chats

claricehk

Hi starrsville,
Thanks for, well, you've done a lot to look into this issue. ;p
Yes, I was the one to contact them first because I can't add any child into the booking(actually to any type of room, say you can't choose to have 2 adults and 1 child in the triple, or 1 adult 1 child to the double. I'd say that's the problem of the system)I could accept if the hotel replied by saying 'sorry but our SUPERIOR triple rooms are too tiny to add an extra kid into it. But it will then be contradictory to their children policy of 'in superior rooms child under 12 free'. PLEASE NOTE, this is the policy stated by THAT SPECIFIC hotel, not MY AMERICAN EXPECTATION.
But if that's the case, why they asked me to pay a supplement, to MAKE THE ROOM BIG ENOUGH FOR THE EXTRA KID?
How about the 1,200 sq.ft apt? No rooms for kids?
We are not trying to sneak any kids into any hotel or apts, if so we won't request ahead. Am I right?
Thanks for your input anyway. BTW, it's the first time I posted a message.

MrlJ,
Thanks. Have run thru VRBO, and many other similar websites, those accomodate 8 are either not available, far away, no A/C, no elevator, only one bathroom.....
We might end up renting 2 apts in the same neighbourhood.

Christina

I'm not sure exactly what kind of rooms are being proposed to you, but it sounds like the hotel may allow one child in a superior double room, to make a total of three people in a room. That is probably different than a triple room, which probably has three real beds (even if the room is not that big). It sounds like they don't allow an extra child in a superior triple room, only a superior double. These rooms just aren't that big, probably. The extra child is probably going to have a rollaway small bed, and that can fit in a superior double, but they can't fit an extra bed in a superior triple. It's probably not big enough. They also probalby just have their rules due to space and perhaps even health/legal standards, that they are not supposed to put four people in any of their rooms. Communicating rooms are basically two separate rooms with a door between them. They also may just have rules that one party can't fit four people in only two rooms.

I think it is probably asking too much to have four people in a triple room, they just probably aren't big enough. I don't think it's a matter of children not being welcome, just that they want people to pay for and stay in appropriate rooms for the number of people and the size of the room. Kids are people, so an apt. for six is six people. You can't stick the kid in a dresser drawer.

tomboy

It's their hotel, not yours.
Buy your own, and you get to make the rules.

francophile03

Hotel de France Invalides in the 7th district has quad rooms.
http://www.parishotels.com/hotel_det...earch&sort_by= hh.metro ASC

In the 5th district Hotel Andre Latin has quads too.

http://www.parishotels.com/hotel_det...earch&sort_by= hh.metro ASC

You can check parishotels.com as some hotels do offer quad rooms there. It's a free booking site and you deal with the hotels directly.

WillTravel

Try Accor, Holiday Inn, and Best Western brands. All have more liberal policies re children than typical non-chain French hotels.

alya

also the French DO like childen, in my experience if you take a child to an 'upscale' restaurant here in the US you are frowned on by the other customers until you prove that your children know how to behave in a restaurant.

In Paris (and other European cities)they seem to expect that your children have experienced something other than McD's or BurgerKing and accept them with an open heart.

I'm sure you will work this out and have a wonderful time - you have very lucky children - Please come back with a trip report, you will be helping other travelers in your situation

francophile03

I'm sorry, the first link came up incorrectly with the Hotel Lenox St. Germain instead of the Hotel de France Invalides. However, the Hotel de France lacks a/c.
http://www.parishotels.com/hotel_det...earch&sort_by= hh.fax ASC

StCirq

We've stayed at the Duquesne quite a number of times with our two kids. What Christina says is right. YOu're splitting hairs and not understanding that a tripple room isn't big enough for 4 people. No one's trying to cheat you - in fact, they're being honest about what a room can accommodate.

Take the chambres communicantes - they're much better than a tripple with a fourth person jammed in there anyway.

It's a nice hotel with nice staff.

starrsville

I don't think they are changing their minds on anything (regarding your comment on lifting the 4 person not allowed rule).

Most hotels in Paris have what we would call non-standardized room sizes.

Most have only 1 to 3 rooms in the entire hotel with enough floor space to allow a cot or rolling bed added to the room.

A triple has bed space for 3 bodies.

They are probably looking at their bookings to see if they can shift folks around to get 2 "triple" rooms during your stay. If they can, they will add a bed for the 4th person, and you will pay for that 4th person.

I have no idea why, IF you communicated when you booked that you needed 2 rooms with 4 people each, they accepted your booking.

My best guess is, because of your statement that you "assumed", that you did not tell them at booking you needed 2 rooms that held 4 people each.

Based on your comments here, and trip reports from folks who are less than happy with something even before they leave for your trip I would imagine you are not going to be happy there. Very few families will be comfortable with 4 bodies in a triple room in Paris with a cot squeezed in.

I'd cancel and book elsewhere.

claricehk

Dear alya,
I definitely will treat teenagers as adults while traveling abroad. They need more space, and it's a good chance to drill their ability of independence. But, mine are just 4 and 10!

Dear Christina,
Of course, if they let me know the reason is solely due to the size of the room, the safety regulations whatsoever. But, why did they ask for a supplement of 51 Euro, given the same room configuration?

mjs

We are a family of four and travel overseas a few times a year and I would have to agree with Christina on your situation. I should also say that it is a very common problem for traveling families overseas, not just in France. We generally find that many hotels in North America and Aus/NZ will let you sleep a family of four in one room but everywhere else you really need to look for hotels with rooms which will allow it.