My husband and I are planning our first European vacation, to Paris and Rome, and we could use help on hotel recommendations for each city. We're looking for something clean with private bathrooms and a/c preferably. Pricewise, we'd like to be somewhat moderate, US$200 or less per night. Any recommendations? We'd appreciate any advice from those of you with European travel experience .... feel free to email me directly at [email protected]

When are you going and for how long in each location?

We would like to go sometime in September and spend 4 days in each city.

Welcome to the European forum, jbjayhawk! Both cities are large and I'm wondering if you have an idea about which general location you might prefer?

If you are very early in your research, you may not even know yet. If that is the case, I hope you won't mind a suggestion to use the search function on this forum. In the search box, you might type "Rome Hotels" or "Which arrondissements" to see what has already been suggested. Sorry if this is information you know already.

Best wishes in your planning. You are starting with two spectacular cities for your first experience in Europe! SusanEva

Extend your stay by 3 nights and visit Prague as well!

Hi JB,

You might find these threads helpful:

Helpful Information: Italy 2
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34568596

Paris Superthread
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34519236

We always stay at the Hotel Bonaparte, 61 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th. About 124E dbl w/bkfst

Tel 33 1 43 26 97 37
FAX 33 1 46 33 57 67
www.hotelbonaparte.fr

For more info, enter "Hotel Bonaparte" in the "search this forum" box.

Photos are at http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...&y=-l95uyr

Enjoy your visit.

For a first visit, I would recommend visiting one country, especially with only 8 days. Either country has a wealth of places to visit besides the capitol. From Paris you could visit the Loire Valley,the Dordogone,Alsace, etc, etc. From Rome you could visit Tuscany, the Amalfi, Venice, etc. The advantages to this are that you might want a little less frantic pace after 4 days in a busy, confusing , foreign city AND you will only need to be a little familiar with one new language. For a first timer, Paris is a little less ovewhelming then Rome.

For Paris I think it is extremely helpful to get a decent map, then first pick what arrondisement you want to stay in. That way you can investigate a couple dozen hotels instead of hundreds or thousands in the entire city. For me, for a first trip, I would recommend staying in the 5th, 6th, or maybe the 7th.

I see on your other thread that you have decided to just do Paris and the surrounding countryside on this trip. Good plan.

We like a little 2* hotel on the edge of the Maurais about 4 blocks form Norte Dame, 6-7 blocks from the Louvre, 1 form the Pompideu. It is Hotel Andrea. It is small clean, has an elevator, well located and about 84E for a double. Check it out. and Bon Voyage.