I am planning a first ever trip to Europe (in May), first London then France with my daughter who has been studying in London this year. After many hours online I chose Hotel de Fleurie, it had great reviews on this site and it looked just like what I wanted from their website. Emails to the hotel quoted a double room for 950 f which was more than I wanted to spend but I decided to just go ahead because traveling to Paris just doesn't happen all that often. The confirmation fax quoted 1250 for a queen room and when I checked this by email they said all they had was a single for 950. Now, my question; 1250 is really, really over the top. The Muguet seems nice although their webside isn't as comprehensive as Fleurie. It has many good reviews on this site and is certainly more affordable but not seeing as much of it makes me nervous. I'm going to be paying for this trip for a long time anyway maybe it should be Fleurie--but the frugal Yankee in me is screaming NO!!! Any advice, especially from those who have been inside both hotels, would be very helpful! Thank you.

I haven't been in both so maybe someone else has, but these hotels are very different, the Muguet is a 2-star and the Fleurie a 4-star; on top of that the Muguet is in a lower-cost real estate area and the Fleurie in one of the most expensive property areas of Paris. I will just suggest that if you think 1250F or about US$170 is way over the top for a queensize room in a 4-star hotel in one of the most expensive areas of a top world capital, you should probably go with the Muguet, because that is a very reasonable price and I think you will probably not be satisfied if you feel that way going in. Perhaps your post has a mistake in it or I'm not reading correctly, but as I read it, you don't really have a choice anyway as there is no room at the Fleurie except a single and you can't book a single for two people. I guess you've seen the Muguet's web site on www.parishotels.com? I agree it's not as comprehensive and the photos usually are of the best rooms in the hotel, you have to discount for that, but I've never heard of anyone who stayed at the Muguet who thought it was bad value or rock-bottom, although there are other hotels in that area that are more basic. My advice since you are worried about this and hesitant to spend 1250F is to go with the Muguet or you will probably resent paying more, especially when you get there and see how small the rooms are (just guessing, but they are in most Parisian hotels, even 4-star ones at moderate rates like that in St-Germain); they will be small in the Muguet, also, but it won't bug you as much. Lastly, I am amazed you can book a popular, nice hotel in Paris for May at this late date, if so, grab it. This is generic advice, maybe someone else will give you hotel-specific advice.

Thanks Christina. I do have the queen size room booked but got nervous because I had thought I was booking a double at the lower price. I appreciate your response and welcome others!

We stayed at Hotel Muguet last June and will be staying there again this June. The hotel came highly recommended on all the travel boards, in various guides, and the price was right. We were delighted with the hotel, the location, the service, and (especially) the value for the dollar. We loved it! It has two stars, but I'd give it three. (I've read that some hotel owners keep the stars down for tax purposes.) If the Muguet is available for your dates, I highly recommend it. If you do a search here on Fodor's (and on the AOL Paris board), you'll find dozens of other raves. I, personally, would hesitate to book a hotel that quotes one price and confirms at a much higher rate. And, I've learned that the experience once there is not necessarily proportionate to the comprehensiveness of the promotional materials (be it a website or otherwise).

Have not stayed at Muguet, but were at Fleurie in November. It is a very nice place, on a side street just off St. Germaine and we would reccomend it to anyone. It is a 4 star so it will be a little pricier than some of the others in the area. Service was good and rooms were above average for Paris. Staff was extremely helpfull and reccomendations for restruants and tours were spot on. <BR> <BR>They will arrange a pickup at the Airport, but at 800 FF, it is pricier than a taxi for two. We were four with luggage so it made more sense. <BR> <BR>Hope this is helpfull . . Rich

Have you considered booking a tour to France from England? My daughter and I did this two years ago incredibly economically. You could go off on your own all the time if you chose, while taking advantage of inexpensive lodging and transportation.

We stayed at the Fleurie last November. Have not stayed at the Muguet, but I think you are comparing Apples and Oranges here. Fleruie is a 4 star and Muguet a 2 star (I think) <BR> <BR>Fleurie is well located, just off St Germaine, in a great area. Rooms are nice and the staff is very helpfull. There reccomendations for restruants and tours were spot on. <BR> <BR>Hope this is helpfull . . Rich

Strange . . composed one message and it did not appear for a half hour so composed a second . .

Christina - I have not sent you a personal e-mail but have wanted to after reading several of your responses to posts that answered questions that I also had. So, I will send the message with this post and hope that you see it. Of all of the people that respond on this board, you give absolutely the most practical, comprehensive, no-nonsense information of anyone who responds to our questions. Thank you for giving us your time and invaluable information. You sound like you know Paris like the back of your hand and your insight is appreciated more than you know. (My daughter and I are also booked at the Fleurie in April and are looking forward to our first trip to Paris and staying in this hotel. If I ever get a chance to go back again, I might go "budget" when I have checked out the different hotels in person -- but time it will be the Fleurie!)

Actually the Hotel de Fleurie is a 3-star hotel, not a 4-star as mentioned above.

<BR>Opps . . Jeremy is right . . Fleurie is 3 star, not 4 as I said. <BR> <BR>(never was good with numbers . . )

My husband, myself, and my 2 sons--ages 8 and 12 at the time, stayed in the Hotel de Fleurie 2 years ago in April. We loved it! It was perfect. The staff was helpful, the rooms (and breakfast room) were charming, and the location was the best. We walked absolutely everywhere. I would definitely stay there again.

The Muguet is great. There is a laundry very close, and not to sound like Rick Steves,but that Rue Cler is pretty great. The only negative thing I would say about the Muguet is that it isn't on the most convenient metro line but that is a minimal problem. Put your mind at ease and enjoy.

Thank you all for your replies. As it turns out the Muguet does not have any vacancy at the time I'm in Paris. I just had some cold feet about the $$$--it was the way I was raised!

On the rue de Vaugirard, across the street from the Luxembourg Gardens, a new 4-star hotel is s-l-o-w-l-y going up, the Hotel Parc Luxembourg will be the name I believe. It will be one of the few hotels with a direct view onto the gardens. It was formerly the 2-star Grand Hotel des Principautes Unis, which closed in the late 1980s and sat vacant for a decade (what a waste of prime Paris real estate!) before renovation work with the new owners started last year. I get down to Paris about every 3 weeks or so and am keeping an eye on the hotel's progress--once it opens, I think it will quickly become one of the most sought after places in Paris. You might want to swing by and take a look yourself and bookmark it for future reference. <BR>It's across the street from the Palace and next door to a student foyer (I lived in the foyer when I studied at the Sorbonne in '82). <BR>Btilke

<BR>up for liz--hope this helped

ACa- thanks for thinking of me! Here's what is totally weird. When I tried a search just using the word Muguet I could click on everything just fine! How could it be that adding the word Hotel makes the search function (or whatever) go Kaflooie on my computer?<BR><BR>Liz

Glad to help. I had no problems at all. good luck and have a great trip!