Has anyone stayed at Le Meridien Montparnasse in the 14e?
 

I was wondering what the neighborhood was like. It says this hotel is in the 14e and faces Montparnasse Tower with which I am not familiar. Reviews of the hotel said this was a good place to catch the metro and had decent views (although that is less important to us).

I've been to Paris twice, DH has never been so I will want to show him: Louvre, Notre Dame, Pont Neuf, St. Chapelle, etc.

Any opinions?

Hi aggiemom, Hub and I stayed there for a long weekend. Airport bus stopped there so that was convenient. Our room was very modern and nice and faced a hospital (not a great view!) but we never heard sirens-very well insulated. Excellent breakfast room. Big train station around the block-we used it to go to Chartres-very convenient. Montparnasse Tower is a business center (almost as tall as Eiffel?) but has a rooftop bar-if it's clear weather, fun to see the Eiffel tower from there. Easy walk to it and Lafeyette Galleries and around the Montparnasse area. I'll go check my notes and add more. Cab to the areas you want to see and walk back-if you are reasonably fit, you should be ok.

ok, p.s., we either took a cab or metro to Louvre, Musee D'Orsay, Pont Neuf etc.-it depended on how what time we awoke! Walked to Montparnasse area-lots of places to eat/drink. Hotel is 23 stories so you will get a good city view. We had an awesome dinner at the hotel's fancy rest. on our Anniversary. DH's menu had prices and mine didn't. You should have seen his face as I was chosing what I'd like to try! Enjoy!

Hey donco - we'll be celebrating our 20th anniversary. (Can't wait to see my hubby's face when he sees prices in Paris!)

I've been in Le Meridiens before and the quality of the hotel and service was good. So you think the location would be okay? We'll be in Paris only 3 days. We don't mind using the metro and walking. Of course, taxis can be an option also but we do love to walk.

Another option would be the Hilton in the 7e on Av. de Suffren.

Opinions??

Hi mom,

Between the two, I think the Meridien is in a more convenient location.

((I))

I stayed here, and it was fine.
I posted my review here in 2004, and also on TripAdvisor. It's the one dated July 26, 2004 with the title ""Nice hotel, good location".

It's particularly good if you want to be assured of good air conditioning and an ice machine. We had a room where everything appeared new, but a few people have reported getting old rooms.

Am looking at the DK map and Ave. de Suffren runs next to Eiffel Tower and the Parc de Mars-gosh, I'd say that's more convenient for boat ride on the Seine and Eiffel Tower. I think Montparnasse area somewhat closer to other places you mentioned. I prefer the Montparnasse area personally. WillTravel, which was your hotel? I couldn't locate the 2004 review.

donco, we stayed at the Le Meridien Montparnasse, in July 2004 on a Priceline bid.

Pros:
Everything appeared new.
Spacious, nicely-decorated room.
Nice view looking north towards Sacre Coeur (from the 14th floor).
Good A/C.
Ice machine.
Nice toiletries.
Piano bar in the evening.
Good staff (in my opinion).
Convenient location, with nearby access to four metro lines, and Gare Montparnasse.
Inno store about a block away, where I could buy breakfast supplies each morning.

Cons:
Slippery marble floor in bathroom.
Relatively narrow, deep tub (not a problem, except combined with the slippery floor).
Shower temperature a bit erratic.

I didn't try any meals there.

We also have a reservation at Le Meridien. I appreciate that it's close to a metro stop, but we really prefer walking everywhere. My question is: Can we realistically walk to all the major sights, museums, etc., without using the metro or bus? (We walk about 3 miles each day for fitness.) Thanks in advance for your replies.

I think if you are only used to three miles per day, and want to walk to the tourist attractions from Le Meridien Montparnasse, that might be a bit difficult. I'd guess Notre Dame is about 1.5 or 2 miles away, for example.

I'd suggest you choose a hotel in St. Germain.

I usually stay near the Meridien (never in it) and much prefer that location for convenience, as well as other things, such as going to cafes and restaurants and shopping right around where you are staying. I don't like the area right at the foot of the Eiffel Tower for staying. I don't think it's as convenient because it's not as central (Montparnasse metro is about in the center of Paris from E-W direction, just about 1.5 miles south of the Seine). There are better metro connections near Meridien, also, there are three different lines you can easily use.

There aren't very many places (if any) one could walk to everything in Paris, but it would be possible if you want to walk a whole lot and don't want to see much but a few of the top couple tourist usuals. For example, stay very close to Notre Dame and the Louvre, and it's quite a hike to the Eiffel Tower or Arc de Triomphe.

The Meridien is about 1.5 miles from the Seine.

The Meridien is very nice; I once stayed there for several weeks while on business. The area around the hotel is generally unremarkable, but it is well served by the Métro (right across the street from the hotel) and the immediate area to the north has a great variety of restaurants and cinemas, from Starbucks to classic French cuisine.

The Montparnasse Tower is a 59-story tower, the tallest in Paris by far, and considered by many to be an eyesore. However, the view of the city from the top is great--better than that available from the Eiffel Tower (the Eiffel Tower is considerably taller, but the Montparnasse Tower has a very nice, open observation deck--not as open as it used to be, however, <i>paranoia oblige</i>).

I have to disagree that Montparnasse is uninteresting. Yes, the immediate surrounds of the Meridien (which I understand is a nice hotel, not surprisingly lacking in charm) are somewhat downmarket (and, in some parts, a bit dicey - w/peepshops and such), I have always counted this general area among my favorite in Paris. The Blvd. Montparnasse is great down by blvd. Raspail; try to avoid rue de Rennes if possible. The cemetery is also a must see and there are great cafes and authentic /cheap breton creperies in the Edgar Quinet area (closer to the Meridien). Bon voyage.

On thing I forgot to mention: You might want to know that they've recently found asbestos in the Montparnasse towers (this past Feb. I believe).

Thank you again for the continuing replies. I booked Le Meridien today. (I generally like to go with a Hilton or Le Meridien or Marriott in a large city - I like the guarantee of a certain quality room. Boring, yes, but then I don't get cranky.)

Now, if anyone has any suggestions on where to stay in Provence for 5 days I'd be even happier! (Actually, I'll re-read some other posts and maybe then I'll re-post this question.)

Merci beaucoup!
mom