StCirq

Oh boy. What experience do you have with taking kids on tours? Do you speak the language? Do you know Paris intimately? They're college-age? They can do what they like. What do you have planned? I should think accommodations would be the least of the concerns, though when I was taking (high school) groups on tours of France we sometimes stayed in auberges de jeunesse (http://www.french.hostelworld.com/Au...10471396&aid=2) and sometimes in inexpensive hotels.

Gretchen

I'd like to ask where the OP is coming from? Country?

Ackislander

What an intelligent question, Gretchen!

PalenQ

wow - guy comes and asks for info on a budget hotel for a group of college kids he is taking to Paris and wham gets slammed by a Fodorgarch with assumptions that may or may not be true - and you do not have to speak a word of French to take college kids to Paris - anyway I think rather rude retort to the question - about budget accommodations not about whether or not he knows Paris intimately or not (these are college kids - I have taken hundreds of college kids to Paris and never mapped out anything for them - they are adults you know) - so IMO unfair and rather rude criticism based on what?

Gretchen

I concur that an Ibis hotel would be a good choice--if this goes forward. They are clean, cheap, basic, have a nice breakfast offering that will be a predictable amount of money spent to start the day. We have stayed at the one near Bastille.

PalenQ

I would again suggest some kind of youth hotel like the Maubisson I linked to above of MIJE - there are four old townhouses next to each other that share a common dining hall, etc - anyway they have private rooms - not a dorm - and is a great place to meet other folks from all over the world rather than a more isolating hotel where you only meet folks from your own group - plus MIJE or equivalent should be much cheaper as well.

zedlanier

Thank you to those of you who have made suggestions. I appreciate your willingness to share your expertise.

For those of you who where a bit troubled by my background, let me assure you that I know what I am doing. I recognize the challenge. I am a professor with over twenty years of experience traveling with students (20-40) and other groups. I am competent in French and nearly fluent in Spanish. On personal trips, I backpack, camp, and stay in hostels. Leading groups, I stay in reliable hotels or use home stays, dependent on the country. While I would not mind staying in more modest accommodations, our university frowns on hostels.

I am planning for next June. The size of the group will be between 6 and 20 and will be firm by December. I will have either one or two other faculty members with me.

Transatlantic cruise (repositioning): Check them out. Great for the bargain traveler if you like to cruise. Example: Norwegian April 2014 Miami to Barcelona 11 days all-inclusive $499 per person ($562.50 with taxes) double occupancy. Great per day cost. One way to JFK from Barcelona Icelandair $478.

So for $1040.5 plus tips we have 11 days with all meals, transportation, entertainment, etc. (I am using a different cruise line due to timing - this is merely for illustration)

On cost, trying to keep total price of trip in $2000-2500 range with stays in Barcelona and Paris. My cruise covers 13 days - have only 6 to 7 days to work out on the ground.

While I have toured Paris, I have not stayed in Paris other than one night in Montparnasse. I stayed outside of Paris and traveled in as desired. My colleagues prefer to stay in Paris.

I thank you all again, especially those of you who kindly offered up your valuable insight. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

zedlanier

Clarification that may help: This trip is not pure tourism. A university course will be taught that includes instruction prior to the trip and onboard the ship. The days on land are an option add-on.

adrienne

Here's where I find difficulty in offering substantive advice. You have not stated the nightly budget for hotel or if you need single/double/triple/quad rooms. You said in your OP that you want a 3 star hotel because of price but haven't confirmed that you also want a 3 star for the amenities (elevator, AC, etc). You may find 2 star hotels that offer better quality or a better location than 3 star hotels. Are you willing to be flexible with the star rating?

Here are two threads with hotel recommendations. You can also use the search function, above, to find other threads for Paris hotels.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ank-thread.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ank-thread.cfm

Gretchen

So you have 7 days max on the ground, land in Barcelona and want to go to Paris? Cost to get there? it would appear that your budget for the leftover week is $1200/person, max. I don't see a 3* hotel in that budget, even with shared rooms, but I also don't think you need a 3*. There are the museum passes, metro tickets, food, etc.
I'll repeat my suggestion of the Ibis hotels. They have doubles and triples--rooms are sMALL, clean, and reliable. Per person might be $70.
Are your expenses a part of the tour--you go free for the leading, etc. Just curious--and your confreres?

PalenQ

You can take the overnight Elipsos Hotel Train between Barcelona and Paris - put kids up in 4-person compartments and yourself in a private one. www.elipsos.com - some nifty discounts on multi-person cabins if booked way in advance.

newtome

Why do posters give one-tenth of the info and then get mad when other posters ask a lot of questions? if the op had posted his explanation post first we would have had a lot of helpful info right off the bat.

MrNuke

If I were a student (and I traveled twice to Europe through programs with my college while a student) I'd want to spend 2 weeks in Europe and not a week on a boat and a week in Europe.



"Clarification that may help: This trip is not pure tourism. A university course will be taught that includes instruction prior to the trip and onboard the ship. The days on land are an option add-on."

Your clarification helps, but honestly that sounds like a slight rung up the ladder from the worst college classes ever. Unless it is an oceanography class, marine biology, or History 201: The North Atlantic Ocean; I'd think you as a professor and your students in particular would want to maximize your time abroad.

PalenQ

wow!

Just answer the question OP posed - he was only interested in accommodations in Paris not any biting critiques that are simply none of their own business like two IMO downright rude Fodorgarchs above have given - the cruise could be a week long classroom and probably is.

adrienne

Pal - will you please stop lecturing and chastising people; it's not helpful and is just as rude as you're claiming others are.

BTW - the OP did not ask for a budget hotel; a 3 star was asked for. IMHO that is not a budget hotel. And the OP did not give any criteria for this hotel.

Gretchen

His reason for a 3* is a little suspect, particularly for his possible budget--which we didn't have at the beginning.

zedlanier

Thanks once more for the suggestions given. I am taking all of your comments seriously and using your sage advice to further my research.

I travel with other faculty members, one of whom had several bad experiences in two-stars. Perhaps Paris is different. Wouldn't be an issue for me, but is for my colleague. No particular requirements for the hotel have been stated.

I have considered housing my colleague in a three star and the students with me in "youth hotel" type housing. So budget housing that does not include the word "hostel" could still be relevant to me.

I have struggled with the double vs. triple idea. When I look at room rates, the triples I found increase the per person rate. Please forgive my ignorance. As I stated, I stayed in Montparnasse only one night and camped outside of Paris or trained in from Alencon. Limited experience staying in Paris. One of my colleagues has extensive experience with Paris, but with four-star Paris. I am trying to bridge the gap.

We are still early enough in the planning to drop Paris entirely, if it proves untenable.

My cost and those of my colleagues are not rolled into the student charge. While this is standard practice, we pay our own freight. Yet another reason I am interested in keeping the cost reasonable.

One of the courses to be taught onboard is a Resort Management course. I cannot imagine a better lab for this course than a cruise ship. While I spent months backpacking Europe and loved it, not everyone is drawn to two weeks on land vs. a cruise with a land component. I understand that many may prefer an entirely land-based trip, but that would not serve our purpose as well. Many of our students may opt to fly home the day after the cruise. We would like to offer the option of something more.

Thanks again.

princesslily

Three star is budget accommodation. Perhaps you can stay at a nicer hotel yourself since the students are not in need of supervision? Just drop them off at a hostel and stay someplace decent.

PalenQ

Pal - will you please stop lecturing and chastising people; it's not helpful and is just as rude as you're claiming others are.>

If pointing out downright rude and condensing comments as one Fodorgarch above gave is rude then I will continue to bed rude - those type accusatory comments just have no place here and tend to drive folks away.

I think the Fodorgarch who made those comments should apologize to the3 OP for assuming things in a very very caustic and accusatory way that proved to be very wrong - sorry you wish to defend such rudeness but that is your right and it is my right to try to limit rudeness by calling it out. Or do you not think those comments were downright rude, the accusatory way they were posed?

PalenQ

Location may be a factor for college kids - like in a lively quarter at night rather than being stuck in some quiet area - the Latin Quarter - the Sorbonne I believe rents out rooms during vacation periods - in fact my groups stayed there several times - right near the Boul Mich and lots of night action from just people watching to pubs, etc.