RA

We are considering taking a package tour to Paris for $725/person (air + 6 nights) the stay is at Hotel Brebant in the 9th Arr., during the last week of Nov. <BR> <BR>Cant decide if this is a good idea: <BR>1. Is this a good hotel in a good Arr.? Havent heard much about the 9th. <BR>2. Is Paris in Nov. a good idea (weather as well as things to do)? <BR>3. Should I make air reservations myself and find a furnished apartment (through www.wfte.com or www.localflat.com) myself? Works out to $200/300 more this way. <BR> <BR>This will be our first time in Paris and the thought of a package tour seems to offer some security (though it is air and hotel only). <BR> <BR>Any advice will be much appreciated.

Christina

You didn't say where you live so it's kind of hard to tell if that's a real good deal or not. Assuming you're talking East coast of US R/T airfare on a decent airline (not Tower or something), it does sounds fairly cheap, <BR>but not that much. I looked for some info on Brebant as I don't know it and <BR>it caters a lot to packaged tours -- you <BR>can get same package for only about $600 <BR>a person from Boston (air + 6 nights at Brebant) thru www.showofthemonth.com. Looks like rooms at Brebant are normally <BR>about 600-1000FF; you'll probably get lower-cost ones so maybe the room is worth $125-150 or $65-75 per person per night for the room. Anyway, that area is okay, but basically a somewhat hectic business area near stores, stock exchange, etc.Probably that's a business hotel. I wouldn't stay there due to bus. area, but it's not too far from things and the hotel may be fine in quality. I don't think that area is exactly cozy or where you can walk around and sit in pleasant cafes, restaurants, etc. Since all you want is air + hotel, you can easily do that yourself with a few phone calls and FAXes to hotels. Forget the apartment idea--you shouldn't jump from a standard business hotel package straight to trying to rent an apartment. Apts are more complicated to arrange, less std in quality, and often more expensive than hotels for a simple vacation of a week or less. I'll let others comment on the weather, but basically, it's November, <BR>you know--think of Nov. in most places that have a change of seasons (ie, fairly similar to US East coast but not excessively cold, like Washington DC). <BR> <BR>

Louis

Right now the French franc at the typical credit card rate costs $0.172 USD. An advance purchase RT on almost any airline in November is about $509 from Los Angeles and $329 from New York City. The average high temperature in Paris in November is 45F with an average low of about 35F. You can expect about 2 inches of rain during the month. This is the off season of the year and hotels will discout their room rates. There are few tourists or others traveling there. You can get a nice room in a good area between 400 to 600F or $68 to $103. For two people the $725 rate does not look to be any real bargain and you should be able to duplicate it in an area of your choice. For two people the package is $1,450. If two people are flying from New York it would cost between $1,066 and $1,276 depending on the hotel for 6 nights. You would get very nice room for 600F/night. I don't know what you mean by added security with a package. You have less security than if you made your own reservations. You could not change anything in France with a package. At least if you reserve your own hotel you can move if you don't like the room or location. <BR> <BR>Get a book such as Fodor's Rivages Hotels of Character and Charm in Paris. Pick a hotel very near the metro station and places of prime interest. If you go in November you may wish to be indoors as much as possible or in the metro to avoid the weather which might be cold rainy.

jparrent

I would not recommend the 9th as a first Paris experience-the area has some great places like most of Paris but it is mixed and a bit too far from the river. Paris neighborhood's are arranged in an escargot shape starting at the river nad working out away from the center of 1 (which is Notre Dame) so generally large numbers are further from the center-however, there are some exceptions like the 15th and 16th but those are different stories for another time....The 9th has some interesting canals but generally is not really the place to stay maybe just because I think of it mostly made of cheap digs near the train stations. <BR> <BR>I posted my favorite hotels on a the message about 4 daysin Paris and I really think that either St Germain des Pres or the Marais are the places to be-not quite as touristy as the Latin Quarter, but still very central and great neigborhoods with lots to do. <BR> <BR>The hotel price can be found off season and I agree that a locatel is n't really a good way to go for a first visit-too complicated....& besides who wants to cook in Paris where you can picnic your way through the market streets <BR> <BR>I have lived in Paris (and still do) off and on and since my husband is French we spend 2-3 monthes per year there-my best advice is to GO-it is great any time of year. I have mentioned before (the other forum readers are probably tired of hearing it) that i like November because of the chrismas lights, roasted chestnuts and hardly any tourists. Anyway, do a search on the forum on Paris and you will see that a bunch of us have listed hotels restaurants, etc that we love and it may make you feel more confident about just going "on your own" I think you will enjoy it more-and feel free to e-mail me with questions... <BR> <BR>Jeanne

Meg

I agree with Jeanne that the 9th is not really the best area for your first trip to Paris. On our honeymoon, we booked a package that put us in the 9th which turned out fine, but when we went back the following year, we stayed on the Ile St. Louis which is much closer to everything we wanted to be close to. Next time, we plan to stay on the Left Bank. We were very glad that we booked a package the first time which helped out with airport transfers, museum cards, and metro passes - we would have been totally overwhelmed since I speak limited French and my husband speaks none, but after the first trip, we felt comfortable enough to handle it all ourselves. Please e-mail me if you have any more questions.

ra

Thank you all for the great advice. <BR> <BR>I have decided against the trip mainly due to the comments received about the weather. Seeing Paris for the first time should be done when it is in all its splendour, I feel. Maybe on the second trip it will be OK if the weather is bad. Expectations are high on the first trip, so why choose a less than desireable time? <BR> <BR>Christina, it was the Show of the Month Club package that I was referring to. With tax and other charges it works out to $725. <BR> <BR>I am also convinced that I should make reservations myself when I do go (probably spring). <BR> <BR>However, I am not decided on an Apartment rental vs. a Hotel. Perhaps this should be a separate topic of discussion on this forum. I am sure it will be useful to many. Two of the considerations for us were expense (of dining out) and the fact that we are vegetarian (ability to cook in the apartment). <BR> <BR>This is a very useful forum; made such by your sincere and valuable response. Thank you very much.

Christina

Hah -- well, that's kind of funny about the <BR>package, I guess that shows you how <BR>much those hidden extra costs add on. <BR>Anyway, I used to think it was tempting <BR>to go to Europe with a cheap winter <BR>airfare, but then realized that I was <BR>still spending a lot of money on hotel, <BR>food, etc. and it was stupid to try to save <BR>a couple hundred dollars while changing <BR>the entire nature of my vacation to being <BR>less enjoyable and more trouble (packing <BR>wardrobe alone). So, it's worth a few <BR>hundred dollars to me to take my vacation <BR>(I only get one big one a year) when the <BR>weather is nicer. Anyway, I understand <BR>your concerns re cooking, but suspect <BR>that's not as big an issue as you might <BR>think. Whatever you cook in you can <BR>probably find in a restaurant (vegetables, <BR>bread, seafood, plenty of couscous). <BR>FYI, here's a great veg. WEB site that <BR>gives lists of good European vegetarian <BR>restaurants, including in Paris: <BR>www.veg.org/veg/guide/index.html <BR> <BR>Personally, I hate to cook and one of <BR>the main pleasures of a vacation is <BR>to eat out, not only for the food but for <BR>the social atmosphere and fun-- <BR>espec. in Paris. My idea of cooking in <BR>Paris is getting a fresh baguette, and a <BR>round of Camembert and sticking it in <BR>my hotel minifridge for when I want <BR>a snack or can't eat a regular dinner. <BR>With fruit and mineral water, plus <BR>chocolate for dessert, that's enough <BR>for me. I'll leave the cooking to the <BR>restaurants. <BR>