Hotel considerations
 

I'm taking my 77 year old mom to Paris. I need a moderately priced hotel with a good concierge and quiet sleeping conditions. Although we don't mind walking, I want to be conscious of my mom's age with the location .....

I've looked at a lot of comments today and checked out hotels online, but it's overwhelming. Seasoned Paris travelers, would you give me some suggestions?

Can you provide us with a little more information about your budget? "Moderately priced" for one person is a splurge for another.

Hi, momandame-

1) What is your budget?

2) I'd start with these two hotel threads, compiled by posters on this board:

Paris Hotels Right Bank Thread
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ank-thread.cfm

Paris Hotels Left Bank Thread
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ank-thread.cfm

I'm thinking no more than 120 Euros, which takes me a little above 150 a night. That would be my high end at this point.

Also, consider an apartment. The concierge part may not be addressed, but I find the apartment stays to be more restful and typically more quiet.

To my knowledge, low and mid-priced hotels don't really have a concierge, just the reception and housekeeping staff. Your price is doable for many 2-star and a fair range of 3-star hotels. The time of year you plan to visit might have a bearing on whether you would want air-conditioning (which is one way to mask outside noises). I recall people who've stayed on Ile St Louis saying it was quiet at night, as the road traffic is a little more limited.

We're going in June- good point on the air conditioning

Hi Mo,

If you can go to about 134E,
In Paris, we always stay at the Hotel Bonaparte, 61 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th. From 134E dbl w/bkfst. It is just around the corner from Place St. Sulpice, near 3 metro stops and 4 bus routes. Has AC and an elevator.

The staff speaks English well, and is very helpful. The front desk is staffed 24/7

They can arrange a shuttle pickup to/from CDG for you.

Tel 33 1 43 26 97 37
FAX 33 1 46 33 57 67
[email protected]
www.hotelbonaparte.fr

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

((I))

Get great deals on 4 stars in your budget on

www.priceline.com

www.hotwire.com

start from $80-100

Usually one of the Meridiens or the Paris Hilton

last time on hotwire for $120 got the Paris Hilton

got an upgrade to a tower view room and SPG points

great value...

Your consideration for your mum's age is extremely relevant.
When I took my mum to London & Paris at the age of 78 it never entered my head that it would be prudent to investigate the locale of the hotel. Sunsequently after 3 days her legs gave in and it was only due to a doctor and some anti-inflamatories that we successfully came through the trip!

The Le Grandes Hotel des Ecoles on Rue Cardinal Lemoine is absolutely beautiful with a country garden and courtyard, but the metro stop of the same name is at the bottom of the hill.
You could take yourselves to another stop further along and walk back down but may be a bit further - not sure.
http://www.europe.org/paris/hotel-de...les/index.html

From my experience I would keep to level ground near all the major sights.

This hotel may just suit you - I have not stayed there but when we called at reception to get a pamphlet it looked really charming. An inside room would be much quieter from the hubbub down below.
Maybe someone here will have more info.

http://www.hoteleurope.net/

We are staying at this hotel in May especially to be able to walk around the islands at night without having to metro it back.

http://www.hotel-hospitel.com/ang/accueil.htm

I've had this one in my folder but haven't stayed there yet. The location is very near the Cardinal Lemoine metro and has good bus connections as well, Even the deluxe room is in your price range

http://www.familiahotel.com/english_...tel_paris.html

I would recommend checking two areas mentioned carefully: the location and the elevator.

The Metros can require endless stairs going up and down with escalator/elevator availability considerations, so a hotel convenient to bus routes, rather than Metro station, may be of interest if you don't want to spend on taxis.

Not all hotels have a elevator, so be sure to check with the hotel. Even at hotels with elevators, they don't always work when I needed it for some reasons, and I ended up taking stairs sometimes with my luggage.

A colleague took her mother in her 70's to Paris and took advices of her friends without thinking about the applicability to her circumstances. They took an RER from CDG, mistake number one, and had to schlep luggage up stairs and had to hike to a hotel. The hotel did not have an elevator, mistake number two, and their room was on the top floor.

Greg - Exactly what I'm trying to put across!
Our Hotel Gavarni in the 16th meant everytime we came home it was uphill from metro Passy. Then a slight gradient to Rue Gavarni and eventually the hotel - it looked so darn close on the map!
This is what did the damage.

Momandme - if your mum has even the slightest leg problem or even if she does not - take a pair of electicated stockings (we get them from a medical supply company). They give great support to tired old legs and prevent very bad swollen red ankles. I'm not your mums age but already wear mine on the plane and all day. I stick a pillow under the end of the mattress to give elevation during the night.

Best of luck and a wonderful memorable trip with your dear mum.

Is the St. Severin still under renovataion? I read about quite a bit of noise on a traveler's review in January.

Mom - sorry, didn't know about any renovations at St.Severin.
What about Hotel Clement, in rue Clement - a little farther up and on the opposite side of Blvd St.Germain, tucked away in this little oneway street. It's also opposite the large Marche St.Germain and there are numerous cafe's and restaurants all around.
When I stayed there I could see the towers of St.Sulpice church from my window. Walk a little way up Rue Bonaparte and you will be at the Luxembourg Gardens which I am positive you mum will absolutely adore.
I would ask for an inside room as the ones on the street can be a bit noisy at 2am from the restaurants below and people straggling home.

One more, one more! I have experienced the very very nice Hotel Duquesne in Avenue Duquesne. An elevator to the fourth floor corner rooms will give you a view of the Eiffel tower.
This area of the 7th is more sedate and streets around here are all level for easy walking. The famous Rue Cler is not to far from this hotel.

Well, I think I booked a room at the Europe St. Severin. There was no feature to check availability online, which leaves me a bit unsettled after getting a confirmation back so quickly....I've read a lot of traveler comments about email confusion(various hotels) so I'm hoping for the best with an inside room(requested).

Do you think it's worth making a phone call, or a follow up email?

Absolutely! I book on line and a month or two before departure, give them a call or a second email asking for confirmation again. Why be anxious all that time -
I hope it's going to proove a wonderful trip for you & mum!
Do go to a teeny little restaurant called L'Insulaire, rue Gregoire de Tours, (near the rue Buci end). You can reserve a table which your hotel should be able to do for you, but we just go early 7-7.30pm and get a table. The food is very nice and around 15-20euros for a three course dinner.
Please don't venture into any of the Greek style places with people standing in the doorway encoureging you to enter!

I think it is a good idea to get clarification on the elevator, but hotels are required to have elevators in Paris depending on their size and star rating (size meaning number of floors). So it is a good thing to ask in case they are broken (and sometimes they may start up a bit on a landing or something, so find that out), but only a 1* hotel is not required to have an elevator at all if it is five levels, for example. A 2* hotel must have an elevator at five levels (four floors over ground, a 3* hotel must have one at four levels, and a 4* hotel must have one at three levels (only two floors). If you book at least a 2* hotel, it shouldn't be a problem, and that seems possible in your budget, although not the best ones are at that price level any more in peak season, unfortunately.

I agree that concierges are not going to be available in budget hotels, but think you probably just mean someone to ask questions of or maybe make a reservation, and the desk staff will do that for you. If you really need a full-fledge concierge, it won't happen in a budget hotel.