totally lost

My wife and I will be in Paris in early March. There is some festival going on, so all of the hotels in the 6th and 7th are booked accept for these two...this is my wife's first time to Paris, and I need a suggestion. The 1st ar. is also booked up! <BR> <BR>Does anyone have an opinion on these two hotels, or is the a better choice in a different location? We want to be able to walk to a lot of the sites, and are also looking for fun evening nightlife...nothing real wild, though. <BR> <BR>Thanks! <BR>Bill

wendy

Bill~ <BR> <BR>I often suggest the Hotel du Quai Voltaire as I have a small apt. in Paris and cannot accommodate more than 2 people...my guests stay at the Voltaire and love it. Have you seen their site www.hotelduquaivoltaire.com? <BR> <BR>They cannot be more centrally located, elevator, cafe, salon, charming rooms with views over the Seine, and across from the Louvre. Rate are a little lower than $100 depending on the dollar. They are 2 blocks from the d'Orsay and several from Notre Dame... <BR> <BR>I would book now, March is a great time for low airfare and hotels are hard to find. If you do not have any luck, let me know directly, and I'll be happy to try to pull some strings. Please don't wait much longer or there might not be much to choose from in Paris! <BR> <BR>Good Luck! Best, Wendy

Donna

We loved Hotel Muguet last June and are staying there again this June. Hotel is wonderful and location is terrific. Highly recommend.

Tina

We stayed in both and Muguet wins over and over again. <BR>Wendy's recommendations of Hotel du Quai Voltaire becoming repeated too many times and she is a travel agent so here statements have self-serving purpose. <BR>If you are going to do search on this forum under Muguet. I would book today. March is only a few weeks away. Don't wait any longer and have a great trip. Once you get to Paris you won't feel totally lost.

wendy

Excuse me Tina... <BR> <BR>The WONDERFUL hotel is down the street from my apt. I am NOT a travel agent and without ONE negative stay there in TWELVE years, I can certainly give it all the suggestion it needs. <BR> <BR>Can you give me a hotel you have stayed at regularly for 12 years without incident? <BR> <BR>Thanks for encouraging more honest postings. <BR>Wendy

joan

We stayed at Hotel Muguet in August and would certainly stay there again. Easy walk to the Eiffel Tower and Les Invalides. The rooms are nice, the beds are comfortable, and it's on a quiet street. The night life I can't comment on, since we were with our kids and my husband's parents. We didn't do too much of that. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Bill

Thanks for the suggestions...any other opinions? We will be the first weekend in March...can someone tell me what festival is going on there? Can someone suggest a good tourist book for this area of Paris? We are looking for advice on which streets to walk, what bistros to try, what shopping areas to go to..that sort of thing. I know a lot about the museums and the other obvious tourist sites... <BR> <BR>Thanks again, <BR>Bill

J

Bill, honey, if you don't book a hotel soon it will not matter much what's going on in Paris. It will go on without you. Make a desicion, will you?

wendy

Bill~ <BR> <BR>The Paris Access books have nice detailed maps, as do the Eyewitness guides. <BR> <BR>March festivals: <BR> <BR>Collectionmania: last weekend, curio and object collectors fair. TBA <BR> <BR>Faire du Trone: <BR>Last week until June, large fun fair. Bois de Vincennes. <BR> <BR>Jumping International de Paris: 3rd week , horse jumping show. Bois de Boulogne. <BR> <BR>Salon d'agriculture: 1st week, huge farming fair. TBA <BR> <BR>Salon de mars: last week, Paris's most important antique fair. Eiffel Tower. <BR> <BR>Spring Flower showstars March 1 and is held in Bagtelle gardens in the Bois de Boulogne and the other, Parc Floral in the Bois de Vincennes. <BR> <BR>Bon Voyage. <BR>Wendy

Sue

Rick Steves has a simple comprehensible guide book that is especially good if you have decided on Muguet. He has neighborhood walks and simple museum tours, lots of practical information and is not heavy to take along.

Christina

Bill, there is a large internet/computer and IS trade salon and festival during that weekend, that's prob. what it is. It's a multi-country thing throughout Europe from what I've read. Here is the URL for the event in case you're curious: www.fete-internet.fr/2001 <BR>I'm amazed you could find a room at the Muguet as it's very popular, I'd probably take it as I've heard some negatives about the Quai du Voltaire. Mainly that the rooms are a little shabby and the location is certainly geog. central but not really that convenient to a metro stop--the closest stop is only the RER line at the Musee d'Orsay which just goes E-W along the Seine, a more convenient metro line, like in St-Germain is maybe about 5-6 blocks away. It's also kind of an odd location right on a very busy, big street which isn't exactly cozy (and those are some of the complaints I've read about it, maybe on here or other boards, that it's kind of out-of-the-way). It would not be terrible though and if you can get a room with a Seine view, that might be great for a first time visit because you won't have to open the windows in March so much so the noise prob. won't be so bad (assuming they have double-paned windows, I'd check). It is closer to nightlife walking than the Muguet, though, so it depends on how far you want to walk to nightlife; I'd rather be near a metro stop myself, but the Muguet isn't in a very exciting area IMO. It's really farther away from the main tourist sites for walking, also--it's only near the Eiffel Tower and Invalides. So, if you can get river view AND get a top quality room, I might choose the Quai du Voltaire. As for guidebooks, any good Paris guidebook will cover all central quartiers. I like Cadogan and Frommers best; actually, I like Access a lot, it is great for restaurants and shops, etc, so might more closely fit your bill of what you want from a guidebook. It is not so great as a big overview book and doesn't include history or walking tours, and it's organized by neighborhood rather than subject (ie, most guidebooks have a section on nightlife, hotels, restaurants, etc). I sort of think of it as a good adjunct to a regular guidebook, but you might like it for your purposes.

Bill

Thank you all for the great information. We have decided on the Muguet, and confirmed our booking with them today. This is the first time I have used this forum, and it has been a tremendouse help! <BR> <BR>It sounds like both hotels are nice, but the busy street location of the Hotel du Quai Voltaire helped us decide on the Muguet. <BR> <BR>Thanks again, <BR>Bill

Patti Suttle

Bill-for those of us who are also going to Paris this year and have never been-could you tell us about your trip on your return? I am particular interested in your opinion of the Hotel Muguet since we will be staying there in July. Thanks! <BR>Patti <BR>

Bill

Will Do! <BR> <BR>We are also staying in Cannes the week before Paris. Going on business, so since the company is paying, we are staying at the Gray d'Albion, which is suppose to be real nice. <BR> <BR>I am impressed with how quickly the folks at the Hotel Muguet respond to my emails...so far, so good! <BR> <BR>C'ya, <BR>Bill

Bill

For those of you who wanted a report on Hotel Muguet, here it is: <BR> <BR>We stayed there for a couple of nights in early March. Besides being very cold and rainy, Paris was great, and the hotel was exceptional. We stayed in room 41, and it was really big. It had a king size bed, a single bed in the entry way of the room, and a very nice bathroom. From our window, we could see the Eiffel Tower as well! <BR> <BR>Like the rest of the posts have indicated, the location is great. Very close to Rue Cler, which has some incredible bakeries! The metro is also very close (Ecole-Militaire), and the Eiffel Tower is about a 15 minute walk away. <BR> <BR>I would definitely go back to the hotel on our next trip! <BR> <BR>Hope this helps, <BR>Bill

friend

Friends of mine just called from Paris to tell me of their change in hotel. They were booked at the Quai Voltaire but moved after one night. I didn't get the reason, but I assume it's because of something they didn't like.

Patti Suttle

Bill- <BR>Thank you for the information. I was the one who had asked previously. We are staying at the Muguet in early July. <BR>I am glad you enjoyed it! Its good to hear! <BR>I do have a question: did you use the Ecole Militare metro stop because it was closer than the Latour Mauborg? <BR>Thanks, <BR>Patti

Bill

Hi Patti,<BR><BR>Chose the Ecole-Militaire because it was on a better metro line for our sightseeing plans. This stop also allowed us to stop by Rue Cler for some bakery goods in the morning (only a couple of blocks away), before we started our sightseeing agenda for the day.<BR><BR>Have a great time!<BR><BR>Bill

Sandy

Hi,<BR>Hope you don't mind another question - we will be staying in the Hotel Muguet in Sept.-which is the nearest metro stop? Thanks for your help.<BR><BR>s.

DeAnn

Though I see the original poster has made a decision, I felt compelled to respond for anyone else considering the Quai Voltaire. We stayed there last summer and were terribly disappointed. We thought it would have an incredible view - and it did, but the room and bath were terrible. Both were shabby, in bad repair, tiny and not charming in any way. The staff was just "there" and we certainly would not direct others there. We are not picky people, but this place was a giant disappointment, especially after a lovely stay at the beginning of our trip at the Hotel St Germain des Pres on Rue Bonaparte - delightful!<BR>Hope this helps a future traveler!