francophile03

Hi Mark, I haven't stayed at the hotel but I agree with you about the food issue. I know hotels don't like guests to mess up the rooms but I think many do understand and let it go. However, in your case, that's pretty tight the owner made your daughter eat her food outside. I mean what's the big deal she couldn't let your daughter use an empty breakfast room table?
As for turning in the keys each time you leave the hotel, it's common everywhere.

francophile03

Sorry, Mark, I see what you're saying about turning in the keys-the clerks stared at you to check for food. I misunderstood.

And I agree, this attitude has nothing to do with being "reserved" and Myriam is presumptious to say that.

Christina

francophile, that's a good comment re Claude Bernard. I haven't stayed there so can't recommend it, just know it's a good location and "looks" okay on its web site. I do remember some young man posting on here who stayed there with his girlfriend last winter (remember that was a cute story, about a proposal?) and it really liked it and had nothing negative to say.

I stayed at the Muguet last summer for 3-4 nights and the owner may have two student-age daughters but they were never there when I was around the lobby, and I would not expect them to be entertaining paula's daughters nor conversing with them. I didn't care for the people working there either, and it wasn't reserve. The male desk clerk was overtly rude to me when I asked a simple question about the phone system and I wasn't crazy about the owner, either. It wasn't reserve, as I am reserved, also. It was attitude.

Grasshopper

Hey Mark, I personally know Myriam and presumptuous and pretentious are two things she absolutely is not! She's one of the kindest people I have met here.

The hotel has a no food rule. It's their perogative. If you don't like it you should stay somewhere else. Don't jump on another poster who is just trying to be helpful.

MyriamC

If you think I'm pretentious and presumptuous, so be it. Fact is that Europeans and Americans do have a very different attitude. Which doesn't mean I'm better or you are better, we're just very different.
Again, I liked the Muguet very much (is that allowed?) and the staff were very friendly all the time.
About bringing food inside the hotel, we wouldn't even think about doing so.

francophile03

Christina, yeah, I'm not sure about Claude Bernard personally, but just going by what the author presented. I just wish she'd explain why she dropped other hotels. But the Claude Bernard she mentioned in detail why she doesn't recommend it anymore.

I had noticed she dropped Hotel d'Angleterre and I asked about it on her website. She says "The hotel is WAY past its due date for renovations , is overrated and offers no value for money. Until it changes owners, nothing will be done. The present owner is a serious tightwad. I hope this answers your question."

I really don't know about the Muguet's staff but I do know that in the past I had asked for booking requests trying to reserve an Eiffel Tower view room.
Each time the owner answered the emails and never could promise that type of room to me although I was trying to reserve way in advance-more than 6 months. She says it's dependent on availability. I think it's more like dependent on her.

Mark_va

Hey grasshopper! Maybe Myriam can defend herself. We don't need a third person jumping in on another poster's "discussion" do we?
The hotel has no food rule??? Then what do you call it when the owner herself tells us point blank that food is not allowed in the rooms or in their dining area-its restricted to their baguette breakfast only!
I stayed there once after reading all the great reviews, but I wouldn't stay there again nor would I necessarily recommend it. So maybe you should refrain from "jumping" on this poster who is also trying to be helpful. Sorry my opinion doesn't match the majority.
Myriam: you are certainly entitled to your opinion, but frankly, I don't think we are much different-we both like nice places and nice things and thats why we go to a great city like Paris. But is it a question of "attitude" when a paying guest at a hotel in a foreign land simply expects to be treated with civility, courtesy and politeness? Out of 7 hotels that we stayed in in Greece and France last year, only one failed to exhibit these attributes.
Maybe Catherine P just had a bad week, but with thousands of hotels to choose from, its easy to try a new one next time.

paula1470

You all are making me rethink our stay at the Muguet. I know it will be clean and we will probably only sleep there but since it is our first time to Paris, I think I am going to continue to look at hotels in the 5th or 6th. I just would prefer a hotel on a quiet side street even though with AC street noise probably isn't a issue.

I didn't really think that Mme daughter's would entertain my daughter's but sometimes it is nice to meet people your age from where you are visiting. I had read about the no food rule someplace else but I am not too worried about that because we will probably be eating out and about the whole time. I am still waiting to hear from Le Regent and Bonaparte and I will check out the Parc St Severin as Julie suggested.

It seems that in these big cities alot of the college students congregate in certain areas. Of course most of the kids my daughter has been meeting in Italy are Americans but she has also meet students from Italy, Croatia, England to name a few. I am sure she could find out where these kids meet but sounds like it might be someplace in the Latin Quarter.

francophile03

I still agree that Mark's got a point about eating in the room. How many of us have used the minibar to store some take out food to have as a late-night snack? There are not too many late night restaurants and cafes available if one gets hungry at night or whenever and if you've got children you'd know they get hungry alot.
In all my hotels stays I've never come across any one like this one.

MyriamC

Paula,
University/college will only restart in September at the earliest (univ. in Oct.) so I don't think there will be many students in Paris in August.

paula1470

Myriam,
I am sure you are right about French students. Like I said the students my daughter has been meeting are those visiting from other countries, either American or those from other European countries. They all seem to know where to congregate.

Grasshopper

Mark, I dare say if you saw a good friend of yours called pretentious and presumputious you would jump in and defend them as well. And I was registering my own opionion when I said a private establishment has a right to make and enforce rules. I agree that you should registier your own opinion with your dollars and stay elsewhere.

ira

>You always have to turn in your key when you leave the hotel ....<

I have found this to be the rule at all of the older European hotels at which I have stayed.

It saves money on having to change the locks each time a guest forgets to return the key.

Most hotels attach a huge door knob to the key so that you won't carry it around.

Sorry your stay didn't work out, Mark.

Mark_va

Ira,
My stay worked out. Paris was great. We're returning this year for four days-and staying in the 7th. The rue Cler area with the great foods, short stroll to the Eiffel Tower, Invalides, etc. is jsut right for us. We just found nothing special about Muguet the way so many posters seem to and I didn't like the treatment my little girl received.
Mark

Gretchen

We had food in our room at the Muguet. We didn't ask for permission and saw nothing to preclude it. On an AOL board a member reports that Mme P. allowed her to store food in the hotel fridge. We had bread and cheese. Someone somewhere (either here or on AOL) posted that they were not allowed to bring a chicken to the room. I really don't blame Mme. for that--grease on the bedspreads, bones in the trash, etc. But, if it wasn't apparent to the desk, then so?
I also found the people at the desk to be helpful. I don't require overly friendly. They smile and say the appropriate daytime/night time greeting. We had occasion to need them to translate a phone conversation with the RATP for us. The lady who does not speak English well was VERY patient on both ends of the line.
If you want the hotel folks to be your best friends then go somewhere else. We have stayed 3 times.

Laidback

I am always amazed at the different reactions to the Muguet. I have several times kept food in the kitchen frig. and one time with my grand daughters we ordered pizza delivered and they ate it in the court yard. We became so friendly with Mme Pelletier that through the years she has allowed both of her daughters to visit us in FL, and eveen though we now stay in apartments, we never fail to get together with the family for dinner.

francophile03

Heck, I don't think Mark was looking for the staff to be any of his best friends. Just had an issue with the treatment of his child.
But I agree, Gretchen, I don't care for a best friend either. All I ask for is what your requirements are too: just a small smile and hello/goodbye.

Mark_va

Who has time worrying about making friends with hotel sorts, I got a family with me to play tourist with.
Some people just don't get it. I must be spoiled on the Marriotts, Starwoods, Hyatts, etc.in the U.S. who for the most part treat a hotel guest with respect and courtesy to which I react in a like fashion. As I mentioned before, other hotels Paris and in Greece
were very welcoming, Muguet the exception. Its odd that other posts inform that they had no problem using the facilities and eating in the hotel.
How do you account for this?
Maybe I reminded her of an old flame that dumped her in cafe Deux Maggots and left her holding the bill for many
francs! Gretchen may be the same.

Sue4

This is very interesting. I had thought I would stay at the Muguet my next trip to Paris this fall. However, I think I'll just spend more dollars and stay at one of my "known" hotels in the 6th, the Clos Medicis or Aviatic. I love having a little "mini-fridge" where I can stock up on drinks, and have a sandwich in the room if I so wish! And by the way, both those hotels are on streets which are quiet at night, but not far from the "action". Not that I need the action!!

Sue4

Another point, which probably wouldn't matter to most people - I was informed that the Muguet only has showers in the bathrooms. I LOVE soaking in those big,deep, French bathtubs, after a bone-weary day of sightseeing!