normal1983

My daughter needs to book a room for one night prior to leaving from CDG at 9:55 a.m. to the US. As I understand it she needs to arrive at the airport 3 hours prior to departure so she should be there at 7 a.m.

She will have one rather large bag and a second smaller bag. This seems too much to be using the train/metro into CDG. We are trying to determine if it would be better to stay at a hotel near CDG so that she doesn't have to worry about trying to find her way to the airport at that early hour.

Any recommendations on this? I've read on a post that someone used Priceline to get a hotel at the airport really inexpensive. How does that work? I've never used them.

She ha

nukesafe

No need to go to the expense and trouble involved in getting a hotel near the airport. Simply reserve a cab. They will appear at any hour and whisk you to CDG at that time of the morning with no trouble at all.

Underhill

But a taxi will be expensive. I think staying the night near CDG is a better option, and the daughter can sleep later, too.

rkkwan

You're giving up an evening in Paris to gain 45 minutes of sleep.

StCirq

I've done both, many times, and every time I spend the night at the airport I kick myself and want to have a good cry because I'm not spending my last night in th city. In fact, on a couple of occasions I've gotten on the RER and gone back into Paris to spend every last possible second there.

nukesafe

Last time I did this it cost about €45 with tip from the 7th. At that time in the morning, it took much less than an hour in the nonexistent traffic.

I'll bet the premium she would pay for a hotel at the airport would be more than that. If she chooses an off airport hotel, she will probably have to wait for the shuttle the hotel uses. Possibly that would take as long as the taxi from Paris.

cathies

Do you know if her accommodation in Paris is near the RER B line. We are just back from Paris after 10 fabulous days there. Our little apartment was on the RER B line (Luxembourg) and when we were leaving we just bought a ticket (8 euros), got on the train and stayed on it until it pulled into CDG. Took about 40 mins and so easy!! I agree with St Cirq that to have our last night out at the airport would have been awful. I looked back at one point and caught a last glimpse of Sacre Couer which was sad and lovely at the same time. We had window seats and a fabulous pilot who flew us out of Paris at 10.05pm just as the Eiffel Tour put on its' light show, we could also make out the Arc du Triumphe and the Seine meandering through the city. What a farewell.....

kerouac

Silly to stay at the airport when you don't have to be there until 7 a.m. If the flight itself were actually at 7 a.m., that might change my opinion, but it is absolutely not the case, so no, absolutely no spending the last night at the airport!

normal1983

Well my daughter agrees with most of you. She fully intends to stay in the city to get the most out of her last day/night in Paris.

Now to find her a hotel that is reasonably priced! I was looking for a hotel near the sights...Louvre and so on for less than 130 euros. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

TimS

If your daughter doesn't want to wrestle her bags on and off the Metro and RER but also doesn't want to spend the money for a taxi all the way to CDG, here are two alternatives: (1) Take a taxi to Opera and the Roissybus from there to CDG. The first bus departs at 05:45 and the fare is €8.60. (2) Take a taxi to Arc de Triomphe (Place de l'Etoile) and take the Air France coach #2 from there to CDG. The first coach departs at 05:50 and the fare is €13.

MelJ

I've been wrestling with a similar problem. Our flight in November leaves CDG at 7:00 a.m. for Philly. I can't imagine we'll need to be there at 4:00 a.m., especially because we only carry-on and I'll have my boarding passes printed. But we'll probably need to be there by 5-5:30.

But I imagine I'll have to get a hotel at the airport AND make sure the hotel shuttle operates that early (some in Newark don't start running until 6:00)

nukesafe

I'll say it again. Take a cab. Reserve it the night before, and they will show up when they say they will, IME. The trip early in the morning is quick, due to the light traffic, and thus the cost is minimal.

Gretchen

Bid on a hotel on Priceline. Then ask the hotel concierge to book a cab for the proper time. There might even be someone else in the hotel that could share--a far reach, but not impossible. If she has a large bag and another "smaller" bag, plus pocketbook, she will be hard pressed to do the RER, and even the Roissy Bus could be difficult.

TimS

MelJ,

The Hotel Ibis Charles de Gaulle Aeroport/Terminal is located right next to Terminal 3 and one of the stops for the free CDGVAL driverless shuttle train which runs 24/7 between the terminals. See here: http://tinyurl.com/2nylg8.

MelJ

Thanks so much, Tim. I think I'll just go ahead and book it now. You've taken one item off of our "to do" list!

TimS

You're welcome, MelJ. Bonne chance et bon voyage!

Gretchen

So she doesn't get to spend the last night in Paris, AND she has to get on a shuttle train with her bags in the morning. Just a further thought.
As opposed to being dropped at her terminal directly the next morning by a taxi after a nice night on the town, and a great memory.

rkkwan

Gretchen - It's MelJ who has booked the Ibis, not the OP normal1983. A bit different scenario.

Underhill

JWhy would the Roissy bus be difficult with luggage? Large bags are put in the storage section by the driver.

Christina

I think it depends how far the hotel is from the RER. I've taken the RER and metro with one larger bag, a smaller tote and purse, it wasn't that difficult. Now my idea of the larger bag is a 22" one, though, not some humongous thing.

I don't know why the ROissybus would be difficult, either, perhaps someone thinks it is like a regular city bus.

But it's really up to her, whatever she wants to do. Airport hotels can be gotten pretty cheaply on Priceline, actually, it's actually an easier thing to do there than in the city (in terms of what you get).