I think you guys talked us into Paris :)
 

OK, I received nothing but "Go for it's", so I am thinking we will! Now, where is a nice, romantic place to stay? We are more hotelers than BandB'ers. Since we are saving so much on the airfare, we can probably spend a little more on accommodations. I know we want to see the Eiffel, Louvre, and that's about all I know at this point! Susie C, what did you mean by "As you two are first timers, you would recommend 1 - 7"? Thanks!

You won't regret it.

My priority for our first visit to Paris was to have a room with a view of the Eiffel Tower. I found it at the Hotel de la Bourdonnais, in the 7th. We had quad room 503. It's a nice hotel, with a lift and A/C and a breakfast room, etc. Not swanky, and the bathroom could have used a face-lift, but we had a full-on view of the Tower from our little balconies, looking up the beautiful tree-lined boulevard.

We liked the 7th for its more quiet, upscale attitude. I wrote a trip report and can post it for you if you are interested.

You will love Paris!
:)>-

NY,
We're going to Paris for the first time in May and were also looking for a romantic place. You don't say what you want to pay or even when you're going but after much research, we've ended up with reservations at the Hotel Henri IV Rive Gauche. Our second choice would have been Hotel Beaumarchais, which looks very romantic.

NY2005, 1-7 referrs to the arrondissments that Paris has. Staying in areas 1-7 are usually preferred for tourists because they keep you fairly central to Paris's main sights.

You will love Paris!
Tracy

Maureen, I would love if you could post your review, thanks so much for offering. So, "the 7th" is a hotel? I'm sorry I'm such a novice. :(

Forgot to mention that we too wanted a room with a view of the Eiffel Tower for our visit to Paris about a year ago. We stayed at the Hotel du Champ de Mars, in the 7th. The room was on the small side but very cozy and nicely decorated. We had a great view of the top of the Eiffel Tower, and were just steps away from great restaurants and cafes, as well as two metro stops.

Tracy

I just posted a detailed reply to your other threads so please read chose a convenient location! For the rest please read my other (very long) reply!

NY2005, the "7th" referrs to the arrondisment the hotel is located in. Think of each arrondisment as a neighborhood. Here is some info that may help you: http://www.parisnet.net/parismap.html.

Tracy

As I said pls read my reply to: is it enough time? etc.
Around the Opera (1st arrondissement) you can find OK hotels. It all depends on budget of course.

We have always stayed in the Marais and love it there. Our first visit we stayed at the Hotel Ste. Croix de la Bretonnerie. I would recommend it. We had a small, but very nicely furnished room with a view on the streetside (we like this). It was a great location. Easy to walk over to Ile St. Louis, Ile de la Cite. Get yourself a good guide book with a good map. Try to set up an itinerary and know that you will and should stray from it everyday. Allow yourself some time to just walk around and "get lost".

You will LOVE it. You should be able to cover a lot of it in 4 days, especially since Paris is a real walking city. I would definitely plan on a boat trip along the Seine (Bateaux-Mouche), you can snuggle up together. Be sure to walk across the Pont des Arts (pedestrian bridge) at night. Really romantic. Also, the Eiffel Tower lights up with loads of tiny twinkly lights (similar to what they did for the Millennium). I believe this takes place each hour, on the hour, for 10 minutes. Does anyone know if they have stopped doing this? You can check out this website for the Eiffel Tower webcam:

http://www.paris-live.com/index-streaming.htm

What is your hotel budget? My husband and I stay in Paris twice a year and we have stayed in loads of different hotels. Everyone has their favourite arrondissement but I do agree that the 7th is very nice and close to everything.

NY2005,

1-7 is shorthand for arrondisments one thru seven (like zip code areas) in Paris.

So, for a first time visitor, the general consensus is that you want a hotel that is located in zip code 75001, 75002, 75003, 75004, 75005, 75006 or 75007.

The best hotel choice for a first visit would be located in 75004, 75005, or 75006, IMO. Another way to say that is somewhere in the 4th, 5th, or 6th arrondisment.

BTW, what is your nightly hotel budget?

We Fodorites have tons of suggestions to fit every budget.

The bateaux mouches' success really depends on the weather in February. Of course it is all a matter of taste but personally I would not go for the Marais -although very Nice or View on Eiffel but stick to 1st (Right bank) or 7th (left bank). I have been approx 80 times in Paris (4 teams a year during 20 years at least - my husband is French and our children live in Paris) and we always go for 1st or 7th arr. because its just so convenient.

The city of Paris spirals out from the 1st to the 20th arrondizements (zones? Zip codes?) The 1eme is the center - the Louvre...and spirals out.

While I don't think there is any ONE area more central than the other (there are things to do and see particular to one's preference all over the City), the Metro, buses and taxis are good and yet the town isn't THAT huge!
LOL...I'd like someone to tell me WHERE in Paris isn't near a metro, cafe, bakery, etc. (OK...maybe the 20th)

the Opera the 1eme? mmmm... isn't that the 9eme?

aawwwh...maybe you'll love Paris ahem...like a few of us do.

One thing you could do which would help you settle in and get your bearings is a Paris Walk. Here's the website:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/pariswalking/

I agree with a lot of advice given on your other post. Don't try and plan to do too much. I think every time we go, we plan on doing one thing and then get distracted doing something equally nice. Just plan on eating, eating and more eating!

Suzie C,
Avenue de L'Opéra is 1st( from Palais Royal to the Opera building itself ), Louvre is 1st, Place Vendome still 1st

Here's my Paris trip report. Hope it helps. As you've already discovered, I meant to say the 7th arrondisement.

"Second stop: Paris. Four nights’ stay, first visit for all of us.

Stayed at Hotel la Bourdonnais, in the 7th and liked it very much. Nice-sized quad room for our family, with A/C and a lift. GREAT view of the Eiffel Tower from our little balcony (room 503). Friendly front desk, too. Offered a simple breakfast buffet, but we chose to visit Rue Cler in the mornings, for coffee, croissants, crepes and fresh fruit. A nice market next door to the hotel was handy, too. Metro stop on the corner, Batobus stop close by, too, at the Eiffel Tower. Even an ATM machine at the corner bank. Loved the location and the upscale neighborhood. An easy walk through the Champs de Mars to the Eiffel Tower.

Bought the Batobus two-day pass and enjoyed hopping on and off the boat to get to the sights, plus seeing the beautiful city lit up, from the river at night. It was quite reasonably priced. About 13EUR apiece for a two-day pass.

Toured Notre Dame, Sainte Chappelle, walked to the second level of the Eiffel Tower, visited the Louvre and the d’Orsay. Walked the Champs Elysee and window-shopped the designer houses. Our daughter did some shopping at Zara there, and our son got some French perfume for his girlfriend on the Champs Elysee, too.

We walked everywhere, but didn’t have time to get to Montmartre and Sacre Coeur, or to the Sorbonne and Latin Quarter. Too much to see in Paris for only three days there.

Had our favorite meal on Ille St. Louis, at Le Caveau de l’Isle, at 36 rue Saint-Louis en l’Isle. Great menu, with a three-course fixed prix around 30 EU. Excellent and friendly service. Small and atmospheric place.

First dinner at Le Champ de Mars on Avenue de la Bourdonnais simply because it was close and we were starving. Good enough food poor service as only two waiters were serving the entire place. Nothing memorable, except the price of an iced tea or cola there is outrageous! The kids ordered one apiece at this first meal, and they were 6 EU for the small size and 8 EU for a medium!! Tried not to make that mistake again. Wine at the same place was only 4 EU a glass.

Not so good dining experience, also on Ille St. Louis (that’s what we get for returning a second night!). A place called Sergeant at Arms or something like that. It is more a family place, but we were too exhausted and hungry to search further. The waiter was very funny and friendly, the food basic but plentiful. The place was too rowdy and the food boring. "
:)>-

topping up the thread for Regina