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Is $3000 US dollars a realistic budget for 6 days in Paris for my husband and I?

Is $3000 US dollars a realistic budget for 6 days in Paris for my husband and I?

Old Jul 17th, 2002, 10:51 AM
  #1  
nicole
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Is $3000 US dollars a realistic budget for 6 days in Paris for my husband and I?

Is $3000 US dollars a realistic budget for 6 days in Paris for my husband and I, including airflight in April?
We would probably stay at the Caron de Beaumarchais ($142 a night), and would like to eat once at the Jules de Verne.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 11:07 AM
  #2  
picky
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"for my husband and me" (you wouldn't say "for I" would you?) (sorry, it's my personal grammatical hangup)

I would say you could do 6 days in Paris for well under 3000, if you get a reasonable airfare, and don't order $500 bottles of wine.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 11:09 AM
  #3  
nicole
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I would love to keep it under $2500 if possible, it is our first time
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 11:13 AM
  #4  
x
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Sounds really tight to me, Nicole, when you include airfare in the 3 grand. I'd assume your air for two runs $1000, five nights of the hotel about $800 with tax, transportation to and from airports, another $100. Is my math right- but aren't you left with a bit more than $1000 for everthing else? Get the Cheap Eats book and use it like your bible. And think $4000, just to keep things liveable. It's Paris. Blow the extra $1000! For that special meal, ok, Jules verne, if you insist. What's with that place - it's like a mecca for the first timers.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 11:32 AM
  #5  
Sandy
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I agree with previous poster - sounds tight to me. Basically your accomodations and transport to/from them comes to about $1000; airfare is a HUGE variable, and you don't say where you will be flying from. You would be lucky to get airfare for $1000 - which leaves only $1000 for 6 days for 2 people for food and expenses, which sounds pretty tight to me - particularly since you want to go to Jules Verne! I don't see any real way you could keep it under $2500, to be honest. Good luck.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 11:42 AM
  #6  
elaine
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Nicole
$3000 is easier, $2500 will be very tight, but as others said, you need to figure out the airfare first.

Two people can eat for $75 per day or less, but you'd be eating in very simple cafes or snack bars, not at the Jules Verne, not even at your average upscale place. You still need to account for museum passes or admissions, transportation, and the odd souvenir.
You might want to rethink staying at the Caron because if you find a place to stay for $100 or less per night
(and some have been recommended here) you will have more per day to spend on other things.
You could also picnic a few meals in your hotel room--buy some great bread, some cheese, fruit, and some wine.
Avoid breakfast at the hotel or at any hotel--you can do better for the price in a bakery or cafe somewhere.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 11:43 AM
  #7  
JB
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Hi Nicole,

We went to Paris and Munich and spent about that amount of money including flights, train, food, etc. One way we saved money is that we rented an apartment instead of paying for hotel. I don't remember what we paid but friends of ours just rented one last January near the Eiffel Tower for $500 for 10 days. That makes a big difference.

Not sure where to find apartments, but I think a travel agent could direct you.

JB
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 11:43 AM
  #8  
wch
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I think $3,000 is more than enough for 6 days in Paris.

My husband and I went to Rome in May for 7 nights and we spent roughly $3,000 for everything: air fare (from Houston), hotel, food, shopping, cab fare, entrance fees, etc.

IMO, Paris is a bit cheaper all around (except for maybe shopping). You should be able to have a fabulous time on that budget.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 12:15 PM
  #9  
x
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You can do it. Close though. Figure $900 for air and $100 to and from airports. Another $800 plus for the hotel (including TVA) for five nights. Assume $15 for breakfast, another $30 for lunch and some incidential money, and it's about $275 for five days. Ok, almost $2100. Figures $200 for Jule de Vernes, and $100 per night for four nights. About $400 left. Shall we go for under $2500, as one suggested? Have fun.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 12:21 PM
  #10  
xxx
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If you are using the $3000 for spending money you should be fine. We are taking $3000 spending money for 2 weeks in Germany/France later this year.

But if you are including Air & Hotel in that $3000--NO Way--Air is probably $2000 alone, and 6 nites at $142 is $800

That leaves you only $33/day for food, entertainment, transportation & souviniers, that's not much to live on.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 01:18 PM
  #11  
lisa
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Where are you flying from? If from a major gateway on the east coast you might be able to get airfare for $500 each including tax but if it's from the midwest, south, or west, it could be quite a bit more. It also depends on when it is in April that you're going -- around Easter tends to be higher.

Even assuming your airfare is only $1000, which is a low assumption, your hotel is $852 for 6 nights. $2500-1852=$648. Even for lunch I think Jules Verne is around $100 easily. $648-100=$548 which has to cover all your meals, transportation, sightseeing, etc. for 6 days for two people. $548 divided by 6 days = $91 per day, divided by 2=$45 each per day. Limiting yourself to $45 apiece per day is going to be pretty hard. Breakfast alone can easily be $10 apiece and even at moderate places you're looking at $25 apiece for dinner, so there's $35 of your $45 daily budget right there and that's without eating lunch. One metro ride and one admission to a museum each day will finish you off. This leaves out lunches except at Jules Verne, transportation to and from the airport, extra metro/bus/taxi rides, any additional sightseeing, souvenirs, etc. If I were you I would try to stay at a slightly less expensive place and/or increase your budget.

$3000 is more doable. At that point you're looking at maybe $600 apiece for airfare which is probably more realistic but could still be low depending on where you're flying from, so $1200 for two, plus still $852 for the hotel, which leaves you $948, minus the $100 for lunch at Jules Verne which leaves you $848 divided by 6 days = $141 per day divided by 2 = $70 apiece per day for all of your meals, sightseeing, transportation, etc. That is still tight but more doable. Figure $10 apiece each day for lunch, maybe $15 for lunch, $25 for dinner, and that still leaves each of you $20 a day for transportation, sightseeing, souvenirs, etc. Not much, but it's possible.

But again, airfare is by far your major expense so try to save as much on this as you can if you want to feel free to splurge at Jules Verne and not count every penny every day. Do a lot of shopping around before you buy your tickets. Good luck.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 01:18 PM
  #12  
janis
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You don't say where you are flying from - makes a big difference. But in April (as long as it isn't around Easter) you can still get REALLY good airfares. If you are near a gateway city (NY, Boston, DC, Chigago, SF, etc) you should be able to do it easily.

Air from the East coast should be in the $350 - $450 range and from the west coast maybe around $500 pp.

If budget is a big concern, I would probably look for another hotel tho'. There are many very nice hotels in the 6th and 7th for $85 - $110 per day.

I never spend a lot in Paris - except once in a while if I decide to splurge in Chanel or other boutiques.

Food is good and often amazingly inexpensive, the metro is cheap, and the Museum Pass is a great bargain. I'd say $3000 is VERY doable.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 01:22 PM
  #13  
sooner
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Good heavens Nicole...just stay in a cheaper hotel. There are tons of decent hotels in Paris for a lot less than $142 per night.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 01:32 PM
  #14  
x
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OK, lets get this settled: buy your air tix and go. If you make it back on $3G, bravo, if not, tell the parents and inlaws to stand by the phone for a quick cash infusion. $3G is a planning figure, nothing more. Don't make it do or die, travel just has to be more flexible than that. Do not go with the attitude I will pay only this amount!!
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 01:35 PM
  #15  
Gretchen
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Stay at a 2* hotel and you can do what you want for that money. Paying too much for sleeping. You can eat (and pretty well--you'll need to plan and look before hand or just eat on rue Hachette) for $100/day--sleep and eat b'fast for $100/day=$1200. Airfare hopefully $900 in today's climate.
Transportation will be a little. And you can eat at Jules Verne if you picnic for a day or so.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 02:25 PM
  #16  
Betty Boop
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airfare from East coast - 500 each, actually could be 400 each depending... 1000 bucks.

5 nights at Hotel Familia - 70 a night, 350 bucks.

so, you have 1650 bucks for 6 days to play with, b/w two people. 275 per day play money.

yeah, I think you can do this.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 02:45 PM
  #17  
Jim Rosenberg
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Nicole --

It's not only very do-able, but I do it all the time. Shop carefully on the airfare, as others have pointed out. You will get a whack at some decent fares during that time period, but good fares may not hang around for too long, so be ready to pounce when your deal comes. There are many comfortable, often even charming hotels for $100 or less per night in Paris. There is also a lot of great, affordable dining -- particularly when you get out of the shadows of the MAJOR sites and monuments. You'll have a wonderful time. Do it!
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 02:48 PM
  #18  
Cris
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Well to give you an idea... My grand-son and I are going the first week in Aug and I booked through Globus. $3,120. covers our airfare from MD to Paris, our hotel and a half day tour of the city. This also includes a wonderful breakfast bar at the hotel. I know because my husband and I stayed there 3 or so years ago. Suggest that you buy a metro pass and a museum pass. They will save you a lot of money. I am a firm believer that when you visit another country you eat as much as possible where the natives do and get to know the people as people and not just other tourists. There are so many books that you can get from your public library that will give you all kinds of ideas. Have a great experience.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 03:34 PM
  #19  
Penny Pincher
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Can you? Absolutely! Will it be enjoyable? Depends on how well you plan. Airfares are running high, tht will eat into your budget. Consider a package deal - some agencies buy seats in bulk, do the same with hotel rooms, may be able to give you a better price. Based on another post about a deal for Rome, I just looked at a place called Gate 1 travel and found 8 days air (fron NY area) and hotel in mid October for under $750 at a place that looks decent. Expedia had several packages a llittle higher but still under a grand pp.
 
Old Jul 17th, 2002, 03:37 PM
  #20  
Worried
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Is there a problem here that I should know about?
 

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