I will be staying at the Hotel Madison (they e-mailed me when a room became available, and I booked through them with a fantastic reduced fare). However, I will be leaving via Eurostar late one evening and am unsure if the hotel will allow me to store my bags during the day (checkout is 12:00). Any suggestions on what to do with our luggage? I certainly can't drag it around the city with me that entire day. Any help would be appreciated.

I'm sure it'll be ok for them to store your bags until you come back-just email them and ask. Glad you got a good rate at the Madison! What room type did you get?

Hi Franc. Again, thank you for your help the other night. I had booked the Villa, but have sense backed out due to the opening.

The Madison (A lady named Stefanie) confirmed I will have a double room with a view of the blvd. and church. Is this a good room to have?

I can't imagine that leaving your luggage at the hotel for the day would be a problem. We have done this at numerous hotels, and it seems to be a routine request.

I'm sure (as the others said) the hotel will allow you to leave it with them. Alternatively you could take it to the Gare du Nord and leave it in the "left luggage" storage for the day until your train leaves from that station.

Chris, that is a very good room to have (check prior posts for confirmation too). The blvd. is busy but I've walked past the Madison & it's a great location-very central-lucky you!

Thanks for the tip. I don't even knkow if I'd ask to leave the luggage there, since that is not a custom most American hotels are happy to do for a guest.

And Franc, I am so excited. I will post my trip report and pictures when I return. I leave in six days. I can not wait!

FYI-You may want to ask also where your luggage will be stored. A hotel I inquired about this situation had said they'll store it in the lobby/reception area but would not be liable for anything.

sspunk,
American hotels will also store your luggage for you for the day. I've done it many times.

As I remember, the Madison actually has a small luggage room. But I don't know that any hotels actually guarantee the safety of any luggage left with them--it's a convenience for their clients, nothing more.

All hotels I"ve ever stayed in have been willing to do that, American or elsehwere-- you are staying in the wrong class of hotels, sppunk.

I agree with Underhill, I don't think they have any liability for your luggage. The problem is that such a luggage room (usually a large closet) really varies in security from one hotel to another. IN some hotels it is within eyesight of the front desk, or even behind it and you assume it is secure. In other hotels (such as the Muguet in Paris) it is down the hall and around the corner and not even visible to anyone in the front area, and anyone could take anything out of it. I make sure I have things locked up a lot when I see that type of situation and never leave anything very valuable when the setup is like that (which for me is not jewels, just things like a camera or something).

While we're on the subject, what's the best way to secure a laptop while the owner is away from the hotel room?

I've left luggage at the most modest hotels, so I don't think it has to do with the class (this includes modest 3-stars in Mexico, Venice, Paris, San Francisco, etc.). Sometimes there's a closet, once I had even had them piled up & chained to the leg of the lobby furniture w/ a cable lock!

But depending on the location of the hotel to the train, and the left luggage situation there, it might be more convenient to get it out of the way in the morning, if this prevents backtracking.

>... what's the best way to secure a laptop while the owner is away from the hotel room?<

The absolutely safest way is to leave it at home and use internet points.

Agreed, Ira, but what's the next safest if the laptop has to go along?

Underhill, try the hotel safe or a laptop cable lock ($30 to $50 at most office supply stores).

For detailed info see:

http://labmice.techtarget.com/articl...opsecurity.htm

I don't think you'll have a problem. I stayed in a little hotel during Easter week. I left for 2 overnight trips and they kept my bag for me both times, though once they said they didn't have a place to store it. I guess I would check to make sure it would be secured. Everything was intact when I returned. Big hotels will have a luggage room. I usually just toss them a few euros. There are lockers at most train or bus stations, as a last resort, but then you have to manage the stairs.