WillTravel

I have another thread about choosing the correct hotel for our February visit for my 15-year-old daughter and me. I thought I would ask about these two hotels specifically. I know it's unlikely anyone here has stayed at them (although if you have, please post), but I'd be interested in your evaluation of the locations - their pleasantness, centrality, the presence of other amenities around them, whether my daughter would feel OK walking around there, and any other comments you might have.



The URLs are TinyURL links to the hotels' Mercure pages.

I can get the following 2* hotel for 72 Euros per night prepaid. OK reviews.
Mercure Paris Lafayette
http://tinyurl.com/y3f5n9
7 rue de Trevise
75009

I can get the following 3* hotel for 7t Euros per night prepaid. Excellent reviews.
Mercure Paris Monty Opéra
5 rue de Montyon
75009
http://tinyurl.com/wn5fd

Robert2533

They're both Mercure hotels and both in the 9th, a stone's throw from each other, just off Blvd Poissonnière. The nearest metro stops are Bonne Nouvelle and Grands Boulevards.

Robert2533

You're also no far from the Opera and shopping on Hussmann.

Christina

I think Robert is saying that the location is virtually the same, so you can't distinguish on that. I would agree. That area has small streets, things aren't quite as upscale as some other parts of Paris, but there is nothing to worry about walking around there. It just may not be as attractive as some other parts you've been in, and the kind of restaurants may vary a bit. I think there are quite a few Asian (eg, Chinese) places around there, and some Turkish, Armenian etc. The area is fine and the big boulevards are attractive and convenient. You can do some cheap shopping along there also on the big boulevards (purses, luggage, clothes, etc). There are more small food shops and stuff along rue du fbg Montmartre going north. I think a lot of cheap packages book some hotels around there so there can be a lot of tourists in the cafes right around there (and there is the Hard Rock Cafe or something right nearby, at least used to be). It is very near the Folies Bergere, actually, which is worth a look for historic reasons if nothing else.

It's a lively area, and there is a real French chanson venue right near there on Cite Bergere (a closed-off street with several budget hotels on it), the Limonaire. You might want to check that out. Au Limonaire in the 9th has real French chanson, a variety of different kinds of performers and they pass the hat for cover -- their web site has schedules and descriptions http://limonaire.free.fr

The composer Chopin lived right near there on bd Poisonniere when he first moved to Paris, so that's not so bad (his apt. is not existing any more, I looked for it -- at least, I think there is a toy store there now).

Here is an online article in the Paris online mag Metropoleparis from several years ago which discusses that general area to give you an idea:

http://www.metropoleparis.com/1996/60610016/rue.html

WillTravel

Thanks for the tips and the article. The Mercure Paris Monty Opéra is 75 Euros per night (sorry for the typo). I have to admit I tend to prefer 3* hotels to lesser-starred ones (although I know it's theoretically possible for a 2* to be nicer than a 3*), and if this one is in a good, relatively central area, as it seems to be, I'm inclined to consider it.

I wanted to verify these were in an OK part of the 9th, rather than an unpleasant part, and it seems they're in an OK part.

Christina

I forgot to ask -- did you ever see that French movie from a few years ago, Monsieur Ibrahim, with Omar Sharif? It was a good movie about a young Jewish kid in a poor area of Paris, and his friendship with Omar, an older Muslim (they then go on a road trip back to his homeland, which I think was Turkey). Well, they lived on rue Bleue in Paris (where there were lots of hookers in the film who were the local colorful street life) which is only a few blocks north of that area, if you want to check out the locale from the film. Rue Bleue is just a block north of the Folies Bergere. The film was supposed to be early 60s, I think, and the street doesn't really look like that anymore, but it's interesting to explore areas (and I saw no hookers hanging around like in the movie).

Christina

oh I forget, this is the URL about the movie -- if you haven't seen it, I'd recommend you rent it as it was quite good, I thought

http://www.sonyclassics.com/ibrahim/aboutmi.html

WillTravel

Christina - thanks, I haven't seen it. I hope to get that and several other Paris movies shortly.

Girlspytravel

WT, I have to admit, you are very very thorough in your travel research! But that's good, because it makes for a better, less stressful (in most instances) travel experience.

Gardyloo

The Monty is our fave hotel in Paris. Nothing super special but a great location, nice people, good breakfast, and a few rooms have an over-the-rooftops view of the Eiffel Tower.

WillTravel

Gardyloo, I never expected any poster had stayed here, so I'm glad to hear from someone who has. What is your perception of the location, both in terms of ambience and convenience?

Gardyloo

We liked the location - great shopping on Bd. Haussmann, close enough to the Metro at Grandes-boulevards that you can get places, walkable from the Opera, heart of the Marais... really no complaints.

It's just down the street from the Follies Bergere, BTW. Plenty of cabs in the neighborhood.

WillTravel

I just booked the prepaid 75-Euro rate for the Mercure Monty. I looked at many possibilities, on lots of sites, but for that price, I had the most confidence that this hotel had the best balance of comfort, amenities, price, and location. We also had a very good stay at a Mercure in Berlin last summer, so I'm inclined to be favorable towards the chain.

In the course of my research, I found this article about the Mercure Monty, which was quite interesting:
http://calbears.findarticles.com/p/a...9/ai_n13907691

Unfortunately, I doubt we will get the breakfast, at 15 Euros each. At the Mercure we stayed at in Berlin, they had the policy that children under 16 would get a free breakfast if the parent(s) paid for theirs, but so far as I can tell, this Mercure does not have the same policy. I have written for clarification, though.

Christina

I have had good luck with Accor hotels, also, I think you made a good choice.

WillTravel

We really liked this area and this street.

The Mercure Monty had a rather plain, verging on shabby, lobby, but the rooms were done up nicely. There's a winding staircase with stained glass windows all the way down. The rooms are definitely on the small side - I have probably had pretty good luck but in several years of 3* hotel rooms in Europe, this was probably the smallest I've had. However, there was sufficient room for our suitcases, we could walk around the room, and the bathroom is good with enough space to shower and dress comfortably and nothing will get wet when you shower. Everything was in good order, and the drapes, upholstery, and bedspreads matched. The staff is good. In short, everything works well and that alone is something to prize in a hotel.

Rue Montyon is a short street with an Ed's Epicerie and a laundromat, two or three Moroccan Sephardi kosher couscous restaurants and some other restaurants too, a patisserie on one corner, and a kosher sweets shop on the other corner (actually the kosher sweets shop is probably just across Rue Montyon). Rue Montyon is a really short street, and our taxi driver had to look it up and still had problems finding it. The street is quiet, but there is definitely residential life on it with parents taking kids to school, people walking dogs, etc. We were one block from Boulevard Fauberg Montmartre, about two short blocks from Boulevard Montmartre, and several blocks from Boulevard des Italians and Boulevard Haussmann.

This is the area of the 9th that is bordering on the 2nd. The Grands Boulevard metro on Boulevard Montmartre is just a few minutes walk from the hotel, and we also used the Cadet and Notre-Dame-de-Lorette metro stops if we wanted to get on other lines directly. We never did use the buses much, but there are numerous bus options too. Some parts of the 9th are sleazy, but there's no hint of that in this area.

We did not hear any English-speaking tourists in the immediate vinicity, but obviously there must be tourists given all the 2* and 3* hotels in the area.

For 75 Euros per night, I think Mercure Monty was a good deal. I'd have a hard time justifying a 120 Euro per night rate, though, although I'm sure many have paid more for less. I'd definitely stay in the area again, but I might see if I could get a good deal on one of the other many hotels (I noted 3 Best Westerns within a couple blocks and many other small establishments).

Travelnut

Thorough followup! thanks...

Christina

I'm glad you liked that area well enough, and this is a good review for others who are interested. I understand what you mean about the price and value. I think you must have been a little lucky with your room sizes, as if this room had room for luggage and you could walk around the bed, that is the same or even a little bigger than some Paris hotel rooms I've seen. I've had a few that sound about like that size, more than one.

WillTravel

Yes, the room could definitely have been smaller - I'm glad it wasn't. The desk is set up in front of the beds. If one person is sitting at the desk, it's a squeeze for the other person to get by. I should also mention there are two chairs, a desk, a closet, and a safe in this room.