ahmia

We are a family of four looking for a quad in Paris for 4 nights. 2 rooms are too expensive. We have the choice of the following: Free hotel room at Hilton-La Defense. Hotel de Nice 140E, Hotel Turenne 110E, Hotel Champ de Mars-two rooms 130E, Hotel del a Bourdonnais-155E, Hotel de France Invalides-two rooms 145E. What do you think?

xxx

What are you asking here? You have made it clear that price is a major issue since 2 rooms are too expensive. So if you have the choice between a free hotel and one that charges, I don't get what question you have?

ahmia

The Hilton La Defense is pretty far away from the center of Paris. Having never been there, I don't really know how inconvient or waste of time it is to go that far out. Also, the 2 room prices listed were the cheapest I could find. I want to know based on your knowledge, which place is the best decision.

xxx

<BR><BR>ahmia, La Defense is pretty far away from the center of Paris, geographically, but not in terms of time (via the Metro.) Just something to consider since, if you didn't have to spend money on a hotel room, you could use it for more coffee and delicious Parisian pastries.

Andrew

Your first task should be finding out exactly where the Hilton is. Most importantly, how far from a Metro station? If you are near Metro, I'd suck it up, stay at the Hilton, and accept being far away from an exciting area and ride Metro everywhere. It's easy. If this is your first time to Paris, at least you'll get a feel for the city and can decide next time whether you'd like to stay closer-in.<BR><BR>Andrew<BR>

John H

Hi, Ahmia,<BR><BR>Though the La Defense area isn't the greatest place to stay as a tourist in Paris (it's mainly a business center and gets very quiet at night), it is not in the hinterlands either. I have stayed at the Sofitel in La Defense for business. It was no more than a few minute walk to the metro station (which gets you almost anywhere in Paris) and perhaps a 10-minute walk to the top of the Champs Elysees. So, I'd certainly stay there for free if money is a concern.<BR><BR> [Note: I believe it is closed for renovations from Nov 2002 - end April 2003]. And, even though I don't know when you are traveling, if you haven't booked it, I would do so immediately. Hotel points, like frequent flyer miles, are often difficult to use during busy and even slower periods. <BR><BR>Happy travels.<BR><BR>john

ahmia

We'll be there June 28th to July 2nd. But, I don't think I'll enough points until about January since its a premium reward. If I don't use the points in Paris, I will use them in another city on this trip, so they won't go to waste.

Christina

I'm not sure I understand your statement that two rooms are too expensive but then you quote very good prices for two rooms (I'm assuming that price is for two rooms, not each). That isn't always true, either, as many quad room pricing in Parisian hotels is simply the cost of two doubles (especially if it really is two connecting rooms). <BR><BR>If you can easily use the points elsewhere for hotel, I'd go for the Boudonnais perhaps, as I've heard good things about it for families. I haven't stayed in any of those, though, so am just guessing. I've never heard of the H de France Invalides and don't know anything about the HOtel de Nice. Sometimes, you do get what you pay for (at least some relationship), and I would assume the quad room in Hotel Turenne would not be as good as the others given that low price, and I think some rooms in the Champ de Mars and Turenne are very small (I know that's true of most hotels, but I mean really small). I believe they are both 2-stars and the Bourdonnais a 3-star, also. It depends on the age of the people, also -- two rooms would be preferable for getting two bathrooms in many cases.

John H

ahmia,<BR><BR>I'd also e-mail the hotel and ask them how far/long a walk it is to the La Defense metro. I think the Hilton is a bit further out of Paris and away from the metro station than the Sofitel, but I don't think by more than a few hundred yards or few blocks (based on a map I saw). Nonetheless, get the reassurance from the hotel itself.<BR><BR>John H.

Linda

Try the Grande Hotel Jeanne D'Arc. Great location in the Marais and for December they quoted me 122 euros for a quad.

kate

hotel de la Bourdonnaise is in an excellent location-lots of cafes, markets, etc.

gb

The problem is that we are traveling for 3 weeks, and even though 140E for two rooms seems reasonable, it is above our budget. And two rooms sounds wonderful as my kids are old enough that is safe and even desirable, it's one of the things we give up to take such a trip.

Betsy

Here's a thought, Ahmia: If your kids are old enough to be fairly independent, why don't you see if you can find a hostel for them close to one of the hotels you mentioned in your post? They could do the sites with you for part of the time, be with their peers at other times, and the cost for two in a hostel should be less than a second room. This worked great for us when we were in Europe with our son who was in his late teens. He enjoyed some much-desired independence in a protected way. <BR><BR>Maybe one of the hotels would know if there's a hostel within walking distance or a short metro ride.

ahmia

Interesting idea. We might stay at a hostel as a family in another city, but thought the city ones might be too wild(ie. coed showers or dorms. One daughter will be just about 18, but the other is 14. I don't think I'd sleep a wink. And I found that hostels are running about $25 in the city, which would be about $100. Same as a quad at Turenne.

StCirq

I don't understand whether you have or have not ruled out the two-room option, but for what it's worth, we have done two rooms at the Hotel de France a few times with our kids, and thoroughly enjoyed the place. I stay there when I'm traveling alone in France, too, sometimes, so I know it well. Great location, totally renovated last winter, nice staff....They will put you in adjacent rooms if you ask early enough. They also have one quad room, though it is usually booked far in advance.

confused

Is ahmia the same as gb? Or are we talking to 2 different travellers here?<BR><BR>Whichever, if money is of such concern, just take the free hotel and use the saved money to ease some other tight situation. La Defense is just fine and has metro access to just about anywhere you will want to go; a taxi isn't even that much from many points. (Doesn't Hilton have other options available in Paris?)

mary

We stayed at the tonic louvre hotel this summer - it was 140 Euros per night for a family room (we also have 2 kids). It is a block away from the Seine and a block from the Louvre -so great location. The rooms are clean but in need of a bit of refurbishing. The hotel was friendly and the breakfast was very good (included in the price).<BR>Mary toniclouvrehotel.com

tom

Hi <BR>We are a family of four also and recommend this hotel the grand hotel Leveque.ITs on 29 rue cler. It is in the heart of all paris's sites within walking distance. They are at www.hotel-leveque.com No traveler should be without Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door. Rick is the guru of travel.<BR>happy trails to you!!<BR>Tom

ann

We stayed in a quad at the Hotel St Andre des Arts last summer for $104 euro including breakfast. Though the hotel was not the best I've stayed in in Paris, it wasn't a dump either, it was clean but somewhat shabby (lots of exposed beams gave it a very old feel). The breakfast was just coffee/tea/hot chocolate and bagette but, hey, it was free, and considering the cost of breakfast for four it was a good deal (another post this weekend discussed cost of breakfast in Paris). The location was wonderful, just a minute or two from metro stop, close to Place St Mich and all the inexpensive restaurants in that area of the 5th, etc. Only drawback was our room was on the 5th floor and there is no elevator.

also wondering

Yeah, are ahmia and gb the same person or are these 2 different people wondering about staying at Hilton La Defense? I'd say Paris is one of those cities where free hotels rooms are worth plenty $$$$.