Hello everyone. This is my first post.I will be in London with my Mum for 2 weeks at the end of May and am planning an overnight trip to Paris. I think we will travel on Eurostar early am
(sunday 4th June) and return late pm (5th June). I would like your input on where to stay. I have read that the Gare du Nord area is a little dodgy, altho' it would be convenient. We will be travelling light but would like to drop off our bag before we begin our bullet tour of Paris. I plan to do the hop-on hop-off tour, would like to get to Eiffel tower early the first day, the Louvre early on the second and fit in a seine cruise. I would appreciate your comments on where to stay for around AUD$120. Thanks.

Dear mum,

How much is AUD$120 in real money?

For about 75E or less

http://www.hotel-collegedefrance.com/

http://www.eurocheapo.com/paris/list...jeannedarc.asp

http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/h75012lux.htm

120AUD = 75€

Try booking a hotel off RER-B stop (Chatelet / St Michel) or off Metro Line 4 stops (see a map)..
These connect with Gare du Nord, so you could book a nicer hotel but still have some convenience to the train station. You can buy the initial metro ticket (works on RER, too) on the Eurostar (that's what I've read- go to the 'bar car')...

Suggestions:
Hotel Sainte Marie - 6 Rue de la Ville Neuve (2nd)
twin rooms 56€
http://www.hotelsaintemarie.com/

Hotel de Nesle - 7 rue de Nesle (6th)
2 persons 75-100 €
http://www.hoteldenesleparis.com/

Hotel Victoria Chatelet - 17 Avenue Victoria (1st)
twin rooms 87€
http://hovicha.com/

The Louvre is free on the first Sunday of the month, but could be very crowded in June... so probably would be more enjoyable early on Monday...

If you head straight for the Eiffel Tower after hotel check-in, you'll probably encounter lines, but really, the only way to beat them is to be early, arriving by 8:45am or so.

You could take the Bateaux Parisiens at the quai below the Eiffel after you get your tower views... and in June, sundown will come later so you have plenty of time to check out Musee d'Orsay or Musee Rodin, if you like, in the same general area. (both free 1st Sun of month)

After your Louvre visit, you might have time to walk through Notre Dame and explore a bit in the Latin Qtr or the Marais...

You may be better off with a day trip, coming into Paris early in the morning, and leaving late at night. An overnight trip requires that you spend a lot more money on the hotel, and you'll just be sleeping there for eight hours. With a 12-hour day trip, you get more bang for the buck.

Ira - AUD$ is real money downunder. Thanks for yr tips.

Travelnut - have read good things about a couple of yr hotel suggestions. Thank you, will look into them further. Also thanks for the great tip about buying metro tix on the eurstar and yr other helpful info.

AnthonyGA - had originally thought to do a day trip, but Mum is 70 and was worried about compltely exhausting her. Also the escorted tours are $$$ and wondered if I would waste too time figuring out the metro negotiate Paris in a day by myself.
Thank you all, Suzanne

I recently stayed overnight at a place just across from the entrance to the GdN called New Hotel and it was fine - basic, but clean, friendly and very reasonably priced. The major idea was convenience to the GdN for the RER B to CDG the next day, and it was perfect. http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/h75010newhotel.htm
The neighborhood further out can indeed be a bit dodgy but this was literally across the street from the station and did not require walking through any side streets, and being able to jump on the Metro at GdN was great.

Thanks Seamus for your input.

Travelnut-Have re-thought the dropping off bags and decided to travel very light. Straight to the eiffel tower. I have been reading more about Hotel Sainte Marie and it looks like the one. Thank you very much.

A couple of more qus...Does anyone have any suggestions for a restaurant close to the hotel, it's on rue de la ville neuve? Could we really walk to the louvre? Mappy.com says it takes about 20mins...is that all? Is there any 'secret' way to beat the eiffel tower lines that I should be aware of?

Looking forward to yr input. Suzanne

If you haven't booked your hotel yet, here's one more suggestion - the Hotel Eiffel Rive Gauche. We stayed there with our kids five years ago and are going to stay there again in July. It is walking distance from the Eiffel Tower, so that made it easy to get there first thing in the morning. It is 65 to 95 euros for a double room. website: www.hotel-eiffel.com

Hello again. I have just booked eurostar tickets for myself and Mum and have booked Hotel Sainte-Marie for 1 night, as per travelnut's suggestion. I am very excited and can see this all coming together now. Couple of questions...are taxis easy to come by in the centre of Paris? Besides online where can I purchase tickets for the Hop-on Hop-off tour and for the Bateaux Les Vedettes du Pont-Neuf ( seine cruise)? Can I do this after arrival?
Thanks in anticipation. Suzanne

Do take the precaution of taking some Anti-inflamatory drugs with you.
At your mums age all the rushing around may take a toll on her knee joints and ankles.
This happened to me after only 4 days and had to spend big bucks with a private doctor to get my mum feeling able to cope.
Do take her to Queen Mary's Rose Garden in Regents Park - Roses will just be coming into full bloom!

Thanks for the rose garden and anti-inflamatory tips Tod.

If you are going straight to the Eiffel Tower, one way to get there is on the 42 city bus. Just walk outside to the north east end of the station. Or take a taxi at the west end of the station. With a taxi, you have the option of stopping at the hotel on the way to drop off your luggage. Have the address written down to show to the driver.

After seeing the Eiffel Tower, take a Seine Cruise right there on Bateaux Parisiens. After your cruise, there are always cabs at the Eiffel Tower if you wish to take one from there.

From your hotel to the Louvre, the most direct walk is angling over to the Place des Victoires and then down with the option of detouring through the Palais Royale. However, you might enjoy heading down rue Montorguell, a very atmospheric market street. All of this will be clear when you consult a map.

Thanks RonZ. Have had a look at the map and it is just as you said all very clear. Might be nice to sample the markets while enroute. Do you know when they are open? Suzanne

I think you can easily buy your tickets on site whenever you get there. You can buy the hopon/off bus tickets right from the bus driver. I think the L'Opentour bus has more varied routes and might be a better deal for that reason (compared to Cars Rouges), and they do have one that stops at Gare du Nord for the Montmartre trip or something. YOu can also buy them from the Cityrama tour bus office at place des Pyramides or any tourist info office.

For the boat cruises, you can buy them onsite where the boat leaves.

Christina, thank you so much. Was hoping that purchasing the bus and cruise tickets was as simple as that. Just wanted to make sure.

I am planning on doing the L'open bus tour from Gare du Nord and then swapping to the grand Paris route around the main sights. Have found The L'open bus tour site has maps, so I have been able to plan out a possible route...where to get on and off, etc.
Thank you once again. Suzanne

I stay in the same district, and our favorite restaurant is the brassserie Le Vaudeville, right across the street from the Bourse and an easy walk from your hotel. We like to get there at about 8pm. Later on it's usually packed.

Dear Travelnut,
Just wanted to let you know, Mum and I have returned from our trip. All went well. We stayed at your Hotel Sainte Marie for 56 euro. It was in a great location for us. We packed light and jumped on the L'Open bus tour at Gare du Nord straight off the Eurostar, and toured Paris all day, covering all 4 of the bus routes. Jumped off right near Hotel Sainte Marie late that afternoon, showered and changed before taking a 20min walk to the Louvre and a Seine cruise. Walked back to the hotel very late that night. Jumped back on the bus the next morning and went to the second level of the Eiffel Tower,bus again for a walk around the Jardin de Tuileries, before catching the bus back to the train station and then the Eurostar back to London, to complete our bullet tour of Paris. Fantastic! Thanks again for the hotel tip. Suzanne