mberry

I'm trying to choose between the Prince Albert Louvre in the 1st and the Hotel de Turenne in the 7th. I've read a lot of feedback both here and on tripadvisor and they sound about the same, except that one is in the 1st and one is in the 7th. Which location would be better for a first-time, 3 day visit (w/kids)?

Underhill

What do you want to do and see? The 1st is near the Marais, the Louvre, the Palais Royale, the Tuileries, the Palais de la Découverte, the Madeleine, and two of the big department stores.

The 7th is near the Luxembourg Gardens, Les Invalides, the Rodin Museum, the Orsay Museum, Le Bon Marché, and the Eiffel Tower.

Both are near Nôtre-Dame and the Ile de la Cité, where sits the Sainte-Chappelle and the Conciergerie. Also near is the Ile St-Louis.

Some people like the Right Bank; so do we. Some like the Left Bank; We do too.

It's always a difficult choice, but as you can see, both areas are centrally located for sightseeing.

kismetchimera

I would choose the 1st. The oldest neighborhood of Paris..It does have a lots of charm,,walking distance to Notre Dame and Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris..
Both places are close to the sights....

StCirq

It's kind of an odd choice for a first-time traveler to Paris, since there are other choices, but assuming you've done your homework, I'd take the 1st, especially with kids, as you'll kind of be in the thick of things in the 1st. The 7th is farther away from the center (but closer to the Tour Eiffel, Invalides, Rodin Museum, and d'Orsay) and more residential.
I don't know the Prince Albert Louvre, but do know that there are better choices for a 2** in the 7th than the Turenne.

mberry

Thanks, everyone.

StCirq: please tell me why it's an odd choice. My homework focused on finding an affordable ($100 -$150) triple room with air conditioning in a safe neighborhood, close to the "sights". The Turrene is the cheaper ($98) and my daughter likes the idea of being closer to the Eiffel Tower, but I'd be willing to spend a little more if the 1st is that much better for a first time visit (you know, the kind where you see: the eiffel tower, the Louvre, etc.)

Hotel Savigne (in the 4th) has a similar room/price, but requires a non refundable 1st night deposit, which at this point I'm not ready to pay. Most other recs I found on this site (Muguet, etc.) were a bit out of my range.

I'd be happy to hear other suggestions!

MyriamC

I was going to suggest the Muguet ... Perfect location, quiet neighbourhood, lovely room (with A/C and ours had Eiffel Tower view) and good service.
We were glad we had chosen this quiet neighbourhood and we didn't have the feeling as if everything was far away. The metro takes you anywhere in Paris!

missypie

We stayed in the 1st with 3 kids...nice neighborhood. But with that said, I would choose the hotel that is the closest to a convenient Metro stop (and a bakery or 2). We were a 10 minute walk from 2 Metro stations, but with 3 tired kids, that 10 minutes could seem like forever. Also, look at a metro map. On some of the lines you can't travel to hardly any of the "touristy" spots without one or more connections. Being on the line that goes horizontally through town would be terrific.

kismetchimera

mberry,
If you are looking for a triple room with AC, why dont you stay at the Bonaparte?
It is economical, great location in the 6st, very clean..
I was there last July with my daughter and grandson..We had a triple room, with a small balcony facing Rue Bonaparte and we paid only E.142 a night.
Asks for room 7...

mberry

Grande Hotel Leveque just confirmed that they have a street side room available at the same price as Prince Albert. I've read many raves about Leveque (here and elsewhere) - so I took it, even though it's $40 a night more than the Turenne.

StCirq

Hi, mberry:

Most first-time travelers to Paris don't consider the 7th - they're usually interested in the Latin Quarter or St-Germain. I personally love the 7th, so you'll get no quarrel from me on that. But better hotels for the same price in the 7th include the Muguet, Champs de Mars, and my personal favorite, the Hôtel de France on the boul. de la Tour Maubourg. One of the reasons I prefer the 7th is that it is quieter at night (NOT dead - there are plenty of cafés and restaurants). If that's a concern for you (the 1st is sort of "in the thick of things," right downtown), the 7th might be the better option for you.

ucsun

i stayed in the 1st and didn't like it. it seemed impersonal. i then moved to the 9th and loved it. but overall i walked many parts of the 1st-10th, i could find anything wrong w/ any of them if i were to stay there. you're only there at night mostly anyways. even w/ kids, i'd imagine you can stop off at a park and rest while the kids have fun.