Dave

My wife and I are traveling (without the kids) to Paris in May 2002 to celebrate 20 years of wedding bliss (gag me). We've narrowed the hotel choices down to these 4: Le Tourville, Relais Saint Germain, Saint Gregoire, and Buci Latin. We are interested in your opinions to help us select the one. Merci.

mia

I think the Relais St Germain may be the most romantic and the prettiest, the most luxurious.There is a FodorsRivage book called Charming Inns and Hotels in Paris..these hotels are in it, you can see why they are considered charming and also see a photo of the hotel.Happy Anniversary-we celebrate ours in Paris almost every year~M

Ursula

Dave: I would go ahead, asap with any of the places you mention.<BR>May is a very busy month in Paris, full of public holidays in Europe, and some places may already be solid booked, as they are favourites of everybody, small and mentioned in all travel guide books. However, I would start to get a room at the Relais St.- Germain as well.<BR>Bonne chance!

Patrick

You are on the right track -- my favorite area of Paris. A couple of years ago we spent a week at Relais Saint Germain with friends. We each had wonderful rooms -- basically like jr. suites with large sitting areas. All four of us could get together at the end of the day on sofa and a couple of big easy chairs, open a bottle of wine, throw open the big French windows, and recap the day. It was almost like having our own apartment --spacious (when do you hear that word in relation to a Paris hotel room?), beautifully furnished, and very nice staff. My partner and I returned for two nights before flying home from Paris, and had an even more charming room -- again almost like a suite with a wall semi removed but exposing old supporting beams, walls upholstered in beautiful blue toile fabric, and this time we even had a little kitchen (total waste for us). I'd really have to be stretching to find a negative, unless it would be that for the breakfast (which is included by the way) they used little pre-packaged bon-bel cheeses. We thought that was tacky. If you think you can survive the pre-packaged cheese, you'll be very happy. <BR>I have looked at the Buci Latin and the Saint Gregoire, and unless you can opt for one of the very few large rooms, they are both pretty cramped. We now usually stay at Le Regent and opt for a deluxe room which is nice at about half the price of the Relais Saint Germain (although certainly not neary so grand), but if your budget allows -- go for the Relais!

Dave

Thanks for the advice. Anyone know about Le Tourville? You are convincing me that Relais is a keeper. It is on the high side of our budget and you have peaked my interest with Le Regent. Where is it located and do they have a website? What else can you say about it?

Christina

There are several hotels with Regent in the name, but I'm sure the one discussed above is the one on rue Dauphine in St-Germain. I don't think it has its own website but is on several hotel sites--I like both www.france-hotel-guide.com and www.parishotels.com. I think Tourville is on the latter, also. I haven't stayed there but have heard nice things about it many times on here.

Maribel

Take a virtual tour of le Regent at<BR>http://www.pariserve.tm.fr/hotel/regent/reception.htm<BR><BR>We considered it, the Millesime, Relais Saint Suplice, le Madison and the de l'Abbaye for late March. The Relais Saint Germain is beyond our budget for 8 nights, the Saint Gregoire a bit too removed and the l'Abbaye (super quiet and romantic), was already booked when I called Oct.1.

AGM/Cape Cod

My husband and I ended up at the Relais St Germain by a fortuitous mistake by the travel agent. Since my husband is an insomniac I like having a larger room. The junior suite at the Relais St Germain was perfect for us. The location was great for tourists with the Odeon Metro stop half a block away and an easy walk to the Seine. We have booked there for a trip in March 2002. We took pictures of the room and our view if you are interested.

Patty

If you want to be walkable to everything you will not be dissapointed in Le REgent on rue Dauphin. They have two categories of rooms. All the rooms that face the rue Dauphin are large and cost about 1150FF. The rooms that face the rear are much smaller but much cheaper at about 750FF. The reception is charming. The location is dynamite. send them an e-mail - desk staff is very helpful.

Dave

Thanks posters! Your advice has been very helpful. While the Relais St Germain seems like a great place to stay, we are now considering Hotel Le Regent on rue Dauphine (thanks Patrick and Christina), and the Au Manoir St Germain des Pres. Anyone dare to compare these three choices. The Relais is on the high side of our budget and the other two are a bit less expensive. My feeling is that we can't go wrong choosing any one of the three.

pj

I have only stayed at Au Manoir last April. You are next to everything,Les Deaux Maggots Lipp!! We had a jacuzzi the rooms are charming[I checked out other rooms when I was there] The breakfast room very inviting,very french!

Dave

Thanks PJ! What did you think about the noise level in the rooms at Au Manoir St Germain des Pres? Was it an issue?

Dave

PJ, my earlier question was in reference to the street noise.

Surlok

Dave,<BR><BR>I haven't stayed at Au Manoir, but given the heavy traffic on Bv Saint Germain, if you decide to stay there, I would opt for a room in the back.<BR><BR>However, I stayed three times at Rue Dauphine, once at Hotel Dauphine, and twice at D'Aubusson, where Le Regent is, and I was never bothred by street noise. Rue Dauphine is much smaller, and less busy than Bv Saint Germain. By the way, Le Regent's lobby is lovely, and I've read rave reviews on the superior rooms, and the hotel staff. The standard rooms are said to be really too small, even by Parisian standards.<BR><BR>Regards,<BR><BR>S

pj

We did not have the windows open, it was beautiful weather last March but did not need windows open! There was not street noise [it is a busy street!] I am going back this spring and think i will stay at Hotel De Lutece on the St. Louis en Ille

Surlok

PS: as far as central location is concerned, both, Au Manoir and Le Regent are very central, and both are walking distance (short) of the places mentioned by JP. The Le Regent is quite close to Rue de Buci, where there are many small restaurants, the small street market, and also very close to Rue Saint Andre des Arts, another lovely small street, with many restaurants as well. It's also close to the Seine river and Pont Neuf. The only plus I see about the Au Manoir is the jaccuzzi, what Le Regent bathrooms don't have.

Jen

I vote for the Buci Latin - a little more modern hotel - check them out on their web site at www.bucilatin.com. I'll be staying there for me 3rd time in December - was disappointed when we tried a different hotel (Hotel de Buci). For the price, location, and comfort of their down-comfortered beds, you can't beat it! <BR><BR>As for romance...we did spend our honeymoon at this hotel, and it was great.