hms

Has anyone stayed at the Royal Fromentin or the Tulip Inn Orange la Lafayette? I understand the Royal Fromentin may be in a seedy district. We will be arriving Christmas Day and I hope the "ladies" will be on holiday and the "gents" with their families.

Flyboy

As for the Royal Fromentin, I've not stayed at that particular hotel but I have stayed in that immediate area before. Suffice it to say that when your nearest metro station is Pigalle, you are setting yourself up for a different kind of Paris experience than many people would choose. Montmartre is a fascinating neighborhood, but I have a hard time recommending it as a place to stay when there are so many other choices that are far less dicey.

hms

As long as I dont feel threatened or unsafe it would probably be ok. When you say "dicey" would that be comparable to New Orleans "dicey" or worse?

Flyboy

It is a place to be "street smart"; to know what you're doing and to LOOK like you know what you're doing. My feeling about New Orleans when I visited was that it felt more bawdy than unsafe. Some of the immediate area around Pigalle-Clichy I would describe as more seamy than bawdy. I wouldn't necessarily describe it as out-and-out "unsafe" on the more lively streets. Montmartre is a neighborhood that is well worth seeing, but basing your visit to Paris from there is an entirely different matter and a much different experience than basing from, say, St. Germain.

hms

Thanks for your reply. I have booked my family into the Hotel Fromentin but, I will continue to look for other deals. This will be our first trip to Paris and would rather stay in the 5th, 6th, or 7th or so I think.

Travelnut

hms, there are several reviews on these websites for your hotel choice.
If you go to www.pagesjaunes.fr, and enter the hotel name and 75009 in the 'Localite' field, you can then see a picture of the building. You click the arrows to the right or left to 'walk' the street. You can see your hotel is next door to the corner Sex Shop, one in a row of them (on Blvd Clichy).

Is this your first visit to Paris? I think you would acquire a better impression if this neighborhood was not your situation...

http://www.venere.com/cgi/feedback/f...iate_user_id=0

http://www.hiptravelguide.com/paris/reviews-6.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...de_France.html

Judy

You mention having booked your family into this hotel. The corner Sex Shop may not be what you want your children to remember about Paris.

palette

As my 11 year old g-daughter said as we were passing the shops so she could see the Moulin Rouge - "Grandmom, these places are inappropriate!"

Travelnut

hms, here is more info... just wondering, though, are you still looking?
1) I put in dates of Dec 25 - Dec 31 into www.parishotels.com and these are some of the many selections available in the same price range as Royal Fromentin: (I chose 3-stars)

Hotel Agora Saint-Germain 42, rue des Bernardins 75005 Paris France
Tel: +33 1 46 34 13 00 - Fax: +33 1 46 34 75 05

Hotel de Suede Saint-Germain 31, rue Vaneau 75007 Paris FRANCE
Tel: + 33 1 47 05 00 08 - Fax: + 33 1 47 05 69 27

2) According to same dates, www.cybevasion.com offers:

HOTEL ACACIAS SAINT-GERMAIN 151 bis, rue de Rennes 75006 PARIS
Tel 33.(0)4.77.49.99.99 Fax 33.(0)4.77.49.99.90

Hotel Delavigne 1, rue Casimir Delavigne - 75006 PARIS
Tel 33.(0)4.77.49.99.99 Fax 33.(0)4.77.49.99.90

StCirq

You know, hms, you've posted innumerable posts here and on SlowTrav and elsewhere about this hotel preference of yours, and you seem to be just stubbornly refusing to accept the fact that experienced travelers have made other recommendations. On SlowTrav you said that friends of yours who were also first-time travelers to Paris stayed at this hotel in Montmartre and recommended it. So, either go with the recommendation of your friends who are novice travelers, or be open to other suggestions, already!
Let's go over the basics here - Montmartre is NOT the area for a first-time tourist to Paris to stay in, even if your friends had a great time there. They were probably too naive to realize its disadvantages. I believe quite a few people on at least two travel boards have told you this.
If you insist on staying in Montmartre, then give up asking questions about the place. You've been offered lots of alternative suggestions. Either follow up on them or book at your friends' suggestion in Montmartre and deal with the consequences.

CLOUCLOU

Hi hms,
I don't the hotels you're talking about but I can advise you 2 other hotels in the same area: The hotel Bergere Opéra: http://www.bergereopera.com/index.html or the hotel Palmon Opéra, both *** and not too expensive (I think they below to the same group of hotels): http://www.palmonopera.com/index.html
I hope I've been helpful. Have a nice trip in Paris!

mitchdesj

I think St.Cirq is giving you excellent advice;
Montmartre is not centrally located and is worth an afternoon stroll for sure but you do have other options to consider and would be better served to stay in another area.
Once you've been to Paris, you'll realize why.

hms

StCirq While it is true that I have posted twice about the Hootel Royal Fromentin on this site I have never even visited a SlowTrav site nor do I have any friends that have stayed in the area of Montmarte. Oh and by the way thanks for all of your great suggestions and input.

StCirq

Well, hms, if that is the case, then I do apologize. You obviously have a cybertwin on the SlowTrav site with a the same or similar travel plans. Maybe you'll run into each other in Paris!

hms

I am at the internet in the Montana Hotel in London. Arrived yesterday from Paris. Trip report will comee next week
Having a great time. Thanks Fodorites

Elainee

I am also in \london today and the weather is really miserable. There were even some snowflakes this morning and it rained or drizzled all day. But it is still good to be here. Off to see "The Snowflake" with the Sandler Wells Ballet tomorrow morning...selected by my 7 year old grandaughter. Shopping the sales tomorrow afternoon even tho the dollar buys nothing.