golfernz1

Hi, I'm interested in some experienced opinions. I have just returned from Paris and once again enjoyed it for the fifth time. However I have mixed thoughts about any future stays there. We stayed in two small private hotels, both with overpriced and inadequate breakfasts so we chose to skip them. The first hotel was dark and rooms small, furniture spartan and not very comfortable. The second small hotel had no elevator and a tiny bathroom you could hardly turn round in but otherwise was quite pleasant.  We also stayed at the Ibis near Canal St Martin and apart from the disgusting towels that you could almost shoot peas through we enjoyed it there. The towels were ready to be thrown out and unfortunately dragged the standard right down as I use Ibis and Novotel hotels a lot especially here at home in New Zealand and they are great. But I am beginning to think that the way to go in Paris is with an apartment where you can chill out in a larger space and have the choice of eating out or eating in. All the markets had a wonderful array of vegetables and fruit for sale but why are they not presented on menus? Too many cafes are going for pasta and dishes that are not truly French.  And those that do have the traditional French dishes are ridiculously expensive. Anyone in agreement or otherwise?

Nikki

For a stay of more than a day or two, I find apartments far more comfortable than hotel rooms. Space to relax, comfortable seating other than a bed, a place to keep food and drinks to avoid going out for breakfast and to sample the wonderful offerings from the markets.

I find that vegetables are used in much of the cooking in French restaurants, even if not offered separately as an item on the menu. There might be a bit of salad on the plate with the first course, or some samplings of vegetables on each main course plate. I have not been to many cafes that concentrate on pasta or other non-French items, so I wonder about that comment.

francefling

6th time to Paris and have stayed in an apartment 4 times and loved it!!! More room, the owners or managers are very kind and will make reservations for you if your french is not very good. Not to mention being able to have a latte and pain au chocolate in your parisian apartment before you stroll the fabulous streets of Paris makes you feel like a local, not tourist. Have fun!

avalon

Like Nikki, I like an apt. for longer stays, even though the hotels I've stayed in have larger rooms than you experienced.Our regular room at the Danube is bigger than my bedroom at home.

I don't do much cooking in Paris but I do like going t the boulangerie each morning for a fresh baguette and some almond croissants and making coffee in the apt. It's also nice to relax with some wine and cheese in the late afternoon after being out all day. I loved the little courtyard in our last apartment.

I too wonder what cafes you went to as I've always had a serving of some vegetables on my plates. The only time I've seen pasta is when we go to an Italian restaurant!

mamcalice

After 7 trips to Paris, we still stay in hotels. I don't want to cook while I am in Paris and want to have breakfast at our favorite cafe - Cafe Bonaparte. Also, we don't spend a lot of time in the room except to change for dinner and to sleep so why stay someplace where you have to make your own bed. We've stayed in farmhouses and villas in Italy and loved it but in Paris, I like the Hotel des Saints-Peres best. It saves spending time looking for an apartment in our favorite neighborhood.

Christina

Do whatever you want, but your post doesn't really make any sense, it is very biased and just written to support a position you apparently already have. I have never had the experiences you have had in hotels in Paris and I've stayed in probably at least a dozen different ones over the years. I've stayed in about 3 apts, all of which were probably not quite as nice or comfortable as the hotels I usually stay in. Why? Because apartments are a lot more expensive for the same quality as a hotel if you are not splitting the cost, which I don't (meaning for one person). I think they make more sense for families or larger numbers of people.

I have no interest in cooking on vacation (and not a lot at home, frankly), and could never reproduce the stuff I have even in simple cafes in Paris so easily. This would take hours of my time, but I'm just not interested in it, anyway. Most hotels do charge a lot for breakfast, so don't eat it, who cares. I don't eat it, either. I don't really eat breakfast, but even when I stayed in an apt I would never eat breakfast in the apartment.

So you are somehow extrapolating from the cheap chain hotels you stayed at to all hotels in Paris and thus they all must be bad and all apartments must be superior and great. what a joke

Christina

oh, and as for your comments about how the food in Parisian cafes is very expensive, no, I don't agree. Again, who knows where you are dining, I find very reasonable places to eat with good food. I suspect your dining habits match your hotel-picking habits.

denisea

I am also toying with idea of an apartment. We are going to Paris again in a few weeks but are staying in a hotel this time, but it may be the last. I use the reviews from trip advisor to help me decide on a hotel if I don't know of one. I do appreciate the assistance you can get from hotel staff and would not cook. I haven't had a bad hotel experience at all. I accept that the rooms will be much smaller than they are in the US.

I think the thing that has kind of scared me off it the bad apartment experiences and posts and I didn't check into it far enough in advance to get the best selection of apartments. I do think the space and the more Parisian experience would be great. I would like to rent an apartment that others have rented and really rated highly on the forum. I will probably pull the trigger on an apartment on our next trip.

eliza61

I really think it depends on your style of travelling. When I'm on vacation with just myself or my husband, we prefer hotels. I don't want to cook on my vacations nor do I want to do laundry. I research my hotels extensively to try and find one that fits what I want.

As for expense, Paris is a major tourist destination, of course some restaurants will be pricey. really no difference if you go to London or New York. spend some time simply strolling the streets. you'll find many affordable cafes and shops to eat at.

When I travel with my family, we prefer an apartment. kids have more room to spread out and can grab snacks out of the refrigerator.

A little pre-planning on your next trip may help you narrow down whether or not you want to go hotel or apt. both have it's advantages.

Leely2

I almost always prefer apartments just because I don't like staying in hotels very much, no matter how nice, how big the rooms, how plush the towels, etc. Some people like having a staff, concierge, maid. I'm probably weird but I like to be on my own. I don't do major cooking, but last time I was in Paris I had about eight nights. Went out to dinner six of those but the two other nights just got home late and had wine and made a simple salad, etc. I also like to make my coffee in the morning as soon as I get back from a run. Next time I go to Paris I will probably rent an apartment if my visit is longer than three days.

I haven't put much thought into towels, though. Different strokes and all that.

Guenmai

I'm one who has switched over to apartments which I much prefer. I've been vacationing in Paris, 1-2 times a year, almost annually since the mid 70s and have stayed at a lot of hotels and in areas all over Paris.

99% of the hotels were 2-star, nice hotels, of which some of them now have a 3-star rating. There might have been a couple of nice, 1-stars thrown in there, back in the 70s. But, as far as space goes, most were approximately 15 square meters.

The various Paris apartments that I have stayed in have been, one bedroom ones that are 40-50 square meters big and I have a decent kitchen. And as far as the cost, the apartments that I have had, that happened to be in the same neighborhood, of the hotels that I have stayed in, have cost almost the same per night as the hotel rooms. I've stayed in apartments in various areas.

The last thing I want is to have to be restaurant dependent. I don't eat at restaurants every day here at home and don't feel like eating at them every day on vacation. I usually eat lunch in a restaurant, but I like to have breakfast and usually dinner at the apartment. I personally like to be able to go back to an apartment, at the end of a long day, fix a meal and relax. Happy Travels!

nytraveler

We always do a hotel since we want hotel services. And since I never cook at home there's now ay I would do so while on vacation. Have found many hotel sin Paris to have large rooms with comfy seating areas - plus 24 hour room service - yuou just need to adjust your price point.

If you want to cook - then obvsiouly an apartment makes more sense.

Also, I have not noticed a dearth of trditional French food - it just depends on where you go.

Byron1

We just returned from Paris and that was our first time ever. We stayed 12 days in an apartment in the Marais. We loved the experience. We had breakfast everyday in the apt (just went down the road to the boulangerie and got fresh baguette and croissants, cheese etc). The markets allow you to bring fresh fruit and some wonderful treats to the apt for dinner. We ate out at lunch. We ate some wonderful meals out as well. Overall, our first experience in an apt was fantastic and we will certainly do it again.

bardo1

If you don't want to cook - don't. I prefer apartments in Paris and we rarely cook. Pastries, gelati, fresh fruit, juices, breads, cheeses, roasted chickens or other prepared foods from the numerous nearby indoor and outdoor markets are not "work". Sometimes we don't even "cook" our own morning espresso, just pick it when we go a few doors down the street to get the morning croissants. Or even occasionally breakfast at a nearby cafe - always better than a hotel basement.

MNsnowflake

We've been to Paris 3 times since 2006. Our first trip was in a hotel, as we felt as first-timers we might want the assistance of hotel staff. We found Paris extremely easy to navigate on our own, so the next 2 times stayed in apartments. We don't go out every night and wanted a comfortable place to spend those off evenings. Unless you get a really expensive hotel room, the only seating you're likely to get in your room is a hard chair. We want a sofa and good light for reading. And a kitchen is nice even if you don't want to cook. You can pick up a few deli type things to have handy, some of the great sandwiches or pastries, etc. to have on hand in the fridge. We never cooked anything more than eggs and toast for an at home breakfast, but the little kitchen is still useful. You need to do your homework on the apartment, but also on hotels -- there are many hotels that get very positive reports on this site and they're not all super expensive. And of course with an apartment you have to pay in advance; a hotel is much more worry-free in that regard.

Byron1

MNsnowflake, that's exactly what we did re food, etc. Having a sofa and a separate room from the bedroom was wonderful. I can't wait to return.

pconte

My .02 euros ( or .03 USD) worth ...

We _love_ staying in an apartment in Paris!

Several observations:

1. There are charming and crummy hotels and apartments, and good/bad values in both categories -- choose wisely in either case.
2. Not wanting to cook is ZERO reason to not consider an apartment. Paris is filled with unbelievably good carry-out, prepared food. Of course, food from an excellent chef is also of interest to us, so we eat out for some of our lunches, while having picnics on others.
3. _Wanting to cook_ is, however, a very good reason to stay in an apartment with a reasonably-equipped kitchen. There is so much good meat and seafood available in Paris, it makes me quiver just thinking about it. For almost all our meals, I cook simple, fast dishes that let the ingredients shine. This year, for example, we has one dinner of quickly sauteed langostines with just a drizzle of lemon and butter, followed by Coquille St. Jocque (big scallops), cut live from the shell (not for the squeemish) flash-seared and drizzled with a simple reduction of white wine and sauteed garlic. A wonderful green salad, fresh bread, ample wine and pastries from a local patiserrie completed the picture.
4. Consider the total costs in comparing. We love _good_ wine and lots of it! While the food costs for eating out can often be only a bit higher than carry-out, the difference (for us) in wine costs is huge. (Perhaps I shouldn't be admitting this?)
Every morning I also enjoy my assigned role of going to one of Paris's top boulangeries and picking up the freshest croissants, pan au chocolate, apple tart, and more. My sweetie (and this year my sister and husband) loved sitting in a spacious dining+living room in their PJ's planning the day and munching on goodies and fresh fruit.

In sum, for our personal preferences, in Paris, an apartment provides much higher quality-of-life than a hotel. (Obviously, the calculus will be different for other folks.)

SuzChicago

I won't cook on vacation as that is not a vacation in my humble opinion. That being said, I prefer the apt. route just because you have room to spread out during down times without being on top of one another. I also wake up earlier than my DH and DD. I would much rather move to a sofa or kitchen table for coffee and handling e-mails rather than sitting holed up on the toilet seat so I don't wake everyone else up. If I were the type of traveler, however, who kept the same sleeeping schedule as my spouse and we were high energy types who just use a room to crash, that would be a different matter.

Leely2

I am pretty sure I want pconte to invite me on her next trip to Paris.

pconte

Leely2,

I'll speak to my DW.

-- Paul ;-)