Hi--am planning a surprise trip with my cousin for Thanksgiving. Package am considering includes Ibis Paris Alesia Montparnase (14th), Ibis Paris Berthier Porte de Clichy (17th), Campanille Boulevard Berthier (17th) or Hotel Eiffel Capitol (15th). Last two times went to Paris stayed at the Hotel Langlois and Hotel de Grandes Ecoles. Actually liked Hotel Langlois better (larger room, much less expensive and close to shopping and metro). Has anyone been to these hotels? What about the location for 2 ladies traveling alone with limited French? Thank you.

I haven't stayed at any of them, but based on the locations from that list of four, I would take the Hotel Eiffel Capitol. The others are out on the periphery of the city and while you can certainly take the Metro anyplace you want to go, I just feel that you would be best served with the location of the Eiffel Capitol compared to the others.

Ifyou know of a hotel that you liked for less I would stay there rather than an Ibis. They are good clean places but no charm. For the approximate 90E price, there are many places to stay.

I'm guessing lacontessa is working with a package and these are the choices at a particular price point. Gretchen makes valid points about Ibis, in my view.

Hi--yes, I am trying to take advantage of the gotoday.com Thanksgiving special package. These are the least expensive options available with the package ($645-$695 per person for 4 night package, airfare, taxes, and breakfast). Buying the least expensive airfare separately (e.g., Delta $527 including tax from DC) and booking the Hotel Langlois again ($134 per night) would mean another $100-150 per person. And, that doesn't include the "free" breakfast with the gotoday.com package. Sometimes the packages are better deals. Expedia has many for about $750 (flight, 4 nites hotel, taxes). Do you have another alternative we should consider?

The "naked" airfare of $527 from Washington DC for that period is very likely to come down. The alternative would therefore be to wait a bit, but again, "past performance is no guarantee of future results". The package price is decent, but I wouldn't stay out on the periphery to get it.

One of my best male friends swears by the Campanilles. He vacations in Paris regularly. Although,I too, vacation in Paris regularly, I haven't stayed at any of the above as I always stay in the 6th. Happy Travels!

I'd probably take the Alesia Montparnasse, then maybe the Eiffel Capitol. The Alesia is not on the far edges of the city, it's just below the cemetery, around Pernety metro. I like the Montparnasse area and know it pretty well, so that's probably why, but I know the area around Eiffel Capitol fairly well, also (stayed just a bit south of there). It's south of Dupleix metro, near rue St Charles. They'd both be okay. Both those don't like that charming, but I think the Alesia looks a bit better. I read a bad review of the Capitol Eiffel on some hotel board.

I would be fine with either of those in terms of location. I would not even consider the other ones as they are out on the edge of the 17th on a humongous street near porte de Clichy. I suspect all these hotels are around the same quality -- the Campanile Berthier is no more charming than the Alesia or Eiffel Capitol.