I posted earlier about having only a few days to explore Paris and Switzerland and/or Germany. From all the excellent advice I have chosen to stay two nights in Lucerne two nights in Paris. Now I am overwhelmed with finding lodging in those two places. I need your expert advice on clean, reasonably priced places to stay in Paris and Lucerne. And I also need advice on transportation. Here is our possible itinerary:

London for 8 days
July 1- travel to Lucerne and stay 2 nights
July 3- travel to Paris and stay 2 nights
July 5- travel to London to stay 1 night (fly home the next day)

Any and all advice is appreciated!

I forgot to mention that the lodging is for 2 people!

How do you plan to get to Luzern? I assume by plane to Zurich.
Otherwise,it will take a full day and negate the logic of even making the trip. I would be tempted to pick one location, not both.

We had planned to take the train to Luzern. Not a good idea? What would you think about Germany instead of Switzerland? I know it's not ideal but we want to get just a flavor of Paris and something Germanic.

What area in Paris? And is Luzern a good locale in Switzerland? So much to learn!

A train will take 9 hours with 3 changes--is that what you want?
I would stay in Paris---it demands 5 days.

Lucerne is a good place to stay, beautiful scenery and plenty to do. We can recommend the Hotel Goldener-Stern, clean comfortable rooms with a good breakfast. It's only ten minutes walk from the railway station and five minutes walk to the covered bridges, so very central.

No, we don't want to spend our entire day traveling. What about a sleeper train? Any that go into Luzern?

I will check out the Hotel Goldener-Stern. Thank you!

Don;t know Goldener-Stern. We have stayed at the Wilden Mann - also a hotel/restaurant with a lovely dining room, the Balances/Belviue and the Montana and were very happy with all of them.

Go to Paris. Stay there.

Paris and Luzern?

That is just plain daft.

That is like Prague and Burgos.

Stay in Paris 5 days.

Thin--who does like the Hotel Montana in Luzern

Stayed at Hotel Goldener-Stern in 2003, was functional, clean and inexpensive considering Swiss prices.
I think you do not have enough time to move around in 4 days. If you have the choice to reduce London by a couple of days, it becomes more 'doable'.
Also, I take it you have already bought your flights - - next time, you should book a 'open jaw' ticket where you fly into one city and out of another, so you don't waste time back-tracking.
If you can rearrange your plans:
London - 5 days
Lucerne - 2 days + 1 to get there
Paris - 3 days + 1 to get there
London - get there for flight next day
Fly out of London