Our travel agent has booked us into a newly opened/renovated hotel named Hotel Madeleine Plaza on Place Madeleine for our first trip to Paris. Does anyone know this hotel? Is this a good area? Any recommendations for restaurants/cafes?

Don't know the hotel but the Place Madeleine is a fine area..convenient, lovely, upscale. I would gues the hotel is the same as the area would dictate it. Do a topic search on PARIS for other information... this forum is mad about the place (justly so).

Kathy, The Hotel Madeleine used to be our favorite, we stayed there 4 or 5 times before it was renovated, in fact I proposed there. We stayed because it was very well located and cheap, about $80.00/night, and kind of funky. The Metro is diagonally across the Place from the hotel, and the Place de la Concorde is a short walk away along the Rue Royale. Fauchon's is across the Place. We found out the hotel was being renovated when we tried to make reservations in January of '98 and got no response so we stayed on the Ile St-Louis instead, a nice alternative. I'd be interested to know the going room rate.

Richard, thanks for your response. Rates were 990 ff for a twin or double and 1200 for a 2-level suite. We chose the suite cause it seems like a good value. Check out www.hotels-emeraude.com for pictures, etc. They include breakfast and tea in their rates.

Wonderful location. Ten steps down Rue Royale is Laduree....the best tea room in Paris - around the corner is Lucas-Carton where, for $400 you can enjoy Michelin 3-Star cuisine in true Belle Epoque glory. The Paris Opera, Place de la Concorde, Louvre, Galeries Lafayette and the Fauborg St. Honare are all just steps away. Your travel agent plugged you in to the brightest spot in the City of Light!