While I am wrestling whether to go or not, in light of the riots, if anyone is familiar with the Marriott in Paris and has advice on places within walking distance that you recommend we visit for dining, shopping, touring, etc, please comment.

"Walking distance" can mean so many things, it's really impossible to generalize. The nearest tourist attractions on the right bank are the Arc de Triomphe, Grand and Petit Palais, Tuileries, Madeleine, Louvre, and Opéra.

On the left bank, we have the Eiffel Tower, Invalides, Musées d'Orsay and Rodin. (NB: yesterday's student action was around Invalides.)

Here is a map of the city highlighting the major monuments:

http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...eur&fm=pdf

You can get walking distances and timings from mappy.com by selecting &quot;Pedestrian&quot; at the bottom of the <i>Itinerary</i> frame.

The area you have chosen is full of expensive and very expensive restaurants and litttle else in your immediate location. If you have any leverage with Marriott, their new Vendome hotel on Mont Thabor would be a far better choice, albeit w/o the view.

Hi C,

You are not far from the Parc Monceau.

Thank you for the information.

Oakglen, would you elaborate for your reasons for your recommendation? We can change hotels easily.

Click on Destinations at the top of the page and navigate to France then Paris. You'll find a list of things to do. Also, do a search here for dozens of threads talking about great restaurants in Paris. The riots will only impact you if you are in the middle of where they're taking place..which your hotel is not. It's not like the whole city is in flames.

We have stayed at the Marriott Champs Elysees and the Renaissance Place Vendome for free using Marriott points. We enjoyed both properties.

The rooms at the Place Vendome are more upscale (furniture design, lighting fixtures, flat screen DVD player, Bulgari soap and shampoo), and there is an indoor pool.

Woody

Ah! Woody! We are using points as well. ;-) I travel so disgustingly much, I am Platinum Premier (125 + nights in a year). Some Marriott and Renaissance properties will upgrade you to a suite if one is open. Did you have any success with an upgrade?

Woody, we will only make one trip to Paris. If you had that as the guide--one trip only, which property is the better of the two sites to stay at if we were to limit our touring to the following sites: Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre Dame?

Did you use any tour services from either of the hotels? If so, any comments?

We stayed multiple times at the Marriott Champs Elysees using points, typically for a week at a time. Last November we stayed a week at the Renaissance Place Vendome (after it became a Marriott property). As previously mentioned, we enjoyed both properties. You cannot go wrong with either one -- especially using points.

We once received an upgrade at the CE, but that seems to depend on availability. (Last week we stayed at the Marriott Grand Flora in Rome and, without asking, we were upgraded to a junior suite on the top floor with a separate sitting room and two balconies.)

If you are choosing a hotel based on proximity to the sites you mention, the Arc de Triomphe is just down the street from the CE. The Louvre is walking distance (or perhpas one metro stop) from the PV. The Eiffer Tower and Notre Dame are a bit further away from either hotel.

If this is your one trip to Paris (and want the total tourist experience), I would recommend the CE. You will see the Arc de Triomphe every time you step out of the hotel. But you will also encounter countless tourists strolling what is likely the most famous street in Europe.

But if you are looking for a smaller, upscale hotel in a quiet neighborhood, and close to a park (the Tuileries garden is one block away), I would go with the PV.

The concerierge staff at both hotels do an excellent job.

Woody

I'll elaborate a bit on the two hotels' locations.

The Renaissance Place Vendome is on a small street with some boutique shops and a few restaurants nearby. There is a pub across the street. In the evenings, the shops close. The PV has a very expensive restaurant run by a notable chef.

The Marriott Champs Elysees is on a busy street. Nearby there are restaurants (sit down and takeaway), movie theatres, clubs, stores (a wide range including pharmacies, Sephora, Virgin Megastore, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton), and car dealerships (Renault, Toyota, and Mercedes Benz). One of our favorite places is the Lauduree patisserie and restaurant right across the street (the macarons are heavenly). There are several boulangeries (Paul, Brioche, and others) close by (great for a quick croissant or pain au chocolat). There is a Monoprix department store/super market one block from the hotel (very convenient if you want a bottle of wine or picnic supplies).

Woody

Thank you very much, Woody!