Picking a hotel in Paris
 

I have a choice of the following hotels for a visit to Paris this Thanksgiving.

Comfort Hotel Paris Convention Paris Pavillon Pereire Arc De Triomphe Paris Waldorf Montparnasse Paris
Mercure Ronceray Paris
Claude Bernard Paris
Duminy Vendome
Villa Montparnasse Paris
Mayfair Hotel

We are looking for a safe, comfortable hotel close to public transportation or ideally close to "the sights". We'd love to be in a neighborhodd we could find great cafes/restaurants in.

Has anyone heard of these? Stayed at them?

Any recommendations would be appreciated!

Might go to tripadvisor.com and look for yourself. I punched in Claude Bernard and got three recent reviews - 2 good and one bad. Its a three star in the latin quarter and one website showed a double with private bath for 65E per night in mid nov.

We really enjoyed Hotel Monge recently. Very nice room in the Latin Quarter for 95 euro per night. It had all the things you are looking for.

They're on the web if you do a search.

Aside from tripadvisor, there are good Paris hotel reviews on www.paris.org and digital.france.com/hotels

I can tell you that these are okay in some regard to your needs:

Montparnasse area:
Villa Montparnasse, Waldorf

Latin Qtr: Claude Bernard

Right Bank/Vendome area: Duminy Vendome, Mayfair

I would reject Ronceray and Comfort Hotel Convention off the top for location. Ronceray is behind dept. stores on bd Montmartre in the Grands Boulevards are--not terrible if you had to stay there, but would never choose it from that list as others are better.

Don't understand first mentions, but think there is a hotel in the 17th on there(pereire...) forget that one, it's too far out. YOu don't even need to go farther then the name of Comfort Hotel Paris Convention (yes, it's near one convention center, far south).

Probably any of these hotels would be near public transportation, though. Probably the Claude Bernard would suit most firsttime tourists best on the Left Bank; if you want right bank, all 3 above aren't that far apart, go by comments and how well you like the place from the numerous web sites on them.



M

when in any european city, i generally try to stay in a residential neighborhood close by a metro stop. for example, in paris, i stay in the 12th; in, say florence, east of the campo dei flori.

the metro or bus system in any given city makes the centre only a few stops more. whereas the cost of equivalent lodging is remarkably lower.

great comments on the Duminy Vendome at tripadvisor.com
I saw that hotel listed in a travel package--based on the comments, that's one I would choose.
I have heard good things about the Mayfair, don't know if there are comments at the same site.

Have you considered renting an apt in Paris. It is thebest way of feeling that you are actually living there. Get your groceries from the local stores, pick up a loaf of bread everyday and go out at night for a nice dinner. I'd recommend staying in the Marais area (3 and 4 arr). I rented a place through rentparis.com last year over thanksgiving and I am never staying in a hotel again.
Enjoy Paris

Tweetex, I was just wondering why some people like to tell other people to do the opposite of whatever they have very specifically asked a question about? I can tell without Shaya mentioning, and it should be obvious by the first sentence, that this is a package offering and that is her choice.

I've had this happen to me on here when I asked a very specific question about a particular hotel I wanted to know something about, people responded to simply tell me I should not be spending so much money, should stay in a completely diff. part of town and different quality of hotel, and never answered my question. I never said I didn't know where to stay or that I wanted suggestions at all (in fact, I knew the city quite well).

I've stayed in apartments in Paris and they are not the magic answer to every lodging problem nor even advisable most of the time IMO. I know this idea of renting apts. in Paris is this mystique of saying you have an apt. in Paris, but the goal of every travel experience isn't to pretend you are living in a place. Also, if you are dining out, why would you be buying a loaf of bread every day? I would have no use for a loaf of bread every day as I am out doing things at lunch and like to eat out at dinnertime. I don't eat bread for breakfast, either. So when are you eating an entire loaf of bread?

sorry, I guess this just got to me today, I just sort of get tired of the "you must rent an apt. in Paris" mantra on here

Hello all-
Thanks for the information. I could only find 3 of the list on tripadvisor.com that is why I posted my question here.
Yes, these are the offerings for a package deal! So I don't really have the options of an apt or other hotels (unless someone can clue me into cheap airfare from Dulles to Paris!)
The Duminy Vendome sounds like the most of what we want...it is on the higher end of the package offerings though. I will try to price airfare separately and still see if this is the deal I thought it was. Thanksgiving in Paris sounds too lovely to pass on easily!
Thanks again!