Question about specific Paris hotels
 

Hi,

I'm planning a trip to Paris in either April or May and it's my first trip to Europe by myself where I've had to actually do the planning and choose the hotel and all that. I had a list of hotels that I thought looked good from the books I bought but when I went online (I think it was tripadvisor.com) where they have hotel reviews they all seemed to have horror stories, some of which involved the hotels being filthy or people getting bitten up at night. Anyway, I found a certain number of hotels online that had some negative reviews, of course, but nothing horrific. I was wondering if anyone on this board has had any positive or negative experiences with them. They're a little pricier than I had wanted, but if the place is clean I'm willing to shorten my trip by a couple nights. Some of the ones I was wondering about are:

Hotel le FDR
Victoria Palace
Hotel de Saint-Perez
Hotel Elysees Regencia
Hotel de la Tremoille
Royal Magda Etoile Hotel
Tryp Blanche Fontaine

The first two seem to have the best reviews. I haven't seen any of these come up in previous threads that I've read, but is anybody familiar with any of them?

Thanks!

Hi j,

Not familiar with any of them.

If you let us have some info re your requirements (price, arrond, elevator..)
we could give you suggestions.

You could also enter <Paris hotel> in the "search this forum" box.

((I))

I agree you should do a search here. The subject of Paris hotels comes up all the time. It is kind of interesting that you came up with a list of hotels none of which I've ever even heard of. There are so many hotels in Paris that to know which area you want to stay in, price range, etc would help people give you suggestions.

But I'll start with: Hotel St Jacques (5th), Hotel Minerve (5th), Hotel St Andres des Arts (6th), Hotel Champs des Mars (7th). My most recent trip I stayed in the Marais (3rd/4th) and loved the area, but I rented an apartment so I don't have a first hand hotel recommendation for that area. I think Joan d/Arc is one mentioned here a lot that is in the Marais.

The OP's list is 4**** and high-end 3****, so they're not in same category as St Jacques, etc. Most are on the Right Bank, which is not as 'favored' on this forum but perfectly fine just the same.

Hi js474,

We stayed at the Victoria Palace in October 2005, and loved it.

We recommended it to friends who stayed there in July 2006, and also raved about it.

I can't think of anything negative about the VP, but I'll be glad to answer any specific questions you might have.

Have a wonderful time in Paris!

Byrd

I haven't stayed in any, but have read okay things about the Victoria Palace, and it's a good location. Other than that, the Tryp hotel group generally has a decent reputation for good hotels in Spain FWIW.

By the way, I really am surprised you are finding many reviews of horrific dirty hotels in Paris, and think you have to go to that level to get a clean hotel. That isn't true at all, I don't know what kind of places you first saw reviewed, but I've never had a dirty hotel in France in 20 years and I've stayed at all levels from 2-4* (and mostly 2* and cheaper 3*). I am not saying no hotels in France are dirty, of course not, but this just seems kind of weird to me to read many reviews about dirty hotels with insects.

I stayed in the Best Western Neauveaux Orleans in Montparnasse. (please excuse my spelling) I can't believe I stayed in a Best West in Paris. (I don't mean to sound snobby) This hotel was great! Extremely clean and right across the streat from the metro. Affordable. And the area was great as well. A few cute shops & cafes. It wasn't hard to walk to popular sites. My only complaint was the room was small, but that is the case with most Paris/European hotels.
Good luck!

We found the Hotel Joan d'Arc to be very clean and pleasant and in no way dirty. We also found the Grand Hotel Leveque to be quite nice, very clean, and well maintained with good location. One trip we stayed in the TimHotel Bourse and it was also very decent at a very good price. None of these would be over a 2 star or at the most low end 3 star. I have also stayed at the Hotel La Regence Etoile (3 star) and again very clean and well maintained.

The most expensive hotel I have used in Paris was Le Bristol (obscenely expensive and thank goodness it was paid for by company expense account) which is 4 or 5 star - very clean and very nice but not worth 7 or 8 times the cost of any of the others I listed.

I guess if one wanted to stay in a dirty hotel in Paris it is possible but not par for the couse for sure.

"They're a little pricier than I had wanted, but if the place is clean I'm willing to shorten my trip by a couple nights"

Oh God, don't shorten your trip -- would you rent an apt for 90E/night? I just got back last week from a cute, sunny studio with balcony in the Marais. I wrote a review, including pictures:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34916913

I totally agree with Christina. I've stayed in hotels in Paris ranging from 2* to 5*. Some rooms were larger and had more amenities, but all were clean and comfortable.

As others suggested, if you let us know your budget you'll get plenty of suggestions.

Stayed in the Victoria Palace about 1.5 years ago and had a "junior suite" which was very nicely decorated with fabric walls, plenty of closet space, room was very quiet with an interior courtyard view from two sets of floor to ceiling windows. Bathroom good sized with a FULL shower curtain.

Breakfast buffet was extensive and we got it included in the rate.

Housekeeping was prompt and thorough; room was well-air-conditioned and it was much appreciated.

Easy walk to the Metro (couple of blocks to two different stations).

I would certainly not hesitate to stay there again.

Thanks for all the responses. My initial price range was 150 to 200 euros a night. The Victoria Palace is way out of that price range but everyone who has stayed there seems to have nothing but good things to say about it, so it might be worth it.

I was also looking to stay somewhere in the vicinity of the Latin Quarter since I want to be able to go out at night, but don't want to have to travel very far back to my hotel since I'll be travelling alone. I know there are a lot of bars and stuff in that area.

Since nobody on this board has any real complaints about hotels in Paris, it might just be that the people on tripadvisor.com are crazy or the type to complain about every little thing. The only reason I was worried is because I kept reading about the bug bites and I live in NY and I know that we're having a big problem with that here, so it was making me nervous. I was also worried because I'm 22, female, and travelling alone for the first time ever and I thought I might feel safer in a slightly more expensive hotel that might have better security, though I don't know if that's actually true.

Thanks again for all the responses, i'm currently researching some of the hotels mentioned here.

I'm sorry, I missed fishee's post the first time I read through the thread. I found the link to the site you mentioned and it does seem like a better bargain than a hotel, and I see nothing but good reviews for that apartment on the site where it's advertised. Plus, it's probably cleaner than a hotel and they are probably more helpful than a hotel staff since it's their own home, essentially. I'm very interested in this idea, are there any negatives about that particular apartment?

about the apt -- how many of you are going? If you're by yourself, the space itself is great, much more charming (IMO) than most hotel rooms at 150 E and with abundant room -- the place was spotless.

I don't think they have A/C -- I'd email to ask how warm the studio gets in May. There are two large windows --french doors to balcony and a big one in the kitchen. I sleep with earplugs in most EU apartments -- you can hear the living noise of people above you but this has been true of every apt rental I've done and it doesn't bother me. It's actually quite nice to faintly hear someone playing piano, etc. I think this is especially true when traveling by yourself. They both speak very good English. good luck.

Stayed recently at the Hotel Christophe in the Latin Qrt.
Nothing fancy but a very good location to metro and neighborhood restaurants.

I recently stayed at the Hotel Abbatial on the Blvd Saint Germain Pres near the Maubert metro stop. Based on our room rate I was not expecting much, and was very pleasantly surprised to find that my clean, lovely inexpensive room had a balcony overlooking the Blvd and a church. I sat outside with fresh bread, cheese, wine and olives all purchased within a three minute walk from the hotel. We walked almost everywhere, and found the hotel very conveniently located, and also metro accessible.

I think people on Tripadvisor may often post to complain about something, so there are more complaints that normal, but it's really hard to say without knowning what hotels you were looking at that had such bad complaints. If they were very low-level hotels from Let's Go or something like that, they could be dirty or whatever. But that's a far distance from having to book a 4* hotel.

There is no reason to assume an apt. is going to be cleaner than a hotel, none at all. I would expect the opposite, frankly. HOtels have cleaning staffs who are supposed to clean daily. I am not referring to that one particular apt. being mentioned, just in general. I've stayed in rental apts in Paris and both were dirtier than any hotel I ever stayed at in France. I'm not saying there was anything that bad about them or that they were really filthy, but they sure weren't cleaner than hotels.

Personally, I think in your situation, a hotel is a better idea, but if you want an apt., that seems a good one. You are concenred about security, having staff to help, walking back alone, etc. That apt. isn't in an area that a lot of people might want if they have never been to Paris and this is your first trip to Europe. I just don't think that's a good idea myself for someone who has never traveled much at all to book an apt. in a large city where they've never been, in an area they don't know that is out of the main center, and where they don't speak the language. It isn't near the Latin Qtr, either. There are plenty of decent hotels in the Latin Qtr, here is one, the Parc St Severin which is a nice 3* in a very convenient location:

http://www.paris-hotel-parcsaintseverin.com/fr/

I didn't realize this was OP's first time to Paris, thought it was just your first time solo.

If it's your first visit to Paris (and you don't have minimum highschool level fluency) then I guess a hotel might be better. But my first trip to Paris, I was alone and I rented a studio in Saint Germain Des Pres anyway, and I had a great time so don't rule an apartment out -- maybe just look for a very central area.

Personally, I have a strong dislike for lower to mid-range hotels that often have gross bedspreads, cheap hotel drapes, and dirty carpets -- it's depressing to come home to. If I can't afford a semi-elegant hotel, then I always prefer the shabby chic of a clean and roomy apartment.

Some people will complain about everything and anything on TA; some of those complaints seem reasonable enough and some seem absurd.

What I find interesting is that there is frequently no indication that these people complained to the management at the time they were there although some do report they have done so and received a shrug in return.

But when people report that this or that didn't work or the room was "too noisy" or that housekeeping wasn't good you wonder if they tried to get moved to a different room, etc., etc.

I think the VP is an excellent hotel BUT we had a larger than average room and it was not noisy, etc.

I have no idea how that hotel responds to valid complaints.

I know Priceline doesn't allow you to choose your location, but if you want a good-quality 4* hotel for a relatively cheap price you can often get a good deal. For example, in 2004, I bid for a 4* in the St. Germain - Latin Quarter - Montparnasse zone and got the Le Meridien Montparnasse. With taxes and fees, this worked out to about 95 Euros per night (my bid then was $110 USD, and I calculated the final amount based on the exchange rate back then). I can't say whether you could get a similar deal or not. But the room was clean, elegant, a good size, on a non-smoking floor, and with a large bathroom. Four metro lines and many buses were nearby. The lobby was attractive and the staff were helpful. Based on what people post here, it seems many pay more for a lot less.

Some of your suggested hotel locations are further out anyway, so it doesn't seem being super-central is that important to you.

Another possibility is Hotwire - many people are getting the Hilton Paris with that.

Another possibility is choosing a chain hotel - try Accorhotels.com . I found a good prepaid rate for a 3* Mercure hotel with good reviews, so that's what I'm choosing this time.

If interested in Hotwire or Priceline, read and post at Betterbidding.com . You have to be very careful so you don't get a dud of a hotel in a bad location.

"Plus, it's probably cleaner than a hotel and they are probably more helpful than a hotel staff since it's their own home."

I don't get the logic here. An apartment is probably cleaned when a renter leaves and hotel rooms are cleaned every day -- vaccumed, bathrooms cleaned, fresh towels. Hotel staff are there -- in the hotel -- while the apartment owners are not, and may not be accessible at all. If you check hotel web sites you can see what services are offered. Even in 2* hotels staff will offer restaurant suggestions, make reservations for you, give directions etc. Hotel staff have opened wine bottles for me, drawn maps, delivered emails from home and even made phone calls to check on shop hours.

Sylvie, I stayed at the Abbatial on one trip and found it to be clean, comfortable, quiet and convenient. I asked for a quiet room and was at the back, and didn't hear a sound. Did yuou get street noise in your balcony room?

Thanks for everyone's comments! The decision isn't final yet, but I actually just emailed the owners of the apartment fishee stayed at to see if my dates are available. I was a little nervous at first but between fishee's rave review, the positive comments on the website where the ad is posted, and the fact that my insanely overprotective dad actually called one of the women who left her phone number with her review and heard nothing but good things from her, I think it might be my best bet.

I know the area isn't exactly where I wanted to stay, but I don't mind not being right in the center of Paris, since I plan on spending each day i'm there in a different part of the city anyway, so the area I start from won't matter too much. Plus, since I'm going alone, the money i'd be saving by staying there instead of a hotel would let me take a cab back every night which makes me feel safer about staying out late at night. Hopefully they have my dates available and I can arrange the rest of the trip without a hitch.

Thanks again to everyone who responded! I'm sure i'll have more Paris related questions in the future.

JS,

Have you checked out other vrbo apartments in more central areas like Saint Germain des Pres or Latin Quarter? They're more expensive - around 120E - but might be worth it to you to be in an area that stays up all night. I don't know how easy it is to always grab a cab since I don't think you can flag them on the street.

The neighborhood around Rue Saintonge closed up pretty early, around 9:30 pm, although it may be more active in the spring (I was there in winter when the sun set at 4:30 pm.)

I think if you do your research before hand you won't need to be dependent on a hotel staff, and should be fine. But I would at least consider apt's in the 5th and 6th if you're a little nervous. How's your French?

Hey fishee,

I took French in high school but was never very good at it. I plan on brushing up a little over the next few months before I go, especially if you think that I am more likely to need some basic French in the apartment.

I'm always very nervous booking hotels and apartments sight unseen, and I honestly feel 100% confident in this apartment having spoken to you, and read all the reviews, so I'd like to stay there if those dates are available.

I'm not terribly worried about the cab situation. I've read that there are designated stops in Paris for cabs, so it sounds actually easier than hailing one in NY.

Would you recommend spending some heavy duty time brushing up on my language skills? Did you find it necessary in that area?

I only needed *very basic* French (ordering food and drink, buying things in the neighborhood...).

Like you, I took 4 years in highschool (so long ago), but I brushed up with one of those 15 Minute French programs (DK Eyewitness, 9.99 at Costco) for several weeks and I was completely fine. Polite phrases, numbers, "that one, and the small one in the back," stuff like that was useful.

IMO, the most important thing about staying at an apartment is having an excellent map. I recommend "Paris par Arrondissement" by Editions Coutarel - 6E at newsstands - it looks like a U.S. passport, just slightly bigger. It's very well organized and includes a bus map that I used frequently since the apt was so close to the 96 line. Much better than the Paris Streetwise I used last year which was useless when I needed to figure out where I was standing. Good luck, sure you're going to have a great time. If you have questions related to this specific apt, maybe post them on that apt thread.