teadrinker

Hi there...
My dtr called from Europe.. she is leaving in the morning en route to Paris. She asked what the name of the hotel was where we stayed in 2003 - it was a nice hotel, but the area was too pricey for shopping.. it was the Plaza Athenee. When we were there in "03, we loved this little village that had a lot of very interesting boutiques where we bought unusual jewelry and I even bought a neat sueade/fur coat. I THINK the Moulin Rouge windmill was there, and I THOUGHT we climbed up some steps and looked down on the village.. was this MARAIS? And if so, can anyone recommend a nice hotel (I'm sure there's nothing like the Plaza Athenee there, right) where she could stay? I remember going to Ille St. Louise and thinking it was nice.. but not sure I'd recomend that as a place for her.. Before I remembered Marais, I told her to check out the Crillon, Le Meurice, Four Seasons George V and even Le Bristol - but I think those are in too-high end places.. she loves the village feel and the neat boutiques but wants a very nice hotel. Thanks so much.. I have to email her tonight so when she wakes up and checks out, she has some advice from me! Thanks again!

janisj

you are listing some of the most posh/expensive hotels in Paris (or in Europe for that matter)

What is her budget - and looking for any hotel only one day in advance is pretty chancey . . . . .

teadrinker

Thank you.. I am not sure what her budget is - she is with her boyfriend - and if they were considering the Plaza Anthenee, they must be able to afford something like that. I'm still looking online.. I am beginning to think it was MONMARTRE where all those shops were.. and perhaps it was from the Sacre Coeur that we could see down into the village... and I remember there was a circle of artists there.. they were painting, etc., doing portraits.. I need to looke up the area of Pigalle too... thanks again

janisj

Pigalle and Posh/up market are seldom used in the same sentence.

MERLOT

I think the Marais would be the more interesting area for your daughter.
Here is the link for a hotel ny friend loves in that area.
http://www.carondebeaumarchais.com/
The Montmartre area is very nice for a visit but I think a little too far out for staying.

Pausanias

Unh huh.

teadrinker

The Caron de Beaumarchais does look very nice.. is it easy to get to just about anywhere from this hotel and is it in the 4th Arrondissement do you know? I realize that most of the hotels I'd advised her on earlier were in the 8th Arrondissement.. that must be the "high end" of Paris... Le Meurice is in the 1st. Would you pick Caron de Beaumarchais over the one's I'd recommended to her earlier because it's closer to Marais than the ones in the 8th?

MERLOT

The Caron de Beaumarchais is in the Marais. It is about a 2 min. walk to the Hotel de Ville Metro stop and also on a really nice street with all kinds of little shops. The entire area is very quaint. Here is a site with more info. on The Marais.
http://www.answers.com/topic/marais

tuscanlifeedit

Well, no. If she can afford luxury then I don't think I'd pick Caron de Beaumarchais over any of the ones you mentioned earlier. I also don't think Montmartre is a good idea.

If your daughter is used to upscale hotels, perhaps the Marais isn't the best choice either. She'll find both the upscale atmosphere, a quaint feel, and wonderful shops in the 6th. That's where I would go with a budget other than the one I usually travel on.

Pavillon de la Reine in the 3rd is about the nicest hotel in the Marais.

I was just looking on tripadvisor.com and there seem to be some very nice hotels in the 6th.

I would love an upscale hotel, but the 8th wouldn't be my first choice. I honestly think I'd go for a four star or an expensive 3 star in the 6th.

But Pavillon de la Reine is on my list of places where I wish I could stay someday.

MERLOT

Reading your post again, I see your daughter seems to have a good budget. This hotel in the heart of arrond. 6 might be more to her liking. This would be a more ritzy area and not as trendy as Marais.

http://www.hotel-madison.com/uk/madisonsite.html

travelhorizons

For a smaller, boutique hotel she might try the Lancaster. There are some great amenities if she books through Virtuoso.

cigalechanta

Caron is for me with a low, very low budget but she is too late booking anyplae except for top dollar as you say she has.

teadrinker

Well, I'm confused, a little. I thought that the Caron de Beaumarchais looked so good, and the reviews were really good too, on Trip Advisor, so what could be wrong with it? The Pavillion de la Reinne also had almost all excellent reviews as well, so that's one I will recommend to her. I checked reviews on Trip Advisor for Hotel Madison and they were not all that good, neither were the Lancaster.. though the place looks so cool from the outside! So.. thanks.. I'll tell her she'll have to make up her own mind. I'll give her the websites for Caron de Beaumarchais and Pavillion de la Reinne and tell her it's their decision, but I do feel she'd like being closer to Marais than whatever area the Plaza Athenee is in.. what do they call that area, anyway?

teadrinker

Okay, it's champs elyesses.. (spelling is incorrect I know)!

teadrinker

ELYSEES! Got it now!

kate12

We stayed at the Pavillon de la Reine two weeks ago. Loved the hotel and the Marais nbhd.

Christina

I think this is just out of the scope of most people's experiences for 21 year olds (are you Paris Hilton's mother, ha ha). The Pavillon de la Reine is upscale and in the Marais, so I think that's a good idea. The Caron de Beaumarchais is nowhere near that level of luxury. It's only a 3* hotel, and the rooms are very small (and the TVs are mounted on the wall like in an institution). Sure, it's very cutesy (maybe too much for some folks), but it's not at all the level of hotel you are talking about if your daughter says.. gee the Plaza Athenee was a nice place, how about that. There aren't any real upscale hotels up in Montmartre, but I really don't think that's a good area, anyway. The best would be the one that has a good terrace view, the only 4* one up there -- the Terrass. http://www.terrass-hotel.com/

They have opened a couple new 4* "luxury" hotels in the Marais in the last couple years, those might be worth a try. Like the Hotel Villa Beaumarchais

travelbunny

might I suggest a reality check?? A 21 y/o at the George V with BF?? This isnt a hotel in which she will meet many her own age unless with parents or on their honeymoon..many of the smaller hotels which were mentioned are likely to be full..yes worth a phone call BUT I think she might need to try rates to go or venere to get something in her neighborhood of choice (suggest 456 or 7th near the 6th).

Christina

What's wrong with the George V. I don't think the point of a hotel is to meet people your own age, she's not looking for a hostel because she's backpacking around. She specifically asked about the Plaza Athenee as she liked it, and wants a really nice hotel. There are some young people (including celebrities of various kinds, lots of movie and music stars) who are rich and do stay in places like that. The Stones often stay there, for example. I don't choose a hotel based on the idea that I am there to make friends with guests my own age, either.

Now I don't think we have a clear idea of what she wants, but maybe she is the type to hang out with the Stones, Kate Hudson, Demi Moore's daughter, that's all I'm saying.

tuscanlifeedit

I think the Rolling Stones are older than I am, and I am old. Unless we're talking about different Stones...

There is certainly nothing wrong with staying in a top hotel. I wish I could. But the OP was talking about someplace different from the atmosphere of the 8th...