Reserving at Hotel des Grandes Ecoles in Paris
 

Hello, all. I am going to Paris in June with seven other people and we want to stay at the Grandes Ecoles. According to their website they will not take reservations for June until Feb. 15. Does anyone know how strict they are about that? Anyone managed to get a reservation before the designated reserve date or, conversely, been told there was no availablilty shortly after the permitted date for reservations? It is my natural tendency to play by the rules and I don't want to irritate the management by trying to skirt them, but I don't want to lose out by waiting too long either, particularly since we will need four rooms and I know this is a very popular place. Would appreciate hearing from anyone who has experience with this matter. Thanks.

Betty, I think they hold fast to their rules.<BR><BR>When I found out that we were going to be in Paris in May, I immediately contacted them--I didn't even think to look at the web site to see when they would begin taking reservations for May.<BR><BR>This was around January 10. They responded, saying that I would have to wait until Jan. 15.<BR><BR>Well, I waited until late in the day on January 14, knowing that it was already January 15 in France, and submitted another request. They confirmed almost immediately. <BR><BR>I've been trying to book a room there for the past three years, but we usually don't have enough lead time and they are already booked. The last time we were in Paris, we stayed around the corner at the Hotel Monge and I went over to the Grandes Ecoles to check it out. It looks lovely, but you know how it is when you've built something up in your mind for so long--now I worry about it being a let down.<BR><BR>Other posters here have assured me that it is as lovely as it sounds.<BR><BR>Best of luck in getting the spaces that you need!<BR>v

They stick to their rules. It is a very lovely place if you get one of their best rooms.Book the exact day allowed The breakfast is overpriced and very ordinary. I keep fruit, yoghurt and cereal in my room (don't know if that would work in June) and then have coffee and croissant when I leave. Lot of good spots nearby-excellent location you can walk most anywhere, but there is a big hil on the street-no air conditioning.

OK, looks like I'll be e-mailing them at 6:01 pm on Feb. 14 (12:01 am in Paris)! I thank you both, elle and ita, for sharing your experience. Elle, you and I did exactly the same thing. I stayed at the Hotel Monge for a couple of nights last August and checked out the Grandes Ecoles while I was there. Mme. Floch even let me see some of the rooms and I talked with some guests in the courtyard who were very happy with the hotel. I don't think we will be disappointed. Any chance you will still be there in June?

Jan, while tne Hotel des Grandes Ecoles is great, are you sure you want to stay there without air in June? We also stayed at the Hotel Monge in late June and wouldn't have wanted to stay anywhere without air. Just thinking outloud....

&quot;Any chance you will still be there in June?&quot;<BR><BR>Don't I wish! <BR><BR>No, we'll just be there for two days before heading south. When we come back to Paris we're staying at Hotel de Banville in the 17e (I like to check out different neighborhoods).<BR><BR>I did notice that you can book up to four rooms at a time on the Grandes Ecoles reservation form---hope that works out for you.

Sorry I will miss you, elle. We, too, will be heading south after a few days in Paris. Hope you have a wonderful trip. Thanks again for the advice.<BR><BR>Jan, I know I am taking a bit of a chance going without A/C but we'll be there in early June. I've been to Paris about a dozen times in the summer and can only remember a couple of occasions when it was uncomfortably hot, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one.

Betty, I'll endorse both the Grandes Ecoles as well as you plan to email them on the evening of the 14th. That's exactly what we did last year four months before our trip. They will confirm within a week. Ask for a room that is NOT in the main building (i.e., the building where the reception area and breakfast room are located. Those are the smallest rooms.<BR>We stayed there two weeks a loved it. The staff is wonderfully helpful, charming and efficient.<BR>

Well, folks, I followed my plan and e-mailed the GE just after 6:00 pm last Friday. Got my answer this morning - &quot;sorry, we are full for June 4-7&quot;!! How can that be!? <BR><BR>My back-up hotel is the Hotel Residence Monge but it is not nearly as charming as the GE. Anyone have any other suggestions for the 5th or 6th that would approach the GE in charm and comfort for 115 euros or less? (I am weeping in my morning coffee here!)

Betty,<BR>Sorry to hear about that bad experience. But, it's always good to have a back-up hotel. <BR>You could try the Hotel du College de France** in the 5th arr. Very quiet location and quite charming. Should be within your price range too and isn't that popular here and there. No A/C though. Bonne chance.<BR><BR>www.hotel-collegedefrance.com

Betty, I am truly sorry that you couldn't get in, especially after following the &quot;can't miss&quot; advice of emailing on the 14th! I guess a lot of others thought of the same strategy! Or perhaps, a large group booked for those dates.<BR>All I can say is that obviously the Grandes Ecoles is getting very popular. It was just recommended in National Geographic Traveler for the second time in two years!<BR>I can't help with another hotel, but I would recommend the same area, as we found the Latin Quarter to be most convenient for many reasons.

Could you take a chance and call them? Ask them to put you on a cancellation list if they have such a thing.<BR>Maybe speaking with them directly rather than email will get you better results.<BR>If you really would like to stay there, it might be worth a shot.<BR>I don't think you will irritate them if you are polite about your inquiry.<BR>

<BR>Well, just thinking of this:<BR>1) The French Open is on during that period (May 27-June 9)<BR>2) Your date coincides more or less with the long weekend over here (Whitsuntide)<BR><BR>They might give longer stays a priority. Just an idea. Not correct, but might be a fact.<BR>

Ursala may have hit on to the cause of your disappointment. Sher has made a good suggestion. A further suggestion: The manager/concierge's name is Marie. Ask for her. She's a sweetheart. She works Monday thru Friday.

Betty, I am so disappointed for you!<BR><BR>In addition to the other reasons suggested, perhaps it was because you needed quite a few rooms?<BR><BR>Just a thought.

I have also tried to make a reservation for july, but they told me that I need to wait until march 15.. which is still a long way to go for someting that is not certain.. therefore I have changed my mind and made a reservation for the Bonaparte, according to fodors it has air, large rooms, small frigidaire,safe and close to a Monoprix to buy wine, cheese, fruits etc..also the location is walking distance to my favourite's sites ...maybe someday I will try the Grandes Ecoles...

That's too bad, I always wonder about that kind of thing myself, also, as similar things have happened to me. It may be because you want so many rooms, also, I imagine that's part of it, but still doesn't make sense. <BR><BR>I think College de France is a good idea. A few others in the Latin Quarter that I believe are you budget (often lower, actually) and might have a little more charm than the Monge are Hotel l'Esperance on rue Pascal and Hotel Saint Jacques (on rue des Ecoles). They are both 2 stars but not too basic for that level. I know the Esperance is also recommended often in guidebooks, articles, etc as being charming.<BR><BR>www.hotel-saintjacques.com<BR>www.hoteldelesperance.fr<BR><B R>The St-Jacques is the one in that Cary Grant/Hepburn movie, Charade, so that might be kind of fun. It is also on www.france-hotel-guide.com with a nice presentation. It is near the Maubert metro whereas l'Esperance is down in the bottom of the quarter. I think you can sometimes get rooms in the Hotel Claude Bernard for around that rate, but it's a 3* and often more than the others (sure it would be in June, although it does have AC now, from what I've read). It's right near the Saint-Jacques. <BR><BR>

To: Kismetchimera<BR>I might suggest you follow our actions in booking a hotel. The Grandes Ecoles was our first choice, and we did the same as you and tried to book early. When I found out its policy (i.e., 3 or 4 months ahead), I then booked our second choice to make sure we had something. When the booking date for the Grandes Ecoles rolled around, I emailed out reservation. When I got the confirmation, simply cancelled the other one.

Thanks to all of you for your sympathy and your suggestions. The more I think about this, the more I don't like it. As I see it there are four possibilities: 1) They received dozens of requests on Feb. 15 and rather than assigning rooms on a first come first served basis, they chose certain ones, perhaps based, as someone suggested above, on length of stay.(Understandable, perhaps.) 2) They accepted a bunch of reservations before Feb. 15 contrary to their own rules. 3) Lots of people made reservations in Jan. for stays beginning in May but carrying over into my dates in June. (I sorta doubt this one.) or 4) They didn't want to take a &quot;group&quot; reservation. (I only asked for 4 rooms.)If that is the case, they should have said so. I ran into this at a few other places last August when I was asking about places to stay this June.<BR><BR>I am going to go ahead and make reservations somewhere else (hope I'm not too late). I think I will try the Hotel du College de France, the Hotel St. Jacques, the Hotel Monge and maybe Regent's Hotel in the 6th. But I am also tempted to try an experiment to test theory # 4, that is, to have each couple in my group try to make a reservation at HGE seperately and see if they are also turned down. If they are accepted I could just deduct that amount from what they owe. But we could end up with 2-6 of us in one hotel (HGE) and the rest somewhere else. Do you think it's worth a try? Or should I just forget it and go with another hotel? This has put such a bad taste in my mouth I'm not even sure I want to stay there anymore.

Choice #2 is highly unlikely. I tried to make reservations way in advance and could not do so and they sent an apologetic email; they have a strict schedule that they follow. When the time opened up for me they emailed me again to ask if I was still interested in making a reservation. I think they go by a first come, first served basis. <BR>It's best to reserve at another hotel. You can try again but it's no guarantee. There are other hotels that are very nice and not too expensive. Have you heard of Hotel Select near the Sorbonne or the Abbatial St. Germain? They're both in the 5th district also.

For Howard...Thanks a lot about about your suggestion regarding making a reservation for the Grandes Ecoles in March..I have thought about it, but I believe That my pre-teen grandaughter, will be happier having a small refrigidaire in the room...Ciao.

I suppose if your dates were at the very beginning of June, it's possible they didn't have that many free rooms from end of May.<BR><BR>I think it would be okay to be in two hotels if they were very near each other, but not the greatest for a group trip where you are trying to have camaraderie. Of course there are other budget hotels around there, I remembered also the Residence Saint-Christophe which is very near the Monge and HGE, but I don't think it is superior to Monge in any way, just another option. I think that hotel is just getting too popular, unfortunately.<BR><BR>I agree with you if it's the group thing, they should have told you that specifically, so maybe they are booked. There are several holidays in there, as Ursula said -- May 29th is Asencion and June 8-9 are holidays.<BR><BR>Hope you let us know where you finally book, I want to hear the end of this story.

If it is any consolation, I had to endure sleeping in Room 2, which is right in the entrance hallway near the breakfast room. The room was tiny and the constant traffic was so disturbing that I hardly got any sleep the three nights I was there. Trust me, instead of being holed up in one of the small rooms due to lack of spacious rooms, it is much better finding other accomodations and being able to enjoy Paris with a rested body!

Thanks again, everyone. I tried the College de France and even though the French Hotel Reservation Center showed them as having &quot;more than 10&quot; rooms available, I got a response saying they were full for my dates. Same thing at the St. Christophe. I am beginning to think that any request for 4 rooms will get the same response. Can Paris hotels really be that full for June 4-7? I'm about to try the Hotel Monge by e-mailing directly. Maybe since I stayed there last August they will be straight with me and I can find out what's going on here. If that doesn't work, I'll try the St. Jacques or the Bonaparte. Wish me luck! (Any other suggestions?)

Betty, I needed to book three rooms about the same dates you looking for two years ago, many of the left bank hotels are small, have few triple rooms, which we needed and only a few rooms with twin beds, depending on the types of rooms needed does limit you, we ended up at a 2 star Hotel Le Home Latin, which has about 45 rooms so getting a block of rooms is easier, the hotel has a great location, rooms are not fancy but serviceable and personnel are terrific, we had a very comfortable stay and I was there two weeks. It is a nice two star but doesn't have a WOW factor if that is important to you. We had tried to get rooms at Hotel College de France but they were full, this year I will be in Paris about the same time as your trip and have already booked into the Hotel du College de France.I booked in Dec or Jan or maybe even Nov this time. I don't like to stay at the same hotel, always trying something new but the Hotel Le Home Latin and Hotel College de France are right around the corner from each other and I sure do like the area. You have access to a number of metros and the RER in this area. Have a great trip. Deborah

I do have one option which I guess would be a last measure of desperation in one way, but not quite as bad as that sounds. It's just a place I haven't personally seen and you can't find out much about it (I guess that's desperation enough) but think it might be available and I know others who like it. <BR><BR>It's the Hotel Pierre Nicole on rue Pierre Nicole near the Port Royal metro stop. You won't find it listed or mentioned much of anywhere, and I'm not even sure it participates in the French rating system. I've seen it listed as a two-star and also has a no rating. It's not found in any guidebook but caters to various educational groups, which is how I know about it -- I went to music school at the Schola Cantorum down near there (twice in the past five years) and they had a block of rooms in the Pierre Nicole for students who didn't want to stay in the dorm. It is definitely cheap enough as you can imagine, not being listed anywhere (perhaps around US$75 per double). It's used by various French educational conferences, etc, also, they cater to that clientele. All I know is one older gentleman who was staying in there whom I would describe as a Felix Unger type and somewhat picky described it as &quot;lovely&quot; so I would guess it's not a dump. I saw the outside of it, of course, and it's a charming older French hotel from the exterior, but I didn't see the rooms. <BR><BR>This is going blind, I know, but thought I'd mention it as a possibility if you are getting shut out everywhere. It's at 39 rue Pierre Nicole. If you stick Hotel Pierre Nicole into Google, you'll find it mentioned as accommodations for a bunch of French educational symposiums/conferences because it's near several schools (Sorbonne, Mines and the Schola Cantorum). Here's one conference listing with it mentioned:<BR><BR>http://www.biologie.ens.fr/fr/accommodation_fr.html<BR><BR>Here's another one in English for an architectural or gardening program that calls it charming:<BR>http://www.togardenfinely.com/paris.html<BR><BR>It does have private baths/TV/phone. If you get desperate, maybe you could inquire if they have a brochure or something they could FAX you, I've had hotels do that (pre-web pages, they xeroxed a few pages). It's just an idea, but I do know they are used to dealing with groups and won't have a problem with that, and I know it was considered acceptable by many in my program, who were professors, performers and graduate students, not real young students. <BR><BR>

BTW, the Pierre Nicole is listed in red Michelin, I just checked and it doesn't say much -- gives it one house and says &quot;practical, fairly spacious rooms&quot;. It's a 33 rm hotel, has an elevator.<BR><BR>This is their email from 3/02 according to another educational symposium web site:<BR>[email protected]

I am thrilled to report that my sad tale has a happy ending! We now have reservations for 4 rooms at the Hotel St. Jacques, 35 rue des Ecoles. How? I asked for 2 rooms, got them, and then had one of my group ask for 2 more and he got them as well.<BR><BR>Every hotel I e-mailed asking for 4 rooms (5-6 of them) claimed to be fully booked for my dates. The Hotel Monge did, at least, offer me two rooms. Lesson learned: if you want several rooms, ask for no more than 2 at a time. I wonder now if I could have gotten in the Hotel des Grandes Ecoles by using the same &quot;trick.&quot; Ah well, I'll know next time and I think we will be quite happy at the St. Jacques. <BR><BR>Thanks again to everyone for your suggestions. Christina, I especially appreciate your concern and your taking the time to look up the information about the Perre Nicole. Fortunately, I didn't need to use it.

Betty -<BR><BR>So glad to hear you were able to reserve at the St. Jacques! I think you will like it. I have stayed there, and would happily return.

This sank pretty fast after I posted this afternoon. I am topping it so that those who were interested and concerned enough to commiserate and try to help will see the happy end to the story. And thank you, Lesli, for your comment.

<BR>Betty, it makes my day to read that this story has a good end. I am sure you will be happy with the Saint-Jacques.

Betty, I too am glad to hear your problem is solved. Maybe your original difficulty arose from small hotels not liking to take group bookings, since in the event of cancellation refilling the space is much harder for them. However, like you I wouldn't have considered 4 rooms to be much of a 'group' - but evidently, it is.