Hello! I've been reading your comments on Paris; I am going with my husband and 12 year old daughter for 6 days end of March/ beginning of April. I am so confused about where to stay!I'm pretty sure about staying in the St. Germain area, since that seems to be pretty central and close to the river.I would LOVE a room with a balcony!

what's your budget? do you want one room or two, with one being a triple?

Do a search for Paris Hotels in the search box above. You will find a lot of info that way.

My personal preference for both location and price is Hotel Residence Monge in the Latin Quarter. If you ask for a top floor room, you can request a room with a small terrace and opening French doors.

Hi Pf,

Keep in mind that a "balcon" could be a window ledge on which to put flower boxes. If you want to step outside, you need a "terrasse" (I think).

I agree with ira, a balcony is most often a little niche that allows one person to stand and look, and sometimes the flower box takes up most of the space. Still, it can be a pretty enhancement to a room.

Last month I stayed at a charming hotel in the 6th called the Delavigne. There are lots of favorable comments on it, including mine, at www.tripadvisor.com


In summmary, it's on rue Casimir Delavigne, metro stop closest is Odeon.
No a/c, but that's not relevant to March. Has an elevator and a tiny stone-walled breakfast room, or breakfast--excellent quality and quantity -- (extra $) can be delivered to your room with advance notice.

Decor very
pretty and in pristine condition. Fully carpeted. Bathrooms have built-in hairdryers. Shampoo,
body wash, shower cap provided. In-room safe, and radio. There are shower curtains. Satellite tv with two English stations, CNN and BBC. The hotel brochure mentions that each room is different, and that may also mean that there is a lot of size variation. The twin rooms are probably the larger ones, and the twin beds are pushed together anyway, so there would be no real loss in the romance department.

Our room had a balcony and faced the street, no problem with street noise. Rue Delavigne is only one block long and it’s a one-way street, and in fact a couple of our cab drivers had trouble finding it when we were heading home after dinner.

Hotel lobby very pretty and comfortable, with newspapers to read, including Herald Tribune and USA
Today. Off-premises laundry and dry cleaning can be arranged. Everything about this hotel was upscale--staff presentation, decor, ambience,etc.
www.hoteldelavigne.com
email [email protected]

Last month our twin room was 120 euro.

sorry, not sure how that funny face showed up, I was just typing a dollar sign indicating an extra cost for breakfast

I think a balcony can be charming in and of itself. I don't see the real need to be on it, but I know some people do. A "balcon" can often be something very small with only some pots and nothing you can step onto, however I do not think that a balcony that one can step onto is always called a terrace. It's just a large balcony. I think a terrace is something different, at least in my mind, and will almost always have to be either ground floor or penthouse (although there are some roof designs that make it possible on other floors). I have not seen a large balcony called a terrace routinely in hotels. Rooms with terraces really will have higher rates.

I think you need to state your budget for sure. YOu can have a penthouse suite with very large terrace at the Pont Royal, for example, for maybe 600 euro a day.

Sorry! I should have been a little more specific. We can spend up to $300ish USD a night. I want to get a real taste of Paris. My daughter is terminally ill and this is her big wish, so I want to make it all as special as I can. I think 1 room would be best, unless we could get a connecting room, but for the price? Thank you so much for your help!

I am very sorry your daughter is ill. This will be a very special trip indeed. OK, so click on my name on this post and find all the posts I did on Paris last March or March before that. And search my messages for the info on the fashion show at I think it was Galleries Lafayette. Explain to them your situation and ask for a seat for your daughter, at least, RIGHT at the end of the runway so to models walks straight toward her. IT is a MAJOR thrill. My daughter still swoons over the memories.

Also, take her to the Jardin de Luxembourg and remind her that's where a scene from the Marykate and Ashly Olson movie. Maybe watch that movie together and think of other things to do.

Go to a flower shop in Paris and get fresh flowers for the room. The things they make are simply luscious.

And take her to a show - something like Folies Bergere or something and blow her mind. To heck with what's proper. She'll love it.

Also, and this is thrill of a lifetime. Take her to an opera or a ballet at L'opera the original one- not the new garish one. I can't think of the name of it but it has Cezanne paintings all over the ceiling. IT will make you cry - and get box seats right up close. go early enough to see all the fabulish beauties in the marble entry hall.

IF she tires easily I wouldn't do Versailles - too exhausting. So is the Louvre, but DO eat lunch in the Muss D'orsay in the very fancy dining room. It is just too too beautiful.

And DO take her to the Ritz Vendome for a fancy meal in the beautiful dining room there. IT is sooooooo lovely.

And do take her to high tea somewhere fabulous.

And sit with her in the Tuileries gardens on Sunday and watch the fun.

Take her to watch the skaters in front of the Eiffel Tower.

And take her on the wonderful ferris wheel near La Place de la Concorde.

And finally, take her to the Notre Dame Cathedral and let her light candles. Or to Sacre Coeur (more strenuous). That was very meaningful to my daughter.

I've taken my young daughter three times and she ADORES all these things.

And buy her some french fashion magazines - like 20 bucks a piece but totally worth it. We still look at ours.

Take taxis everywhere. I suggest you save your money and have someone take you around so you never get lost or confused and so you can just concentrate on totally having fun and building a lifetime worth of memories. Just tell them all the things you want to do and let them figure out how best to string them all together. I'm sure Dave in Paris would be able to recommend someone. This would be worth staying at a hotel maybe a little less expensive and using that money instead to get around easily. Even kids in good health get VERY tired just trying to get around in Paris.

We like to stay somewhere near a market or at least takeout places so we can take food to the room in the evenings. And get a room with a TV - but remember to monitor what she watches. It's not censored AT ALL.

I am so glad you can do this together.

I'd be glad to answer any questions I can but really my posts are pretty specific, all the way down to packing lists, hotels, etc.
God Bless.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...llas&fid=2

This is info on the opera.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...llas&fid=2

Oh, and don't forget the wax museum. She'll love that.

So all that sould get you started anyway.

Hi Pf,

Sorry to hear about your daughter.

Excellent advice from Mariacallas.

Also:

Watch the rollerbladers on Friday night.
http://www.pari-roller.com/

Sunday brunch at the Musee Jacquemart-Andre'
http://www.musee-jacquemart-andre.co...re/home_en.htm

A day pass on the Batobus
www.batobus.com

A few hotels that have been suggested on this forum:

MY Favorite: Hotel Bonaparte, 61 Rue Bonaparte, 6th Near St. Sulpice. A triple is about 160E w/bkfst.

Tel 33 1 43 26 97 37
FAX 33 1 46 33 57 67


http://www.123france.com/123/en/hotel.php?id_hot=962

http://www.paris-hotel-grandbalcons.com/index.html

http://www.hoteldesgrandshommes.com/...exsommaire.htm

http://www.hotel-paris-notredame.com/index.html

Have a wonderful visit.

Thank you, everyone, for your help! One thing I've noticed, people who reply to Paris comments are very passionate about Paris! I love that. Keep the ideas coming, I'm hoping to book the hotel by the end of the weekend. Thanks!

http://www.hotel-dangleterre.com/
Hi Pfaller,
We stay in the Hotel D'Angleterre every time we go to Paris (except this trip coming up when we will rent an apt)
The rooms are large and comfortable and the staff is very courteous and helpful.
You might want to contact them and see if there are any special rates for the three of you, I believe you could fit in one of the deluxe rooms which I think are under $300.
It is in the heart of St Germain.
Also in that area is the Aubusson, the Hotel L'Universite on rue de l'Universite, and the Hotel de L'Abbaye on rue Cassatte.
Go look through a Fodors Rivages Hotels of Character and Charm in Paris. You can see a picture and read a description of the hotel..
Access Paris has a lot of hotel info, and things to do. There is a great section on what to do with children.
If you would like, email me at [email protected] and I can give you more info that I have saved.
Good luck ~

I like the hotel du danube on rue jacob, they have an apartment, 2 bedrooms. One bedroom is a double and one is 2 twins. The staff are so wonderful, in fact I will be in Paris the first week of March and this will be my 5 visit to Danube! [10th visit to Paris!]

Yes, the Danube is nice!

http://www.hoteldanube.fr/index-gb.htm
We stayed in a large room overlooking the courtyard, several years ago, the staff is wonderful!

Pfaller, I am so very sorry to hear about your daughter's illness. With the help of the fodor's forum I am sure you will be able to give her a magical trip to Paris. If your daughter likes fashions the shops in the 5th arr. along Saint Michel near Blvd Saint Germain are "totally out there" in style and reasonable even with the depressed dollar. The Galeries Lafayette fashion show is a must see for a fashion forward teen. Lots of kids and kids activities can be found in the Luxembourg Gardens and Parc du Champ de Mars including the sailing of wooden boats and puppet shows, weather permitting. If it is a sunny day, then for certain the kids will be there. I truly believe Paris will live up to your daughter's expectations. It touches all the senses. Deborah