Turned 40 - gift was Paris!
 

Hi there... I went to paris for 2 days when I was 23. It was basically a disaster. Here's what I saw: the louvre. The Eiffel Tower ( with no money to go upstairs). A carousel in I think was Luxembourg gardens. The arc de triumph.

A pathetic trip.

This time, no 1 star hotels. I'm looking for 5 star all the way, that's not terribly stuffy. We have friends that have recommended everything from fouquets to plaza athenee to the Bristol. But I don't want to go over 1000 a night.

We will only go for 3.5 days when factoring in travel times because were not comfortable leaving our young son for longer.

Want to see the d'orsay, sacre couer, notre dame, Montmartre, shop rue st honore and faubourg (spelling?) see the Latin quarter and stroll the marais. And if time, a side trip to Versailles.

Is that too much? Thanks!

In four nights, you could do all of that but it would be a bit rushed. You'll take a good chunk of the day for Versailles.

You can do the Marais and the Right Bank shopping in one day, the d'Orsay and Latin Quarter in another - and pop over to Notre Dame too. Sacre Coeur and Montmartre another day. You could squeeze in Versailles, too, but then you are really compressing the time. If you left for Versailles first thing in the morning, you would have a little evening time (apart from dinner) to do some wandering. But it's still rather rushed.

I'm trying to split time between must see "tourist" things and joie de vivre moments. Versailles may have to wait ...

You should skip Versailles and stay in Paris. I think you can do the things you listed....might be a bit rushed but it's doable.

I would look for a hotel that will make it easy to get to the things you are interested in, maybe on a common Metro or bus line. You have a good budget to find a great hotel.

I know you will enjoy your trip. I hate that you can't stay a bit longer.

Paris is a great place to turn 40 -- that's where DH and I celebrated my 40th. However, we decided to rent an inexpensive apartment for a month rather than a fancy hotel for a few nights. It's not stuffy at the Bristol but you will probably find that many of the guests are somewhat older than you. If it were me, I'd probably go for the Shangri-La. I love the neighbourhood and the hotel is beautiful. Rooms just about $1000 USD a night.

Sorry, but I haven't checked your profile -- 1000 what? Dollars, euros, pounds, Swiss francs?

Me too! My gift to myself will be a trip to Paris in December.
As Audrey Hepburn said "Paris is always a good idea"

When are you going? A couple of other things you shouldn't miss in Paris are Ste. Chapelle and a Seine River cruise (But not a dinner cruise). You really don't have time for Versailles. We always plan to go but actually get there only about every 4 trips.

Have a great trip.

Bag Versailles and leave yourself a little time to just see Paris.

Yes, you will want to enjoy those major sights. But you will also want to spend some time just walking a couple of the cuter neighborhoods and also spend some time just cafe sitting. We try most days to find ourselves in a cute area around 4 or 5 pm and sit having a drink in a cafe with a lot of foot traffic - and spend an hour just watching the world go by - for an hour - before going back to the hotel to change for dinner. One prime place is the cafe of the hotel Concorde Opera - or the area of the Place St Michel (think Sabrina views).

Like others have said, put Versailles on the bottom of your list.

Instead of rushing around to see everything take some time to enjoy everything. You can easily do everything on your list that's in the city.

Stay in Paris for such a short trip. You will find more than enough for your time.

I have a whirlwind 1 week Paris/London 1st week in Dec, but will return end of Jan for 2 months...

a bientot...

Joan

I was 40 on my first trip to Paris. :)

I would skip Versailles on this trip. There is so much to see and do in Paris. The Musée d'Orsay is my favorite museum. You should be able to find a nice hotel that is centrally located. I recommend mapping out your itinerary while you are still home so you are not backtracking and losing time in Paris.

I hope you have a wonderful trip!

If it's luxury you are looking for I would take a look at this link http://www.pavillon-de-la-reine.com/...e-officiel.php It's way out of my budget and I prefer apartments, but I've walked by there several times on every trip to Paris and it does look lovely from the outside.

Also, I agree on skipping Versailles.

Thank you all for your responses!

Using miles for flight means 1000 US dollars for hotel is not out of question.

I don't mind older guests...as I'm quiet like they are :)

I'm trying to finagle a way to stay 7 days!

I think you can do whatever you want except for the Versailles trip. That will take up a whole day, that's why. There aren't very many 5* hotels in Paris, probably about a dozen. I'm sure they all have their devotees and people who like one's style vs. another. Most of them are around the Champs-Elysees or place de la Concorde. The Ritz, Plaza Athenee, George V, Meurice, etc.

I don't know the distinction between a 5* hotel and 4*, they've just started the 5* category a couple years ago, but it's probably not important to most people. But I agree, there are pretty ordinary 4* hotels, they vary a lot. IN fact, one I often stay in is now a 4* hotel, it still seems like a nice 3* to me, I don't know how it got that rating, it doesn't even have a restaurant. Which I don't care about, but you aren't guaranteed a luxury experience in a 4* hotel.

well here is a listing of all the 5* hotels with comments, you might find it useful (I think that is all of them, not sure, I notice they list a couple that are not 5*) http://en.parisinfo.com/where-to-sle.../Luxury-hotels

Some of those hotels are going to be over $1000 for the really top ones BTW (eg, Meurice or Plaza Athenee), but it might depend when you are going. Rates are often cheaper in July-August. Costes is cheaper than some others and the Ritz is a little cheaper, also. I woudln't really like most of those locations (you might, of course), if I were going to stay in a luxury hotel I'd probably choose one in St Germain instead of the 8th arrondisement. The Esprit St Germain claims it is a 5*, I don't know.

I'd probably choose this one, I think it is where the Stones stay when in Paris http://www.l-hotel.com/ Or they have stayed there, anyway, I like their restaurant. Their rooms are a lot cheaper than the Meurice, etc, you get a lot more for your money. Their standard rooms are only about 300-400 euro, so for 600 euro, you get a superior room. YOu might want something more modern, though, I think you can tell from the parisinfo link which those would be.

The Espirit St Germain is nice....not Crillion nice but very nice and I love the area it's in.

A tip for booking most of the five-star hotels that have been mentioned. Make the booking through a Virtuoso travel consultant (Virtuoso is a luxury travel consortium that has negotiated these amenities). You'll pay the same price and get free amenities such as breakfast for two daily, F&B or Spa credits, upgrades (sometimes guaranteed), and other perks that differ by category.

Some more feedback:

Esprit St Germain has TINY rooms but a great location on the Left Bank.

My favorite Paris hotel is Le Meurice - just a perfect location for walking around Paris (and this is one of the hotels with a guaranteed upgrade, full breakfast, free internet, and 100 EUR credit off your bill, if you find the right TA).

IMHO 4* and 5* hotels are very different The former are often business type hotels and usually chains - that usually have solid amenities, pleasant rooms and good service.

True 5* hotels (and there may be only a dozen or so in Paris) are truly luxurious and you can expect exceptional service, large and comfortable rooms that are beautifully decorated with very upscale linens and towels, and a full range of amenities including bars, restaurants, 24 hour room service (possibly private butler service), health clubs with masseuses and a range of luxe shops in the hotel.

I know I won't spend much time in the room, but I rely on great service often especially when language is a barrier.

I'm definitely interested in the 6th arr and that was my preference. 8th was second. I've heard l'hotel is a bit snooty.

You say that your first trip was pathetic and list some of the most obvious tourist destinations as if they were a quick drive by just to tick a box (in which case I can understand why the whole thing felt a bit flat). Now you have a chance to go back again but have listed another set of fairly obvious tourist must-sees. Also, most of the advice you've been given seems to centre around luxe hotels, which though lovely, are frankly not necessary, and won't help you get more out of the city.

Here's my advice. Go for something boutiquey and save a small fortune over 5 star corporate - Le Robinet D'or, Hotel Josephine, Jardin de Cluny etc. You can get some fab places for 100-150 euros a night, def under 200. Get a Lonely Planet guide (or similar) and look up some modern art galleries, cocktail bars, markets - maybe Rue Moufftard (food) or Clignacourt (antiques). Visit the Pompidou centre, Canal St Martin, maybe check out the views from Belleville. You are 40 not 60 and don't want to be looking at Hermes scarves and Chanel tweeds in Place Vendome just yet!

RM67, we gave that advice because that was EXACTLY what the OP asked for: "I'm looking for 5 star all the way"

If the OP had asked for suggestions for boutiquey 4 star hotels, we would have provided it.

Check out Hotel l'Abbaye or the Madison Hotel, both in the 6th.

www.hotelabbayeparis.com

The point I'm trying to make is that the trip is not all about the hotel. The OP reports an unsatisfactory experience with perfunctory siteseeing first time round, then seems doomed to repeat that experience by just changing one obvious must-see list for another, albeit with 5 star perks. Why?

Lonely planet was for when I was 20.

Trip pathetic because I saw nearly nothing. I'm sure this won't be my last trip there, but if it were, I'd regret not seeing things like the d'orsay especially since I was an art history minor with a concentration in 19th century European painting :)

I've priced out the 5 etoile hotels and I can't fathom spending that much.

Any opinions on these that range from 600-1000:

Luxembourg parc -8th
L'hotel - 6
Lancaster - 8th
Fouquet's Barriere

I'm torn between wanting the opulence and grandeur and sticking to my artsy roots.

Would love reccos too for best cafés in the marais, and if someone could point me to the best formal French garden in the city... Thank you so much!

Hotel Luxembourg Parc is in the 6th, not the 8th. I like the location -- I lived next door when I was a student in Paris. The street can be a bit noisy at times, but overall it's not bad.

Thereadbaron, agree that Versailles should be nixed.

Have you seen the spoof MIDNIGHT IN PARIS? Really a fun flick which highlights many of the "must sees" in Paris. The family stays at the elegant Bristol Hotel. Enjoy!

The Plaza is closed for renovation.

How about the Shangri-la or the Peninsula, which is opening soon?

well, some of those you name are 5* hotels (like Lancaster and Fouquet's). The Luxembourg Parc is not a 5* and it's not in the 8th.

I never stay in these kind of places, so have no inside knowledge, but I don't really like the location of Fouquets, it is right off the Champs-Elysees. I just think staying in St Germain would give you a great choice of restaurants at better prices and a more pleasant ambience. The Champs-Elysees is really a high-end business environment IMO, so unless you are there on business, I wouldn't want to stay in that location. I thikn Lancaster's is very attractive, but it also isn't far off from the Champs-Elysees.

When people say "I don't want to go over a thousand a night"... Is that the local currency.? So euro.?

If I paid a thousand a night, I would just sit in the room.... Literally. I would never leave it.

Of course, I live in Hungary. I spent a thousand on coffee and a croissant this morning.

I love that movie. $1000 US. I have free flights to justify this :)

Christina, where do you think the 5-star hotels are located?

I stayed in a lovely apartment directly across the street from L'Hotel in the 6th Arr. last October and sipped drinks at le bar two nights. Rue des Beaux Art is a short quiet and narrow street close to the Seine and L'Hotel is a small, intimate hotel with a non-descript facade so it doesn't surprise me to know that celebs seeking peaceful accommodations stay there.

The location is perfect for walking to popular sights or jumping on the metro St Germaine des Pres (which requires a short walk down rue Bonaparte past a Laduree shop). The Seine is a block and a half away and the romantic pedestrian Pont des Art leads right to the Louvre. The pedestrian market and restaurant filled rue de Buci is just a little more than two blocks away and is filled with diners both locals and tourists late into the evening, I prefer the quiet location of L'Hotel over the business executive bustle of the "biggies" on or near the Champs Élysées.

Find L'Hotel on google maps and see that it is walking distance to the Louvre, D'Orsay, Sainte-Chapelle and shopping (especially shoes like Christian Louboutin, Sergio Rossi, Prada and Tods) on rue de Grenelle. "Walk down the street" using the Streetwise feature of google maps to see how small and intimate rue des Beaux Art is to decide if its your cup of tea (or flute of champagne).
Ann Marie

Just an FYI: you don't say when your birthday is, but the Plaza Athenee will be closed for an expansion/refreshment until May (estimated) 2014. So if your birthday is between January and May, the PA is off the list.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/tr...-to-close.html

As part of the refurb, several signature bits of the PA were auctioned off earlier this month, including the bar from (duh) the hotel's bar and the spoon and fork sculpture by Folon that were at the entrance of Alain Ducasse. I'm a Folon fan, so am sorry to see the sculpture go -- wonder who bought it.