soccer5

My husband and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in Paris in April. We have never been to Paris. Someone has told me that Ile Saint Louis is a good location. I would like to rent a small apartment with a balcony or terrace with a view. There really isn't a budget. Any suggestions? Someone else said the Rue Cler area is a great location as well. Please help!!

Christina

Both locations should be fine for first-timers. They are both pleasant areas with good dining options. Both have pros and cons to me -- I think transportation options are better around rue Cler (metro stops, even bus lines perhaps), but the other is more central. Actually, I don't think I'd personally want to stay on Ile St Louis, but a lot of folks like it.

soccer5

Thanks Christina. Do you have any areas you would recommend for first timers?

VolGreg

I recommend the Hotel Grandes Ecoles. It is in the Latin Quarter near some good cheap restaurants and the subway. It is easy on the pocketbook.


http://www.hotel-grandes-ecoles.com/


Good Luck
Greg

StCirq

If you're celebrating your 25th anniversary, I don't think the Latin Quarter (5th arrondissement) is the best choice for you - yes, there are cheap (and really bad) restaurants there, as well as some good restaurants and shops, but it's the student quarter and noisy and boisterous. I think either location you're looking at would be better. My favorite area is the rue Cler neighborhood (not because of rue Cler, but because I like the mix of commercial and residential there and the ease of getting around on public transportation).

VolGreg

We entered the courtyard of the Hotel des Grandes Ecoles under a bright blue sky. It was a cool crisp winter’s day and strains from a nearby girl’s elementary school choir wafted across the courtyard. It was the perfect unplanned welcome.

Just up 75 rue de Cardinal-Lemoine, the Place de Contrescarpe is ringed by several restaurants. This square is in the center of Paris but the cobblestone streets surrounding a small grassy square were more reminiscent of a quaint French country village. Le Chope is one of the restaurants on the Place de Contrescarpe where Hemmingway hung out and where we ate on the street side patio that first cool night. At dusk the waiters let down the clear plastic walls that kept the cold out and lit the tall gas heaters. We drank our wine in the flickering gas light as the dark ended our first day in Paris.

It was a perfect ending. We plan to go back next year.


Greg

slangevar

I've never stayed there, but I do have friends who will never stay anywhere but the Grandes Ecoles. If you want a hotel, I'm sure that is a perfect choice.

I'm staying in an apartment in the Marais and I love it here. It's peaceful at night; it has wonderful history (Paris Walks has TWO Marais tours), lovely markets, and it's incredibly central.

That said, if you have enough money to afford a quiet, large flat in the Ile Saint-Louis with a balcony, do it. It's a lovely island - much quieter than the Ile de la Cite (except for the Maison Berthillon glace seekers during the day), and an expensive apartment might have views of the Seine, which is breathtaking.

bianca1975

I like Ile St. Louis, but not for lodging because it is dead at night. Better to be in the Marais or 5th or 6th arrondissements in my opinion. balconies and terraces are relatively rare in Paris apartments. I have been working at www.villeetvillage.com for 12 years renting Paris apartments and terraces are unfortunately hard to come by.

tuscanlifeedit

I've seen some apartments with small balconies. Yes, they aren't all that common but you can find one.

My first pick neighborhoods, for an upscale, romantic 25th anniversary apartment would be in the 6th or 7th, nearer to the border between the two.

I suggest you search for some apartments in the central arrondisements, maybe 4, 6 or 7 but I've also seen some nice apartments (very nice by the pictures) in the 1st and 2nd.

Then come back here and post the apartments, and you will have a lot of help in choosing.

Many people here will tell you where they stayed or stay, and not pay much attention to your original questions. No budget, a balcony, very central (the Ile St Louis).

You are on the right track. I actually think I might like staying on the Ile, but quiet at night doesn't bother me.

We rented from rentparis.com and I recommend them. There are MANY recommended agencies here on Fodors forums. Do a search for Paris apartments and you will be more than busy looking at what you'll find.

A lot of people recommend using the apartment reviews on slowtrav.com. I think they are OK, but no better than the advice I've been given on Fodors. But search there, too.

As far as the rue Cler area goes, for a first trip, I would rather place myself or someone I was planning the trip for, the east of the Invalides in the 7th. Just my opinion.

tuscanlifeedit

This apartment was just posted. It looks very nice and seems to suit your needs:

http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_125.htm

It was posted on another thread a few minutes ago.

L4C

Yes - posted by me! And I'd love to tell you all about, which I will in January.

slangevar

Actually the apartment I'm renting from RentParis has two balconies.

I second the recommendation for them, btw... they've been a total pleasure, and all above board. All fees included, and I love my apartment.

(soccer5 - I would've recommended this specific apartment to you, but if you have lots of money to spend and can afford a place with a terrace on the Ile Saint-Louis, you should stay there.)

tuscanlifeedit

L4C: I love that apartment! I didn't answer your post because I wasn't sure of myself, but it seems to be that the location is not at all too residential, if that is what you were asking. But I hope someone has better experience than I do with that particular area.

Anyway, I like that apartment. It looks quite nice.

jdfirst

If your budget is not a concern, you may want to consider the Hotel Nepoleon. I was recently in Paris and stayed at this 4 star hotel. It is family owned since 1924. One block from the Arc. E. Flynn, O Wells, and J. Baker have been their guests. You should check out their web site and read my and other reviews at tripadvisor.com.

Leely

I think both would be nice locations for your visit. We rented an apartment once on Ile Saint Louis for Christmas and really enjoyed it. We like to walk, and did in fact appreciate the peace and quiet late at night.

We used guestapartment.com and I highly recommend them. Top-notch in every way.
They do have a few apartments with balconies/views.

Congratulations on 25 years wherever you choose to stay.

VolGreg

Let me provide a cautionary tale on renting apartments. They can be cheaper that a hotel, but what do you get for the price??

We rented an apartment in Rome through a professional company base in the USA. They had a good reputation & I found no fault in their service, but it was not for us. I will explain:

1) a $300 damage deposit was required. We had to clean the apartment before we left to get our money back. Has any one done this in a hotel??

2) Even though we stayed there 5 day the whole week had to be rented. That was OK with us since their week rent was cheaper than 5 day hotel bill. The owner worked and could not take off to let us in except after 5 or 5:30PM. Well we got to Rome around 1 or 2 in the afternoon so we had to find some where to stash our luggage for a few hour. The wait for a locker in the train terminal was 1-2 hours because due to terrorism they had to check every bag.


3) We decided to go the the apartment and eat at a recommended restaurant. They kindly let us store our bags there. Still tired we walked around town for a couple of hours till it was time for the owner showed up and waited on the stoop.

4)Since she had a full time job in an office and made it be known that she could not be around to help us if we need some thing during the day . And we had to make do with the towels given that first day – they were not sufficient to last the 5 days. Plus a hotel has desk clerks that are paid to cater to the hotel guest. If you want towel 10:00PM or reservation at the theater or local restaurant recommendation then you can get them free of charge.....

All these apartment recommendation sound great, I am not trying to sway you against them just giving information to help you make an informed choice.


Greg

skinurse

I have always stayed in the 1st arrondisment. Hotel du Louvre and Clarion St. James. I found it to be perfert and centralized to everything.