Where to stay in Paris?
 

Hello,

We are planning a trip to Paris during the 2nd week of August and are going to be getting our hotel through priceline. But I don't know which areas would be good for tourists to stay in...can someone help us out? We are going to be shooting for a 4 star hotel I think. This is the list:

Bastille - Bercy
Batignolles - Montmartre - Republique
Champs Elysees - Opera Quarter West
Eiffel Tower - Grenelle - Montparnasse
La Defense - Neuilly
Opera Quarter East - Les Halles
St. Germain - Latin Quarter -

I think we want to be closer to central Paris so La Defense is out, unless someone can provide us with some good reasons to stay in La Defense?

Thanks a bunch,
Osman

Also suggestions of areas to avoid are just as helpful! Thanks.

None of those areas is very far from any sights. Even La Défense is ten minutes from Châtelet by RER. There is no real point to being located centrally, unless you plan to visit only sights in the center.

The quietest areas are in the west and south arrondissements. As you go north from the river, it tends to get a little seedier. The Marais and Latin Quarter are a little livelier.

I would especially avoid this one:
Eiffel Tower - Grenelle - Montparnasse
because you might get the Sofitel Porte de Sevres, which is outside of Paris.
Batignolles - Montmartre - Republique
doesn't have a 4* hotel.
La Defense - Neuilly is too far out, in my opinion.

In short, I'd only bid for a 4* hotel in these two Priceline zones:
St. Germain - Latin Quarter - Montparnasse
Opera Quarter East - Les Halles

These two zones might be okay, but you'll have to commute for sure:
Bastille - Bercy
Champs Elysees - Opera Quarter West (unless you bid for a 5* hotel in this zone)

Will Travel is right, Pricelines stretches the area boundaries quite a bit. You do not want to be on the edge of town. And definitely avoid La Defense-Neuilly. You are vacationing in August and on the edge of town, more restaurants cater to locals and are more likely to be closed in August (when their customers are also away on holiday).
Personally, I would play it safe and stick to St. Germain-Latin Quarter.

It's actually St. Germain - Latin Quarter - Montparnasse, and the boundaries extend outwards quite a bit from that title. The worst you can probably do, though, is the Sofitel Forum Rive Gauche, and that would involve some commute to the sights.

I agree.

I hope you have luck with Priceline rooms in August. If not, I'd prefer even a 2* near the center of Paris to a 4* further out. Paris is such a walkable city one of the highlights of our trip was being able to walk out of our hotel and be at the Seine in a few short minutes. LOVE St. Germain!

2* I book from recommendations on this board or tripadvisor - not a 2* bid on Priceline.

By the way, if you opt to go for a sure thing instead of Priceline, try the Hotel Luxembourg Parc. A very nice 4-star hotel and they are offering a 25% discount for stays between July 15 and August 15 (if your stay is a little past that, ask nicely and they might extend the offer). That would make it 150 euros for a double (their least expensive room), which is not a bad rate for a very well reviewed 4-star hotel (check www.tripadvisor.com) in an unbeatable location.
http://www.luxembourg-paris-hotel.com/

Wow thanks for the great responses. So when you all say "2*" do you mean maybe a 3* on priceline? I guess I will have to research that. I've been looking at the 4* hotel list on priceline and the range seems to be pretty broad so we might consider 3* as you all suggest...or maybe even rent a 3* direct so we can pick our hotel / location. I don't want to spend more than 100-120 euros a night if possible. But it looks like I might need to spend a little more if we are going to get a decent location...

Hi ozzie,

Have you been to www.biddingfortravel.com?

((I))

You might try choosing several hotels in each area and asking them about summer rates; prices often drop considerably during July and August.

I wouldn't bid for a 3* hotel - too many are duds and you can probably find an equivalent or better deal outside Priceline if you really look. I bid for a 4* hotel in Paris because I wanted to be sure of good air conditioning, and I felt this was the best way to get both a nice room and A/C (and it worked).

Note that the Novotel Les Halles, a 4* in the Opera Quarter East zone, turns off its A/C from midnight to 6 AM, so you might like to exclude that zone too, given your August dates.

Well it sounds like just about every zone except for St. Germaine has been excluded for one reason or another. ;) Yes I have been looking at biddingfortravel.com as well. Can you all recommend some websites that offer good prices on Paris hotels? I guess I can search on that too...

Thanks,
Osman

As suggested, biddingfortravel.com is very helpful in understanding what Priceline has to offer. I would not do Priceline in Paris, because, as was also stated, they stretch the boundaries of areas too far out.

For August, you will want air conditioning, although in August '03 we didn't need it. Had it, but it was unnecessary. We stayed in a good 3* in the 7th, on a street that we like.

http://www.varenne-hotel-paris.com/

By dealing directly with the hotel, I negotiated a room with air, the only room with a view of the Eiffel Tower, and breakfast, which wasn't included.

I made sure they knew that we were staying for 5 nights, and they were very nice.

Good luck.

I was doing hotel research for someone today and found these very nice 3* hotels with August promotions, and both have air-conditioning (according to the websites).

Hotel St Germain des Pres ***
Metro: St Germain des Pres
http://www.hotel-paris-saint-germain.com/
36, rue Bonarparte - 75006 PARIS
Email: [email protected] or use form on website
Tel: +33 1 43 26 00 19 Fax: +33 1 40 46 83 63
<i>Promotion: stay 4 nights for price of 3</i>
Normal rates for doubles: 160-195&euro;

Hotel St Paul St Germain (Rive Gauche)***
Metro: Odeon (REQUEST A/C, not in all rooms)
http://www.hotelsaintpaulparis.com/
43, rue Monsieur le Prince 75006 PARIS
Email : [email protected]
Tel: +33 1 43 26 98 64 Fax: +33 1 46 34 58 60
<i>Promotion: stay 4 nights for price of 3</i>
Normal rates for doubles: 148-162&euro;

Hotel du Pantheon, which gets very good reviews on tripadvisor.com, is a 3 star hotel with air-conditioning in all rooms. I'll be staying there part of my trip in July. It's in a great area easy walking to areas withing the 5th and 6th arrondissement (nr Rue Mouffetard, Jardins de Luxembourg, etc) yet away from the noisey streets. And their summer (including August )specials include rooms for 94 euros. Even their deluxe rooms, some of which have balconies, are very reasonable.
They're great about returning emailed queries. Here's web page with pix of rooms:
http://www.hoteldupantheon.com/rooms.html

Have fun with your research!

I think Willtravel knows this process pretty well and from what I've read, the Latin Qtr/St Germain area is the only one where you are sure of getting a hotel that won't be far out. Maybe Les Halles wouldn't be far out, but I don't think they deal with any hotels in that area that are very good.

When someone said a 2* hotel, I believe that is exactly what they meant -- a 2* hotel, not a 3*. I know someone who got a 2* Latin Qtr hotel on Priceline and it was a good deal for that level hotel (they saved maybe 20 euro over the official rate), but it was a 2* hotel and did not have AC. I don't know how Priceline assigns ratings, though, if they are the official ones or ones they make up like some websites do.

I think the following:

Priceline is a crapshoot at best. You might score big. Or not.

It doesn't really matter where you sleep. With a basic knowledge of the RATP networks, you can be anywhere in a few minutes. Besides, if you think about it, anywhere within the central zone is the same total distance to all museums and monuments.

All other things being equal, you can get more hotel for the money the further you are from Notre Dame.

I stayed at the Jeanne D' Arc in the Marais. Great location and prices and a lovely french hotel.