ANET01

We are going to be staying in Paris for 4 days, 3 nights. We are looking at the Waldorf Astoria Palace and the Renaissance Paris Le Parc Trocadero Hotel. The Waldorf is further out, but is our first choice. How hard is it to get around if we choose that hotel?

nukesafe

Your Waldorf choice is perfectly placed if your intent is to visit Versailles. To get into Paris, it will require a train ride on RER, which takes about 40 - 45 minutes. I would figure the trip would take about an hour from the time you leave your hotel to walk to the station.

nytraveler

If this were my first trip to Paris I would stay only in the 4th, 5th or 6th arrondisements. (You can tell by the code at the end of the hotel's address.) These aeras are central, near many sights and have a host of hotels, restaurants and cafes. I wold never consider staying out by Versailles, even if I planned to visit it one day. You wold wste a ton of time and money trekking back and forth to Paris.

Michel_Paris

I'm assuming points?

Staying out in Versailles is not a good plan. If those are the two choices, take the Trocadero.

If other choices, you must look them up on a map.

Christina

I'd stay in the one near Trocadero, that's a pretty nice area and will be convenient enough (def. beats Versailles). Isn't that hotel famous and where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, or where they stayed? The website doesn't even give directions on how to get to Paris by public transportation, it's not clear to me how you'd even do that as I don't know how far it is from the RER station. YOu must know that is 20 km from Paris.

Jen2

Stay within Paris center - 5th, 6th...Versailles is a poor plan, and you'll spend all of your time traveling.

ssander

In addition to the 40-minute RER ride to the center of Paris, The Waldorf-Astoria appears to be a mile walk (or taxi) from the Rive-Gauche RER station.

(I think there are regular SNCF trains from the Versailles Chantiers station that only take 11 or 12 minutes, but that station is even further away from the hotel, and the trains drop you at the Montparnasse station in Paris, not the city center.)

Either way, you will spend close to a couple of hours a day as a commuter. I suspect that is not how you really want to spend your vacation.

I cannot stress this enough...get a hotel in Paris.

SS

ANET01

Thanks so much....we have decided to stay in Paris. We were leaning toward one of those to use points, but have decided the convenience is worth it to just pay for it.

Any recommendation for hotel or apartment for 4 (2 adults and 2 boys; 15 and 10)?

Want to stay under 400-450 euros a night. Would love a family type suite or something similar. Bigger is better since our teen likes his space and rooms in Paris are small to begin with.

Christina

But the one in Trocadero area is in Paris. That location isn't so bad. But it sounds like money isn't a big issue, I'm sure you can find something for that budget, although if you get two connecting rooms (not a bad idea with 2 boys that age), that won't be deluxe as it will be close to the rate for two double rooms (sometimes hotels discount the two rooms for a family). That is still a nice hotel, though (200 euro per room).

Two connecting rooms is often called chambres communicantes if you want to look for that phrase.

The 4* Hotel d'Aubusson in St Germain has duplex rooms that will accommodate four (there is a loft floor for the kids). http://www.hoteldaubusson.com

The 4* Hotel Tourville in the 7th has an executive suite that will handle four, and the 4* Hotel Cadran in the same general area has 2 connecting rooms or suites. I believe the Hotel de France Invalides also has 2 connecting rooms, I know they have rooms for 4 http://www.hoteldefrance.com/

Two hotels I've stayed at can be possible -- the 3* Hotel Trianan Rive Gauche near Luxembourg Gardens has the possibility of 2 connecting rooms (one wiht a double bed and one with 2 twins), and the 3* Hotel Aiglon in Montparnasse has an apt. on their ground floor with 2 bedrooms.