Mar

We're going to Paris in August and need some advice on which district is best. Hotel Etoile Maillot in the 17th district has been recommended. Any suggestions? We want to be someplace central but not pay a fortune for our hotel. Also we don't want to spend all our time on the metro!

marla

I'm also going to Paris in August - actually I leave on tuesday night. I'm staying at a hotel called L'Horset Opera in the 2nd district. It's small, about 54 rooms, and is a 4 star. Price is about $250 Cdn a night. It's supposed to be close to a lot of the main attractions. You might try some websites that show the districts. I think the one I was looking at was www.paris.com <BR> <BR>

Boots

You are a long way from "Central" in the 17th arrondissement and a fairly long Métro ride to the center of Paris. Try for something in one of the lower numbered arrondissements, the 1st through the 8th. My favorites are the 5th through 7th (on the Left Bank).

marla

Marion, I wrote earlier with a web site called www.paris.com. I have now found www.france.com which I think is better. It has a small map showing some of the main attractions, you can click on districts to see what they're near and for recommended hotels in that district. <BR> <BR>

rob k

Marion - <BR> <BR>There's lots of hotel choices for decent prices in Paris, HOWEVER, you're going to have to be aggressive to get a booking in the high season of August (like, it's next month!). <BR>As for location, the prior poster is correct --- "17th" is more out of the way than what you may want as a first time visitor to Paris. <BR>The 5th, 6th & 7th arrondissements are on the left bank of the Seine and centrally located. They also are the home of several of the budget-minded accommadations. Do note that room size can be cozy; but as you've mentioned you do not want to pay a fortune for a hotel. <BR> <BR>If you'd rather stay on the "right bank" then the 1st district & the 8th district are also an option. The Louvre Museum is in the 1st arrondissement and the "Champ D'Elysee" runs through the 8th. And even if you do end up at someplace a bit further out, be assured that the Paris Metro is an EXCELLENT subway system and it's very easy to get around and figure out where you need to be. <BR>

rob K

Marion - <BR> <BR>At the risk of repetition, I've copied some good advice from Elaine (off another post seeking hotel suggestions). <BR>This should get you where you need to be. <BR> <BR>For Paris hotels, the first two websites have comments from past hotel guests: <BR>www.paris.org <BR>www.hotelboulevard.com <BR> <BR>Also: <BR>www.123france.com/ <BR>www.adx.fr/hotels/anglais.htm <BR>www.bparis.com/ <BR>www.discoverfrance.com <BR>www.france.com:80/travel/hotels/phg.html <BR>www.france-hotel-guide.com <BR>www.frenchexperience.com/ <BR>www.globe-market.com <BR>www.paris-hotel.com <BR>www.paris-touristoffice.com <BR> <BR>Try looking for availability in the following recommended hotels: <BR>Muguet <BR>Grandes Ecoles <BR>Danube <BR>Lenox St. Germain <BR>Familia <BR>Champs-de-Mars <BR>Verneuil <BR>Regent <BR>Derby-Eiffel <BR>Caron de Beaumarchais <BR>Jardin des Luxembourg <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Al Godon

Mar, your question about which district in Paris is the best one is like this question: <BR>"Which pair of shoes should I buy?" <BR>I have considered 3 pairs lately, so what is your advice?? One is black, with a wing tip, one is black with a cap-toe, and one is brown with a very comfortable feel but short on style. <BR> <BR>Hotel Etoile Maillot is at 10 rue du Bois de Boulogne in the 18th Arr. <BR>Have you looked at a map to see where it is? It is not exactly next to the Louvre!! It is way out past the Arc de Triomphe, near the Bois de Bolougne, and closd to the Seine on its northerly flow after it makes the big sweep through central and southwestern Paris. I know nothing about the hotel, but at the price you describe and the location I just looked up, I think it would have to be a very nice place to attract any tourist customers at all!! <BR>It might attract business and professional people because it is almost out to the La Defense complex. <BR>If you are going to Paris in August and don't yet have a hotel nailed down, you may find that you will stay where you can, not where you want to. <BR>The best website I have found for locating Paris hotels is this one: <BR>www.france-hotel-guide.com/75paccue.htm <BR>It has many hundreds of hotels listed, with telephone numbers. Most, if not all, 3 star hotels have someone who can speak English, as do many 2-star establishments. <BR>To be central, you might try the 6th Arr. But hunting now for August is going to be a treasure hunt; you will find what you can and probably take what you can get.

Bob Brown

Hi. You can see some photographs of the hotel you mention at this web address: <BR>http://www.turquoise.co.uk/Paris/HotelEtoileMaillot.htm <BR> <BR>By the way, Al, although the hotel web site you list is a good one, you are unfortunately a little off on your location of the hotel. There is a little section of Rue Bois de Bolougne not far from the Arc de Triomphe. (You might consider getting yourself a good map of Paris so you can see what I mean!!) <BR> <BR>According to the ad I saw on the web, the closest Metro station to the hotel is called Argentine, which is one stop west of the Arc itself. The hotel is 3-star. In the photographs at least it looks nice. It must cater to English visitors because the prices in the ad I found are listed in Pounds Sterling. Given the time of year you are going, August, my advice is this: Don't cancel if you have already booked it until you are very sure you have something else in a better location. <BR> <BR>As far as I know, the location is in a very nice area. It is located south of the Avenue de la Grand Armee, north of Avenue Foch and east of Avenue de Malakoff. <BR>And just remember regardless of where you stay, you are going to ride a lot because the prime locations to visit in Paris are spread out. The Eiffel Tower is a goodly distance from Notre Dame!! <BR>But Paris is not so large that you cannot get fairly quickly from one place to the other either on bus or Metro. <BR>The Argentine station is on the same Metro line that goes directly to the Palais Royal - Musee du Louvre station, which is convenient to the Louvre, and within an easy walking distance of Musee d'Orsay. <BR>By the way, the price I saw was something like 29 British pounds per person. If my calculator is functioning correctly that multiplies out to something like $90 USD per double room per night. Breakfast was included in that price, which makes it pretty attractive unless the photographs lie!! <BR>If I did not already have a reservation at a nice place, I would be tempted myself -- if it is air conditioned!!!!