Young Woman Solo Travel to Paris
Nov 17th, 2012, 02:31 AM
#41
"Nikki, so if you don't need or want to shop and cook, why stay in an apartment, they are NOT all bigger then a hotel room..."
For me it is mostly about the space and the comfort. But also about the privacy. I have never stayed in an apartment that wasn't substantially more spacious than a hotel room and with much more comfortable seating.
Besides, I didn't say I didn't need or want to cook, I just said nobody is forced to do that when they have an apartment any more than they are when they have a hotel room.
This is not to say that I am necessarily recommending an apartment for the original poster in this thread or for anybody else. There are all sorts of factors to weigh when making the choice.
For me it is mostly about the space and the comfort. But also about the privacy. I have never stayed in an apartment that wasn't substantially more spacious than a hotel room and with much more comfortable seating.
Besides, I didn't say I didn't need or want to cook, I just said nobody is forced to do that when they have an apartment any more than they are when they have a hotel room.
This is not to say that I am necessarily recommending an apartment for the original poster in this thread or for anybody else. There are all sorts of factors to weigh when making the choice.
Nov 17th, 2012, 04:42 AM
#42
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<<This is not to say that I am necessarily recommending an apartment for the original poster in this thread or for anybody else. There are all sorts of factors to weigh when making the choice.>>
Exactly. I was just giving my experience and my point of view. Diana can take it all in, process it and make her decision based on what works for her.
What ever she chooses I'm still a bit jealous!
Exactly. I was just giving my experience and my point of view. Diana can take it all in, process it and make her decision based on what works for her.
What ever she chooses I'm still a bit jealous!
Nov 17th, 2012, 09:29 PM
#43
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 13,812
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"For me it is mostly about the space and the comfort. But also about the privacy. I have never stayed in an apartment that wasn't substantially more spacious than a hotel room and with much more comfortable seating"
I've had the same experience. As for the apartments that I've stayed in, they have been 40-50 square meters and the hotel rooms, since 1976, have all been around 12-15 square meters.
I just looked up one of the hotels where I used to stay and out of curiosity checked out the prices for Spring, and the prices are 132€/160€/180€. for a room. However, the price of one of the apartments that I have rented, and less than a 10-minute walk from the hotel, is $189. a night. That apartment is a two-story loft and 40 square meters. But, the loft area is built like an enclosed second story, not a traditional open loft style. And the apartment has a full bathroom next to the bedroom and a half bathroom downstairs; toilet and sink. Plus, there's a pull-out sofa bed in the living room, next to the kitchen area.
One of the other hotels where I stayed, for 9 years of trips, is next door to the building of my favorite rental apartment ( a different one from the above-mentioned one) and the rooms at the hotel are pricing out at 168€ and 185€. The hotel room is very small, but the apartment is probably around 45 square meters and has two bathrooms; one with toilet,sink, and big shower and the other with sink, bathtub and shower. Plus, there's a nice kitchen space, a living room with two sofas, a dining area with a round table and four dining chairs, and three walk-in closets, Wi-Fi, big-screen TV, and free phone calls to the U.S. I last paid $200. a night for that apartment in 2011.
Both apartments and both hotels, that I'm referring to, are in the heart of the 6th.
Happy Travels!
I've had the same experience. As for the apartments that I've stayed in, they have been 40-50 square meters and the hotel rooms, since 1976, have all been around 12-15 square meters.
I just looked up one of the hotels where I used to stay and out of curiosity checked out the prices for Spring, and the prices are 132€/160€/180€. for a room. However, the price of one of the apartments that I have rented, and less than a 10-minute walk from the hotel, is $189. a night. That apartment is a two-story loft and 40 square meters. But, the loft area is built like an enclosed second story, not a traditional open loft style. And the apartment has a full bathroom next to the bedroom and a half bathroom downstairs; toilet and sink. Plus, there's a pull-out sofa bed in the living room, next to the kitchen area.
One of the other hotels where I stayed, for 9 years of trips, is next door to the building of my favorite rental apartment ( a different one from the above-mentioned one) and the rooms at the hotel are pricing out at 168€ and 185€. The hotel room is very small, but the apartment is probably around 45 square meters and has two bathrooms; one with toilet,sink, and big shower and the other with sink, bathtub and shower. Plus, there's a nice kitchen space, a living room with two sofas, a dining area with a round table and four dining chairs, and three walk-in closets, Wi-Fi, big-screen TV, and free phone calls to the U.S. I last paid $200. a night for that apartment in 2011.
Both apartments and both hotels, that I'm referring to, are in the heart of the 6th.
Happy Travels!
Nov 18th, 2012, 08:36 AM
#44
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,858
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Some people really love renting vacatin apts and others (like me) don't see the big attraction. It is a lot of trouble and more unpredictable than a hotel, that's one problem. The deposits, cancellation policies, etc., are the reason it is more trouble, as well as the arrival and leave-taking process.
I can really see it for families, however, as hotels can be expensive when you start trying to get space for a lot of people (or very small). However, if you are alone, you really don't need much space and actually, I've been in plenty of hotels that had rooms larger than 12 m2. I don't stay in expensive boutique hotels in St Germain, though, or the Marais, and apts are generally more expensive for a single person than a hotel, for the same quality of amenities.
Apts are usually bigger, though, but I disagree that they usually have more comfortable seating (or bathrooms, or beds, etc.). In fact, that's one reason I am not enamored with vacation rental apts, they are often furnished as cheaply as the owner can get away with, and without any regard for comfort of a person. Specifically, they rarely really have any comfortable chairs (such as a comfy armchair) and many do not have any decent reading lights. I've noticed those two things as I really look for good lighting.
So if you don't really want to cook, there isn't a big compelling reason to have an apt for many people when on vacation. I have some hotels I've stayed in in Paris and know, and so I know the quality of their rooms and their size, and they can be more comfortable than many cheap vacation apts. If you are out to spend hundreds of euros a day on an apt, yeah, you can get something nicer.
I can really see it for families, however, as hotels can be expensive when you start trying to get space for a lot of people (or very small). However, if you are alone, you really don't need much space and actually, I've been in plenty of hotels that had rooms larger than 12 m2. I don't stay in expensive boutique hotels in St Germain, though, or the Marais, and apts are generally more expensive for a single person than a hotel, for the same quality of amenities.
Apts are usually bigger, though, but I disagree that they usually have more comfortable seating (or bathrooms, or beds, etc.). In fact, that's one reason I am not enamored with vacation rental apts, they are often furnished as cheaply as the owner can get away with, and without any regard for comfort of a person. Specifically, they rarely really have any comfortable chairs (such as a comfy armchair) and many do not have any decent reading lights. I've noticed those two things as I really look for good lighting.
So if you don't really want to cook, there isn't a big compelling reason to have an apt for many people when on vacation. I have some hotels I've stayed in in Paris and know, and so I know the quality of their rooms and their size, and they can be more comfortable than many cheap vacation apts. If you are out to spend hundreds of euros a day on an apt, yeah, you can get something nicer.
Nov 18th, 2012, 09:32 AM
#45
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 619
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A little off the other advice but since you are interested in a cooking class I thought you may be interested in this store.
http://www.e-dehillerin.fr/index.php
Supposedly Julia Child shopped there frequently when she lived in Paris. They have her picture behind the counter. They also filmed a small part of the Julie/Julia movie there.
I had a blast squeezing between the isles and looking at all of their things. The basement is great too. I even called my sister in the US, waking her at 4am, to see what she wanted me to bring back for her.
We found Paris to be very expensive. This store had some very surprisingly reasonable prices. I bought many bakers souvenirs for my baking family members.
We don't speak French at all and were very impressed with outselves as we made our way around this beautiful, welcoming city.
Have a wonderful time!!
http://www.e-dehillerin.fr/index.php
Supposedly Julia Child shopped there frequently when she lived in Paris. They have her picture behind the counter. They also filmed a small part of the Julie/Julia movie there.
I had a blast squeezing between the isles and looking at all of their things. The basement is great too. I even called my sister in the US, waking her at 4am, to see what she wanted me to bring back for her.
We found Paris to be very expensive. This store had some very surprisingly reasonable prices. I bought many bakers souvenirs for my baking family members.
We don't speak French at all and were very impressed with outselves as we made our way around this beautiful, welcoming city.
Have a wonderful time!!
Nov 18th, 2012, 09:34 AM
#46
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 619
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Also, Fodors has a nice free app for several cities. Paris is one of them.
http://www.fodors.com/mobile-apps/
http://www.fodors.com/mobile-apps/
Nov 19th, 2012, 12:23 AM
#47
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 13,812
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"I don't stay in expensive boutique hotels in St Germain, though, or the Marais, and apts are generally more expensive for a single person than a hotel, for the same quality of amenities."
As for the districts of Paris that I remember staying in, it's been the 1st/4th/ 5th/6th/7th/9th/10th and 19th and probably a few other ones. As for hotels, they were all zero star ones, from the beginning, although now some have been transformed into 1 or 2 star ones and as for room size, all of the ones that I've stayed in have been around the same size, except for one hotel located in the 1st, which had a pretty decent amount of space. One of my parents booked that one way back many years ago.
"If you are out to spend hundreds of euros a day on an apt, yeah, you can get something nicer."
I've never spent hundreds of euros a day to get a nice apartment. I wonder how much the above posters have spent. The most I have spent is $1,600 for 8 days, as I pay in dollars and thus don't have to deal with rates of exchange.
Happy Travels!
As for the districts of Paris that I remember staying in, it's been the 1st/4th/ 5th/6th/7th/9th/10th and 19th and probably a few other ones. As for hotels, they were all zero star ones, from the beginning, although now some have been transformed into 1 or 2 star ones and as for room size, all of the ones that I've stayed in have been around the same size, except for one hotel located in the 1st, which had a pretty decent amount of space. One of my parents booked that one way back many years ago.
"If you are out to spend hundreds of euros a day on an apt, yeah, you can get something nicer."
I've never spent hundreds of euros a day to get a nice apartment. I wonder how much the above posters have spent. The most I have spent is $1,600 for 8 days, as I pay in dollars and thus don't have to deal with rates of exchange.
Happy Travels!
Nov 19th, 2012, 09:31 AM
#50
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,858
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
AS lot of people do, though, for the nicer ones, I see their posts on here all the time (spend hundreds of euros a night).
<<That's one reason I don't like them, I don't want to hole up in an apt when traveling, I want to be out and about in Paris, eating in a cafe with others. I can cook and stay in at home.>>
This makes NO SENSE to me. What a ridiculous statement.
Is someone forcing you to stay in your apartment the entire time? Forcing you to cook? >>
My statement is not ridiculous and makes perfect sense as I was expressing my personal tastes and opinions. No one is forcing me to do anything which is why I don't. My point is that if the main reason to get an apt is to buy food and eat in, that would not apply to me (and many others, I suspect). Of course it makes sense to say that when I go to Paris, I do not want to stay in or cook in, I prefer to be out, because I do.
As for all the money restaurants take, I could counter with the same argument as above on apartments. I don't spend a lot on eating out at all in Paris, in fact, for one person, it can be cheaper to eat out than buy stuff to eat in if you are cooking from scratch. Some people just don't like going out, I do.
<<That's one reason I don't like them, I don't want to hole up in an apt when traveling, I want to be out and about in Paris, eating in a cafe with others. I can cook and stay in at home.>>
This makes NO SENSE to me. What a ridiculous statement.
Is someone forcing you to stay in your apartment the entire time? Forcing you to cook? >>
My statement is not ridiculous and makes perfect sense as I was expressing my personal tastes and opinions. No one is forcing me to do anything which is why I don't. My point is that if the main reason to get an apt is to buy food and eat in, that would not apply to me (and many others, I suspect). Of course it makes sense to say that when I go to Paris, I do not want to stay in or cook in, I prefer to be out, because I do.
As for all the money restaurants take, I could counter with the same argument as above on apartments. I don't spend a lot on eating out at all in Paris, in fact, for one person, it can be cheaper to eat out than buy stuff to eat in if you are cooking from scratch. Some people just don't like going out, I do.
Nov 19th, 2012, 10:09 AM
#51
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 7,960
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have never stayed in a hotel that didn't have a fridge in the room, no, thats not true, one didn't but room was 78 euros a night, can't expect much for that, but great location, and air condtioning, try getting an apartment with a/c in St Germain, for 78 euros a night.
I have also never every paid more then 189 euros a night for a hotel, and that was ONCE , I usually pay between 90-120 euros a night.
I have only stayed in one apartment, it was nice, but it did not have a couch or sofa for extra sitting.
I have also never every paid more then 189 euros a night for a hotel, and that was ONCE , I usually pay between 90-120 euros a night.
I have only stayed in one apartment, it was nice, but it did not have a couch or sofa for extra sitting.
Nov 19th, 2012, 12:03 PM
#52
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<Some people just don't like going out, I do.>
Eating in part of the time does not equal "not liking to go out". Why you keep saying stuff like that is really beyond me.
I'm sure if one spent hundreds of Euros per night, the hotel may even have room service were one could eat in. Since when did eating in or not wanting to eat every meal for a week in a restaurant mean someone is 'holing up" or "doesn't like to go out"? Judgmental much?
One can also go out and not eat a meal. I'm sure if we put our heads together we could think a few things to do.
Of course you can express your personal opinion. In fact, I thought that's what forums like this were for. You are, however, expressing your personal opinion and tastes by knocking those of others, which is of course also your choice. I just wouldn't be surprised when others reply.
Anyway, I hope Diana has a wonderful trip what ever she decides.
Eating in part of the time does not equal "not liking to go out". Why you keep saying stuff like that is really beyond me.
I'm sure if one spent hundreds of Euros per night, the hotel may even have room service were one could eat in. Since when did eating in or not wanting to eat every meal for a week in a restaurant mean someone is 'holing up" or "doesn't like to go out"? Judgmental much?
One can also go out and not eat a meal. I'm sure if we put our heads together we could think a few things to do.
Of course you can express your personal opinion. In fact, I thought that's what forums like this were for. You are, however, expressing your personal opinion and tastes by knocking those of others, which is of course also your choice. I just wouldn't be surprised when others reply.
Anyway, I hope Diana has a wonderful trip what ever she decides.
Nov 19th, 2012, 12:16 PM
#53
When traveling alone, I eat evening meals in my hotel room quite often (after a trip to the supermarket). Generally, I have been out all day since early morning and am ready for a well deserved rest with some time in the bathtub and in front of the television. Frankly, I do not know much about the nightlife of most cities.
Please don't look for the English language channels if you watch television -- try to figure out what the French watch on TF1, France 2 and France 3, among others...
Please don't look for the English language channels if you watch television -- try to figure out what the French watch on TF1, France 2 and France 3, among others...
Feb 25th, 2013, 08:03 AM
#59
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 246
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I just came back from Paris, where the weather was sunny, 35-42 degrees and a lot less windy than NYC. I had a great time. I went alone and rode the metro. Paris is very easy to visit on your own. All you need is a good map. There are hundreds of places to eat in all price ranges.
If you like museums get a two or four day pass and visit as many as you can. One of my new discoveries was the Archeaological Crypt of Notre Dame entrance located near the Prefecture of Police which has an outstanding exhibit on Paris history that has been newly updated since Notre Dame is celebrating 850 years. Also finally got to the Cluny Museum to see the tapestries and ceramics. The new Islamic wing of the Louvre is excellent with good explanations of the art.
I eat out by myself all the time and don't feel self conscious about it at all. You can always bring a paperback if you get bored between courses.
Finally, my German friends met me in Paris for a couple of days and we went to Bofinger to have seafood. The food is excellent and the banquettes and lighting are typically French.
If you like museums get a two or four day pass and visit as many as you can. One of my new discoveries was the Archeaological Crypt of Notre Dame entrance located near the Prefecture of Police which has an outstanding exhibit on Paris history that has been newly updated since Notre Dame is celebrating 850 years. Also finally got to the Cluny Museum to see the tapestries and ceramics. The new Islamic wing of the Louvre is excellent with good explanations of the art.
I eat out by myself all the time and don't feel self conscious about it at all. You can always bring a paperback if you get bored between courses.
Finally, my German friends met me in Paris for a couple of days and we went to Bofinger to have seafood. The food is excellent and the banquettes and lighting are typically French.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
traveler24
Europe
21
Mar 20th, 2009 07:20 AM
