April weekend in Paris

DD265

I want to go to Paris weekend 9/10 April - flying out on the 8th/9th returning 10th/11th. I was looking at 2 nights but want to maximise our time there so depending on travel would consider 3 nights.

I am surprised by how much the Eurostar costs (I don't know how much I expected it to be really), plus if we get the Eurostar we're talking the better part of £80-100 to get to London in the first place. We could fly from Manchester or Leeds Bradford.

Usually we'd look to book 4*+ on the hotel front, but I can't imagine us spending a lot of time there so comfy beds are a necessity and that's about it. I am currently trying to tap Dad for IHG points in which case the hotel might be partially/fully covered.

I don't know whether I'm best looking at packages or whether I should book cheap travel then worry about the hotel - no point booking a hotel until I know we can afford to get there.

I also have no idea whereabouts in Paris would be best to stay (we've never been). If IHG I was looking at the Holiday Inn near Notre Dame. Also what should we prioritise to see on our first visit there? I'm sure we won't get everything in.

Ideally I'd like to keep hotel and travel around the £300-400 mark, and I'm anticipating another £200 for food, tourism on the weekend, I don't know whether that's realistic. I guess it doesn't have to be Paris, but Paris seems like a good shout.

All help/guidance appreciated

and my OH keeps walking past and this is supposed to be a surprise birthday present :rotfl:

martindow

DD265 wrote: »

I am surprised by how much the Eurostar costs (I don't know how much I expected it to be really), plus if we get the Eurostar we're talking the better part of £80-100 to get to London in the first place. We could fly from Manchester or Leeds Bradford.

you will find that Eurostar offer London International CIV tickets that are fully flexible and surprisingly cheap. They guarantee transferring to another train if there is a delay with the connection. It is risky buying tickets that tie you to a particular train. I would give them a call and ask for prices.

mark5

We used to go to Paris a few times per year before the kids were born and always based our hotel choices close to batobus stops.

We would buy a 2-3 day pass and use the boat to get about then, occasionally using the metro when we needed to get away from the river.

The great thing about Paris is that the louvre, notre dame, the Eiffel Tower etc are all near batobus stops.

The problem I found with Paris hotels was street noise and very small rooms, holiday inn Bastille was the exception to this, massive room, really quiet, 2 minutes walk from Gare de Leon station and about 5 minutes from batobus.