Paris trip - where to stay please?

dooj

sorry for butting in cos im not really sure where i should be posting my question but as i have been joining in a bit more on the forum i have realised that all you lot are just experts in everything :T Anyway ive tried asking family and friends but havent really had much luck so thought id ask the money savers... Im planning a trip to Paris for four adults, non of us have been before and i just wanted to ask where is the best place to stay (cheap but reasonable after all we are money savers) and what other hints and tips do you have with regard to eating out, travel, things to see and do and all that. would love your help :A

squeaky

Hi, Georgia

We have a forum with lots of information on travelling where there are plenty of people who will be able to give you loads of helpful tips, so I'll move you across from Old Style.

Best of luck

researcher

I've used the bbc's site for some very useful info. This will give you an overview of Paris based on lots of peoples opinion. The link is for mid-range accommodation.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/holiday/you_call_the_shots/paris_accommodation_hotels_mid_price.shtml


But you can easily navigate around and you'll get a good idea of everything from eating out, travel, entertainment etc.

I also used www.tripadvisor.com for hotel reviews - although it's a bit americanised it's a useful tool too.

Paulina_Fortune

Hi,

It's a while since I was last in Paris, so the only useful piece of info I can give you is to avoid the Pigalle district - it's their 'red light' area and not nice to stay in.

Paulina.

MyUserNamesTaken

http://www.villages-hotel.com/reservation/fiche.php?i_sid=417002930&i_lang=44&i_id=6964&i_carte=1


Great little hotels. Cheap and cheerful, but you get what you pay for. Cosy enough if you only plan to sleep there. You're near a Metro station, so getting anywhere should be easy.

jen_jen_2

i went a couple of years ago and stayed in Monmarttre (spelt wrong) just behind the moulin rouge it wasnt very expensive, cant remember how i found it though.

monmartre was near the sacrecour and nice enough, get a carnet (book of 10 tickets) for the metro, its quicker and cheaper this way expecially if there are four of you it saves having to get a ticket every trip. there are loads of restarurants for eating and we never found anything that was hugely expensive, again ate round monmartre most of the time.

i enjoyed a walk along the seine, cheap and if you go round the louve its big so put comfy shoes on.

enjoy

coral

have a look for an apartment - often companies who usually let them out for long stays will let them out for the odd few days at great prices - i got mine off lastminute.com for €70 a night & it was great, little kitchen, full bathroom & living area right in the centre - had a fantastic time!
travel there on the eurostar (unless your going to drive) - don't mess about flying its a lot of hassle - you can get 3 day metro tickets which are idea for you as you can hop on the metro & buses as much as you like - they have english speaking staff at the main stations
you'll have a great time )

gustav

coral wrote:

...travel there on the eurostar (unless your going to drive) - don't mess about flying its a lot of hassle...

As usual, another London-centric view of the world.
We dont all live a bus ride from Waterloo/Ashford you know!

MrSmartprice

Get yourself the Rough Guide to Paris - plenty of hotels etc in there, along with good value restaurants. Use the Metro all the time, it is clean, quick, cheap, and you are never far from a station.

If you like galleries, don't miss the Musee d'Orsay, (for my money better than the Louvre all things considered.) Monet's huge murals at the Orangerie, and the collection at the Marmottan are also wonderful.

For the big attractions, like the Eiffel Tower, get there early (opening time) and avoid the queues. Go straight to the top and work down the levels or you have a long wait for the lifts. The tour buses don't arrive till a bit later, it's quiet till then.

booogle

If you can find a good deal, have a look at the marriott courtyard neuilly which is nice, away from the hustle and bustle in a good area, only 10 minutes to the underground

Smiley_Mum

We stayed here just the other week and it was a lovely independent hotel, the staff were very friendly and helpful.

http://www.hotel-langlois.com/en/

We paid 111.56 per night (around £79.75) per night for three people including continental breakfast. Free internet access available also. There is lots of little Boulangeries (bakeries) closeby where they have delicious sandwiches and breads/quiches etc where you can eat very cheaply. Bath/shower, good air conditioning, fairly spacious rooms, hairdryers, plenty towels, etc etc. They have a mini bar in the room which is useful if you have sandwiches etc that you wish to keep cool. We just took the bottles out and kept our cold meat, milk etc in the fridge. You can also pick up a little map at the reception which gives 10% of purchases at the Printemps store (check out Lafayette Galleries on Haussman Boulevard I think it is, valid until 31/12/06. Toilets are available at Printemps beauty salon, on the first floor, free. Better than public wcs which at times are grotty and expensive to use. There are superloo type toilets along the street which don't cost much to use are automatically sprayed with disinfectant after every use. Fun to use, you get 15 mins and then the doors open automatically so be quick. Don't try to sneak in after someone has been in to avoid paying or you will be sprayed with disinfectant, at least you know they are clean. They will be wet with the disinfectant when you use them.

If you are using a Nationwide credit card, make sure that you remember your PIN. This hotel just swiped mine and I signed but chain hotels aren't so keen and insist on PIN transactions only. So remember your PIN for the cards you take.

Also re Duty Free at CDG if that is where you are flying into, it tended to be quite expensive, more than the Department Stores in Paris. I bought perfume in Printemps and the lady was extremely generous with the free samples, got several perfume samples galore, body lotions etc, and also aftershave samples for my dad. Don't be afraid to ask but she will probably offer. I asked for a sample for my mum of the perfume I bought and she gave me a 7.5ml handbag sized Parfum spray, in a nice little atomiser. Would work for the aftershaves also I reckon, very generous with the samples, moreso than here. If you get hold of the Printemps voucher for 10% off it would work out cheaper than Duty Free at CDG I reckon too.

Eiffel tower, get there early, like before 9am if possible to avoid the queues. Allow yourself at least 2-3 hours for a good look round and photos etc. The tourist shop at the top gets crowded quickly and is expensive. Be very aware of pickpockets. Toilets on first and second floor, busy. Toilets also available across from the tower for 40 cents. Nice park across from the Tower where you can sit and have a rest after the trip to the top. Stairs are cheaper, less crowded and not too tiring, take a bottle of water with you while you go. Buy some snacks from a supermarket before you go for after the visit as buying anything nearby costs a fortune. You can sit across the way for a rest.

There is a red open top bus tour available for 22 euros per person, ticket valid for two days. You can pick it up from the Eiffel Tower and it can let you off at all the tourist spots etc and also has a boat trip on the Seine for an extra 8 euros I think it is.

Take a little telescopic brolly which will be useful for the unpredictable weather, it was very humid and clammy weather when we were there, it would be sunshine one minute and then thunder and lightning the next and then sun again so brolly would be useful.

Eating out is expensive, we went to the Boulangeries (bakeries) (try to go to the independent ones, rather than the chain ones like Pauls, which are cheaper). They have excellent sandwiches, pastries, croissants, breads, quiches and some have a seating area where you can eat there or just find a park and have your picnic there. Eating at the roadside cafes are EXPENSIVE. Our final day in Paris we had a snack at one, two bottles of Vittel water, 4 euros a piece, two bottles of apple juice 3.80 a piece, 3 Croque Monsieurs for myself and the boys, with a little salad, around 9 euros a piece, a crepe with Nutella around 4 euros, total was about 40 euros. Expensive.

Our trip wasn't very moneysaving, sorry Martin. If the kids were older, had one bag to carry, no buggy and had fluent or some french and no wedding to attend it would have been a lot cheaper but due to the amount of luggage I had to lug around, the boys being small and the stuff we had to take for the wedding, etc, outfits, present etc, it was SOME trip. Home now for a rest.

If you are using the trains you should get the ticket stamped at the end of the platform in the little yellow ticket stamper box, otherwise you will be fined.

If using the Metro avoid sitting near the doors as thieves will target you and grab your bags as the doors close so be careful. Be very aware of who is around you.

Avoid Taxis at all costs, very, very expensive. We used them only because we had a ton of luggage (attending a wedding, bag, suitcarrier, suitcase, buggy, etc and two little kids, Metro would have been a nightmare. To give you an idea, we used Taxis throughout a seven day trip, from hotel to train station, airport etc and back etc and the total we spent was around £220. They charge 3 euros per piece of luggage in the boot, service charge and then 10% tip on top of standard fare. If you do need to use them make sure it is a Parisien Taxi with the tariff displayed on the dash and the clear sticker with taxi number on the window.

Watch out when crossing the roads, although it may be green and everyone is piling across watch out for the scooters that mount the pavements etc to get through. Look out for all the SMART cars too, there are loads of them everywhere.