Travel Guide : Paris

[taz]

When I was in the nice part of Paris where all the designer boutiques are (no clue the name) there was this hotel across from Chanel (not the Cambon location) with flowerboxes that were overflowing with the most beautiful flowers Ive ever seen, it was a gorgeous hotel and was very close to the Champs-Elysées. So maybe that would be up your alley.

is it the Faborgue St. Honore street??? or Av. Montaigne? there are miliions of hotels there... but which one to choose???

Le Defense... i would never stay there, it is too far from the parisian life.

i thought about the best western hotels chain, they have 3 hotels close to the arc de tromph, they are clean, safe, reasonable price & u won't miss anything there

 

[Lena]

all of my friends are recommending in staying in the Champs-Elysees, but i prefer the louver & marias arae.
what do u think about living in the Champs-Elysées area?

oh no, not Champs Elysees
its a very popular area for middle eastern people but its a bit boring no?
i seldom live in hotels in Paris so i can't really recomment anyone special (apart the Hotel Chopin near the Bourse)

regarding areas, my fave is by far Le Montmartre

Republique is also cool near Oberkampf or near Canal Saint Martin
Rue Saint Honore has some cool hotels and its very convenient for window shopping/Louvre and so close to the yummy Angeline patiserie

 

[Elli]

I went with my class a few weeks ago, we stayed in Clichy. It sucked, it wasn't a very nice part of the town, the people that worked at the hotel warned us about going out at night. So atleast I can tell you not stay there

 

[Lena]

depents on where one stays at Clichy..
at night its much less 'dangerous' than you'd think , actually Boulevard de Clichy is quite fun in a kitchy way (see Moulin Rouge)

 

[Elli]

^yeah that's true. We were a bit far from the blvd cause it took a while to get there so I guess we were more 'north'. And we were hungry one night so we went to the Mc Dondalds and met all kinds of people. Paris was still great though and Lena I have to ask since you seem to know, was it on that Boulevar de Clichy that all the sexshops and stuff were located?

 

[Lena]

yes, thats the one elli, but it's really a harmless area..

the sex shops are just money laundy/touristic business,
supposedly they will be gone in a while.. you should have visited (even just outside) the Moulin Rouge

 

[ultramarine]

^yeah that's true. We were a bit far from the blvd cause it took a while to get there so I guess we were more 'north'. And we were hungry one night so we went to the Mc Dondalds and met all kinds of people. Paris was still great though and Lena I have to ask since you seem to know, was it on that Boulevar de Clichy that all the sexshops and stuff were located?

You were in Paris and ate at Mickey D's?

 

[Elli]

You were in Paris and ate at Mickey D's?

well no of course we went to restaurants and such but this was very late and no restaurantmoment people just wanted to eat and go to bed.

and thanks Lena for the info

 

[Lena]

taz, here is the latest of hip Parisian hotels , just opened in time for the couture week, if you have the cash, i'd say try this out

Paris has another boutique-design hotel, the 27-room Hotel le Sezz, just a block away from the Eiffel Tower. Owner Shahe Kalaidjian entrusted French industrial designer Christophe Pillet to realize his vision with khaki-colored stone from Portugal, Murano light fixtures, beds that sit in the center of the rooms and plenty of high-tech services. Instead of a reception desk, personal assistants fulfill guests' needs and Internet and movie rentals are free. There is also a bar, hammam and massage room. Rooms range from 250 euros ($302) to 650 euros ($786).
Hotel le Sezz: 6 Avenue Fremiet , 331-56-75-26-26.

from wwd

 

[nr9dream]

Elli, if you were more north perhaps you were in the goutte d’Or area which I can understand being less pleasant…actually some streets there are v. nice in an arty ‘hip’ way and some not so nice…I used to live there & it was fine (but on my street for ex. I could not have pizza delivered at night ) This area & Barbes might be a bit intimidating if you don’t know it…

I would second that Pigalle/Clichy area is very touristy & really not more unsafe than any other more chic part of the city.

When I go to Paris by myself I still stay in the 18th arr. but with my daughter I prefer to stay on the left bank 6/7th arr. or the Louvre area. Taz, especially nice with a baby because of the central setting and at walking distance of the tuileries gardens Unfortunately there are many hotels there which are overpriced just for the location…I’ve had a pleasant stay at B Western Louvre Opera wich is reasonably priced , new/clean + very good service and considerate f/ our needs w/small child. Hth

 

[helena]

I always stay near Nation on Blvd Voltaire. Its a good area - safe & relatively quiet & lots of nice restau's around (although not particularly 'hip' if thats what you are after).

 

[taz]

When I go to Paris by myself I still stay in the 18th arr. but with my daughter I prefer to stay on the left bank 6/7th arr. or the Louvre area. Taz, especially nice with a baby because of the central setting and at walking distance of the tuileries gardens Unfortunately there are many hotels there which are overpriced just for the location…I’ve had a pleasant stay at B Western Louvre Opera wich is reasonably priced , new/clean + very good service and considerate f/ our needs w/small child. Hth

thanks for all the replys

which one is it nr9dream? is it the one at 4 Rue Des Moulins, Paris 75001, France or the one at 22, rue de Richelieu - 75001 Paris ? is there a web site for it? i might consider it???

i thought also about Chatelet Les Halls, close to the Pombidu centre?

i am looking for an area that is safe to walk in the midnight for my little family & that is full of life & facilities.

Lena i coludn't recognize u with new avator, there is a hotel that its room were redesigned by Christian Lacroix & each room has its own scheme, but i didn't like its location, it is quite far on the rive gauche.- i stay there if i were by myself-
for me i would love to stay as close as possible to 5 AV. MARCUE Lena.

well i am going at the end of august up to mid sept, there is enough time to make a decision.

 

[taz]

why are the rooms rates between 9/2 - 9/5 goes almost the double???
are there anything special happening? the pret a porte week is quite far???

 

[fab_fifties_fille]

Last time I was in Paris I stayed in a little 3 star hotel called fertel etoile it was just 5mins walk away from l'arc, it was just off the street directly opposite to the champs elysees, I can't remember the name of the main street but the little one was the rue acasias?! It was friendly, clean and comfortable, and perfectly suited to what I wanted from it (a comfortable rest-stop) it had a nice little grocers one door down from it where I'd buy fresh fruit, veg and nuts to have for my lunch, and I'd eat out in the bistros nearby at night. I'm off again in a weeks time, but this time staying in a 2* hotel in the bastille region we'll be there for bastille day too.

 

[nr9dream]

thanks for all the replys

which one is it nr9dream? is it the one at 4 Rue Des Moulins, Paris 75001, France or the one at 22, rue de Richelieu - 75001 Paris ? is there a web site for it? i might consider it???

i thought also about Chatelet Les Halls, close to the Pombidu centre?

yes- the one in rue des moulins: http://www.bestwestern-paris-louvreopera.com/

Les halles quarter is not so nice anymore esp. at night imo...Though near rue de Montorgueil it's quite lively & pleasant...

Good luck with your search

 

[fezbatik]

When my boyfriend and I backpacked Europe, we stayed at "L'hotel Perfecte", which was at Villiers Station (just South of Pigalle). Not only was it cheap as hell, the owner was the nicest woman - both my b/f and I speak french, so even though she spoke english, we had a blast trying to practise our skills....

anyhow, for 17 euro each per night, we had a "cozy" room .. and a brilliant view of the Sacre Coeur. If you're in need of a budget location, this was better than any hostel.

By the way - Has anyone who has visited the Sacre Coeur ever had this random guy ask to place string around your fingers??? (To make a bracelet for you, I'm assuming). Adrian and I brushed him off, we weren't in the mood - I just wondered after, if I was really going to get a bracelet out of it, or if he was going to pick my pocket in the process....

 

[fab_fifties_fille]

yeah fezbatik, a man tried to do that with me too, I just said no thanks and walked, but he pursued it till I started walking up the stairs. He got a couple of little kids to do it, and from what I saw they didn't pick anybodies pocket, its just that basically you're made to buy the bracelet after...So they are making money out of it.

 

[fezbatik]

^^ Yeah, that's what I was hoping anyway. I guess it's a tradition - seems those guys have been there for a while

 

[taz]

i think Pigalle is not the ideal place with my little family, i can't gamble with my 4 monthes old baby

 

[taz]

thanks nr9dream, what about the surrounding? are there a pakery, shops,....?
how is the life style there????