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Post by Jazz on Feb 3, 2009 4:19:11 GMT
We all visit Paris uniquely. I love the 'sense' of this beautiful city. All you truly need is intense awareness. My budget has always been modest, I usually spend between 25-100Euro/day, NOT including my accommodation. The amount depends on my mood. Paris...Apartment or hotel? I have stayed in both, but I prefer apartments. Apartments are less expensive and give you a feeling of 'living in Paris'. I love to get up in the morning and have breakfast 'at home', to enjoy my privacy and make a plan for the day...soon to be shifted, many times. This also gives me a great reason for exploring the markets and the small food and wine shops. All of us tire of eating out three times a day and it is a delight to prepare dinner at home with your bounty from the neighborhood market. Perhaps every third night? This saves money and enhances your experience, exploring the markets and your cooking skills. You could take a cooking course for a week or even one lunch break. Often, in the market, the vendors will give you a special recipe. There are hundreds of rental sites, choose carefully. Often you can write directly to the owner and it will be cheaper. Or, the same apartment is on different sites at different prices. The longer you stay, the better the deal. I have stayed twice for a month and the last time my studio was 1100Euro for the month. Walk through www.pagesjaunes.fr/trouverlesprofessionnels/index.door google map images to have a feel for the neighborhood. Here are a few sites that I like: www.vrbo.comwww.homelidays.comwww.perfectlyparis.comwww.abritel.comI usually spend 400-500 (maximum)!/week for an apartment or studio, but I have stayed for the month. I spend 8-12 hours a day out of my apartment, walking and loving Paris. At the end of the day I am exhausted and barely capable of looking at the place. My Paris homes have been modest, lovely and 'of character'...that is all I need.
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Post by hal2000 on Feb 3, 2009 8:27:38 GMT
Do you have a favorite part of the city to stay?
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Post by Jazz on Feb 5, 2009 6:56:21 GMT
Do you have a favorite part of the city to stay? Not really. Each arrondissement that I have stayed in seems to be a 'village' in itself. This may differ, even within an Arrondissement. I have rented apartments twice in the 5th, (part of the Latin Quarter). The first was a block from the old market street, la rue Mouffetarde. Close by was a small square which had a roving market each Thursday. Most recently, still in the 5th, I rented a studio on a tiny 13th century street, rue Maitre Albert...a three minute walk from the Seine and a three minute walk from Place Maubert, with its sumptuous market each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. I enjoyed both, but they were very different from each other. As you move throughout Paris, your 'sense' of the city becomes more fluid. The Bastille (11th) is vibrant, acutely alive...you are assaulted by noise, even if you come 'home' at 4AM. I loved it in a totally different way. It's great if you love to be awake into the night. I do. Once, I stayed in the 9th (Nouvelle Athene) at the foot of Montmartre. I liked it and it is now becoming more intriguing to me. Montmartre, in the 18th, is special to me. People often criticize it as being a 'tourist trap'. I suggest that these people make the effort to move beyond a 5 block radius of Place du Tertre, (the artists' square). Walk down to the 'other side of the hill' and explore la rue Caulaincourt and the tiny surrounding streets and squares. Go to La Goutte d'Or, rich in ethnic culture. Explore the few small streets of fabric shops, gathered together...unforgettably sensual. Walk even further east in the 18th, it's worth it. Ilse Saint Louis is also unique and I once stayed there...the boats, the bridges and the waters fascinated me and I would spend hours writing about them, meeting a new friend, or painting. The next area that I would like to stay in would be the 18th, 10th, 12th, 19th or 20th. I would love to find a place along the Canal Saint Martin or be in one of the more untouched areas, the 19th or 20th. Don't worry Hal, where ever you stay in Arrondissements 1-20, you will be fine. The rents (hotel, hostel or apartment) are much higher in Arr. 1-9, the traditional tourist areas. Consider staying in 10-20, this will be much less expensive. The Paris metro system is excellent and you easily can be from one end of the city to the other in under 45 minutes, maximum. There are 15 (?) lines and metro stops every 500 metres. Or, use the inexpensive new bicycle system, Velib, again with stations each 500 metres. Or, the most beautiful...walk.
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Post by Kimby on Apr 29, 2009 20:03:59 GMT
I didn't see this before, thanks for bumping it in another thread, Jazz...
My 2 cent's worth. We chose our Paris hotel by choosing the metro station that served both the line in from Versailles and the train to the airport, St. Michel. Went through guidebooks and circled places in our price range (100 Euros or less), prioritized them and when we got off the train we walked up to the first one on our list at about 9 AM.
Though we had no reservation, they had 3 or 4 rooms for us to look at, and a place to leave our bags while the rooms were cleaned. We stayed there 5 nights and were most satisfied with the convenience and location.
It is called Hotel de Nesle and I have posted a review on TripAdvisor.com They have three types of rooms. In 2007 it was 75 Euros for a room w/o WC or shower, 85 for a room with its own WC but shared shower, and 100 Euros for room with ensuite WC and shower. The shared WCs are only shared with 2 rooms on the same floor. There are four rooms on each of 5 floors, for a total of 20 rooms, at least one sleeping 3 people. We got a 100 Euro room for 90 Euros because we were staying 5 nights....
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Post by Jazz on Apr 29, 2009 21:06:58 GMT
I read your review Kimby, since I have always been curious about the Hotel de Nesle. It is on my short list of inexpensive hotels that I would stay in if I were in Paris for a short time. Inexpensive Paris hotels What room were you in? Lagatta, the Hotel de Torcy doesn't have a site, but it was reviewed by Tod (who is now one of our members) on Fodors. She stayed there and had a lovely room for 55E. The hotel is in the 18th. Tod wrote an very good trip report with excellent photos on Fodors. She decided to take Kerouac's Ethnic Iinerary Walk in reverse. I'll see if I can find it. (modified to fix link)
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2009 21:08:15 GMT
Frankly I am shocked at how high those prices are for rooms without WC or shower when you can get an air conditioned one with cable TV, WC and shower for no more than 50€ in the outer arrondissements.
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Post by gertie on Mar 9, 2010 14:11:46 GMT
I love the outer arrondissements and I am always so pleased to hear k2 and others champion them as well. That said, it has been pointed out to me many of the things that made my two stays in the outer reaches grand would suffer if the tourist hoards decided to make the same choice. What most sticks in my mind about those stays were the family-run restaurants, lovely small shops each selling one specialty such as cheese, breads, very fresh fruits and vegetables, or meats, the tiny tea shops where local ladies relaxed for tea when the shopping was done but before the kiddies got out from school, the uncrowded feel and quiet back alleys - so much would just be lost in the bustle. My new goal is to encourage as many tourist as possible to cram into the first four arrondissements and stay there. ;D
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Post by lagatta on Mar 9, 2010 21:26:59 GMT
Agree with gertie!
It is an advantage for me to stay in the eastern outer arrondissements - from 18 to 20, and even down to 12 - as that is where most (but not all) of my friends in Paris proper live, and several of the proche banlieue ones live nearby (Montreuil, Bobigny etc). Not odd, as those are slightly gentrifying old working-class suburbs and right on the Parisian métro lines.
The inner arrondissements can be a benefit for first-time visitors intent on seeing sights, and walking as much as possible.
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Post by lola on Mar 10, 2010 1:36:03 GMT
I find online Paris apartment shopping recreational, especially in the cold hours of late winter. The really expensive ones annoy me, so I don't usually look at them. I like being out with the regular Parisians, too, even if it means a bus ride.
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Post by lagatta on Mar 10, 2010 3:29:45 GMT
I agree Lola, but there are suburbs I wouldn't want to stay in, and I don't mean dodgy ones, but just anonymous places that could be anywhere, on just about any continent. Where I have stayed in Montreuil was like the 20th arrondissement. It has a very nice market too.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2010 6:13:10 GMT
On one of the other sites, somebody was saying that they had rented an apartment on avenue Montaigne (one of the very richest streets in the city with nothing but fashion houses and corporate headquarters) and how come it appeared that the nearest bakery was more than half a mile away? Well, duh, because nobody lives in that area and the few people who do don't mind sending their servants across town to buy stuff for them. In my own neighborhood, I have 8 bakeries within 200 meters. No question in my mind which area is more "desirable."
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Post by bjd on Mar 10, 2010 12:55:39 GMT
I agree. I don't understand people who want to be close to the Eiffel Tower or some other monument. I mean, once you have seen it, that's it. You don't go looking at it every day. But on the other hand, you do need to go and eat or buy some food or whatever every day. So it's better to be in a less fancy area where normal people live.
In any case, I admit that I find that whole 7th-8th-parts of the 16th totally boring. Whole stretches of the city with nothing to see, nobody on the streets, the occasional chauffeur waiting for his civil servant or politician in front of a government building. The only reason to go over there is for the Musée d'Orsay.
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Post by lola on Mar 10, 2010 14:37:49 GMT
Where we last stayed in the 15th, there was a petanque park across the street, with old guys and mothers with strollers. We loved seeing the parents companionably walking their children to school and back. Also, the clerk at the bakery seemed to think my terrible accent was novel rather than infuriating, and by the time we left we had a nice little relationship.
My husband didn't like the distance to museums etc, and said he wanted to stay in the Marais next time for the antiquity of it, but he also needs somewhere really quiet at night.
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Post by joanne28 on Mar 10, 2010 18:21:32 GMT
The last time we were in Paris (too long ago - Feb 2007), we stayed at the Hotel de Blois in the 14th. I believe we paid 65€ a night. The room was very small, as was the en-suite but spotlessly clean. The hotel is about a 10 min walk from the Alesia, if I remember correctly. we walked to the hotel from Denfert Rochereau.
It's a small, one star family-run hotel. There is a Monoprix a few blocks away and lots of little shops and restaurants. We will definitely go back. There was a nice feel of being in a real neighbourhood.
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Post by lagatta on Mar 10, 2010 22:18:28 GMT
Lola, I don't blame your husband; the Marais is lovely, but parts of it can be noisy at night. But there are very quiet streets too.
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Post by bjd on Mar 11, 2010 8:07:03 GMT
A few years ago we had to stay in a hotel for a week and stayed in the 14th, right near Denfert. 10 min walk from Montparnasse train station. I didn't really know the neighbourhood very well, but discovered that it was great -- full of little shops, restaurants and central enough to walk everywhere.
We paid 50€/night for a double with bath, last I heard the prices had gone up to 55. And we overlooked a garden with tables so it was really peaceful. I don't know if N Americans would consider the room small. We found it fine. The only problem is that you have to book far ahead because they are always full.
Hmmm -- I just had a look to add the link, but discovered that a) they have changed name b) lots of bad reviews, mostly of people who got shifted to an annex in another street, and for booking problems. I also saw that it's 59€/night for a double with breakfast.
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Post by gertie on Mar 11, 2010 8:18:08 GMT
Yeah, I know how that goes, bjd. The place I stayed twice in the 20th is a youth hostel that now gets solidly horrible reviews and in the more recent ones, bedbugs figure prominently. Too bad, it was lovely when I was there with bright, clean rooms and lovely breakfasts. I recall being so nervous about staying in a hostel, too, but for my next stay I will be trying out another hostel which I see has pretty good reviews. I'll be sure to report back.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2010 8:23:50 GMT
I wish I could be of more assistance on Paris accommodation posts, but I just cannot bring myself to test the hotels of Paris.
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Post by bjd on Mar 11, 2010 9:16:13 GMT
That was the only time I stayed in a hotel in Paris in the past 12 years. If you don't count an Etap hotel near Roissy 2 years ago before a 7 am flight.
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Post by Jazz on Mar 11, 2010 15:07:26 GMT
I love the outer arrondissements and I am always so pleased to hear k2 and others champion them as well. My new goal is to encourage as many tourist as possible to cram into the first four arrondissements and stay there. ;D Somehow, I think you'll be successful with your new goal. As I look at the other forums re: Paris, most people steadfastly want to stay in arrondissements 1-7. Thank god. Lola, like you I spend hours shopping online for an apartment. 'Time well wasted'. The Marais is one of my favorite quartiers and as Lagatta says, you can find many quiet streets. I would like to stay in the 10th or 11th in my next visit. This is one apartment that I totally love, but it books up far in advance, www.parisattitude.com/apartment.asp?numProduit=1783If I were going with someone else, this is a beauty, an old atelier in the 11th. (it takes a moment to load the photos), www.all-paris-apartments.com/en/paris-apartments/ref_4424/And, the green studio Bastille/Marais/Roquette...lovely for 1175E/month, mapage.noos.fr/dbrc/indexenglish.htm
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Post by lola on Mar 11, 2010 16:12:45 GMT
Oh, do those look lovely. Thanks, Jazz. Time well wasted; love it. Hours spent looking over floorplans etc is bound to pay off when it's time to put the actual deposit down. That atelier looks amazing. I've been going through this Fodor's thread lately: www.fodors.com/community/europe/paris-apartment-thread.cfmThere's one in the Quartier Batignolles that looks interesting.
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Post by lagatta on Mar 11, 2010 16:46:54 GMT
Batignolles is a very pleasant area; there is a beautiful public garden (Square des Batignolles). It is a quiet area with a pretty little church and trees, but you aren't far from shopping and affordable restaurants a bit east of there around avenue de Clichy. You aren't far from the lovely posh Parc Monceau either, which is just south of the boulevard dividing the 17th from the 8th. Think Parc Monceau figured in the imec in Europe thread. It would be a good area for people who'd like to ease into riding a Vé'lib rental bicycle... There is an irreverent French bande-dessinée (hardbound comic book, graphic novel) series about a debauched elderly nun, Soeur Marie-Thérèse de Batignolles. She is lusty, foul-mouthed, likes her wine, cigarettes and even those funny cigarettes... bd-girls.mon-oueb.com/belles/soeur_marie_therese_des_batignolles/index.phtml
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Post by lola on Mar 11, 2010 16:52:46 GMT
Someone who'd like to ease into riding a Vé'lib is exactly who I am. Thanks, lagatta.
The atelier seems to have only a few days here and there (except this month) for the rest of the year, and the days available fewer than the minimum 3. The teasers.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2010 18:01:18 GMT
Tod2 should check out this thread even though her favorite hotel is the Ibis at La Défense. . I know she is coming to Paris in July. But she has also been to the Hôtel de Torcy in my neighborhood and liked it.
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Post by Jazz on Mar 11, 2010 18:49:44 GMT
Thanks Lola, I've looked through that thread every now and then. It is a good source, but I find that the budgets of many of the Fodorites are much higher than mine. I'm not sure which apartment in the 17th you mean. Is it Truffaut's? www.rentalapartmentparis.com/ The area and his apartment are lovely. Are you thinking of going to Paris soon? Don't be discouraged by places that seem to be fully booked. Often, plans change and they become available near your dates.
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Post by lola on Mar 11, 2010 19:36:30 GMT
Hi, Jazz. Yes, that was the one. I automatically skip the ones with "luxury" in the title, so I don't get all envious.
I'm hoping for as early as fall, or as late as spring depending on daughters' plans around gap year, college, semester abroad. How about you?
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Post by bjd on Mar 11, 2010 19:41:59 GMT
I like the Batignolles area too. I "discovered" it a few years ago when I bought a book of walks around Paris.
Agreed, Lagatta -- Soeur Marie-Thérèse des Batignolles is a lot of fun, but I don't know how much someone who doesn't speak much French would be able to appreciate it.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2010 19:47:55 GMT
Ah, I lived in the Batignolles for two years and loved it. My first studio apartment in Paris...
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Post by lagatta on Mar 29, 2010 12:38:55 GMT
Kerouac, have you been inside Torcy Hotel - it is also called "Torcy's Hotel" in one of those ghastly faux-anglicisms Parisian hôteliers are so fond of. Is it clean and acceptable? How much does it cost? (It is hard to find such info for cheapo Parisian hotels unless Lonely Planet or Le Routard "discovers" them).
The Torcy's Hotel 58 r Torcy 75018 PARIS 01 46 07 83 13 Torcy Hôtel 58 r Torcy 75018 PARIS 01 46 07 27 29 Is the second number a fax?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2010 13:15:49 GMT
Kerouac, have you been inside Torcy Hotel - it is also called "Torcy's Hotel" in one of those ghastly faux-anglicisms Parisian hôteliers are so fond of. Is it clean and acceptable? How much does it cost? (It is hard to find such info for cheapo Parisian hotels unless Lonely Planet or Le Routard "discovers" them). The Torcy's Hotel 58 r Torcy 75018 PARIS 01 46 07 83 13 Torcy Hôtel 58 r Torcy 75018 PARIS 01 46 07 27 29 Is the second number a fax? I know that tod2 stayed there after I mentioned it on another site a couple of years ago, and she seemed to really enjoy it. Well sort of... I hope she won't mind if I copy some of her report here. The rest wasn't so easy but we took our time on the metro steps and soon exited at Marx Dormoy.
Around the corner and we were there.
The front of the hotel was entirely covered with scaffolding which Kerouac had mentioned some months ago when I first read the "Ethnic Walking Tour".
Behind the front desk an elderly man was reading the paper and welcomed us. We said we had a reservation, but no record of it was found. Luckily a young woman in Eastern attire appeared and asked us if we wanted a room.
"No, we have a room reserved etc, etc."
"Come, come with me". She took us up the stairs to room 36 and showed us a large room with a double bed and a single bed. The bathroom was equally big and although not at all what I consider 'decorated' it looked clean and neat. We agreed to stay. Rate 52 euros a night.
After unpacking we went downstairs to find a younger man at the reception desk.
During the conversation of whether they had an all night porter or should we have a key the younger bloke tells us "You are in number 35" - reply, "No, we are in 36"
"No, 35!" he keeps saying. "In 36 are the Russians! - 3 beds, 3 people!" I am worried now and tell him by a lot of head, arm and leg movement, that I have unpacked all our clothes into the cupboard space.
"OK, OK," he says. While this was all being sorted out the old bloke was in the background sitting talking to another guy but every now & then would interject with "Dawn't warrrrry!" "You take your room, you take your room!"
Then we were asked to pay. My DH presented every credit card know to man, but all the youngster repeated was "No good - only blue card!"
So, we paid cash.
On requesting a receipt another slight problem arose. No receipt book existed. So he scribbled all the relevant details on a blank slip of paper, signed it, and we were on our way to explore more of Paris.
On arriving back at the hotel we were greeted by another gentleman who handed us the key to room............................35!
We started giggling in anticipation of what was to come.
Well blow me down! We enter a lovely large room with a queen size bed. The walls have been wall-papered in a very soft green and the bathroom in really beautiful pink/beige tiles.
We have two large windows in the bedroom looking onto the street and one large one in the bathroom.
The curtains let the room down a bit being a bright blue but everything was cool and spotless.
Where are our clothes?
All neatly packed back in the shelves and hung up!
Some may take affront to being shifted without being there, but - only in the very best hotels do you NOT unpack your own case!
I was much happier with this gigantic room and from then onwards we referred to it as 'The American' room knowing this is more likely where they would be guests.
We found out on our first night that the steel shutters and windows must be closed. We thought rue Torcy was a side street but soon found out it was very busy indeed.
In the morning before we set off for the day we encountered the little lady who first showed us our room. I gave her the 'thumbs-up' and told her the room was lovely and that we were very happy.
When we got in that evening we had double the amount of towels we started off with!
I really loved the area. It was so convenient to a Monoprix, MacDonald's, where we ate breakfast everyday, and an open-air market.
The best thing was having the metro stop so close and more inportant - so many Chinese restaurants to choose from! You can read all of tod2's report (or tod as she is known 'over there') here ---> www.fodors.com/community/europe/our-springtime-stroll-through-paris.cfmSorry -- I don't know if one of the hotel numbers is a fax or not, but I can always transmit a message if you want.
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