Accomodations
Les Quatre Hôtels (2018)
This year, we will stay in Five Hotels (Cinq Hôtels) during our time in Paris
(because of a flight cancellation and decision to stay 10 nights instead of 8)
Montmartre
Sunday, December 23rd -Check-In (12:00)
Tuesday, December 25th -Check-Out (12:00)
Mercure Paris Montmartre Sacre Coeur, Paris
1-3 Rue Caulaincourt, Paris, 75018 France
Expedia Ranking: **** (we rate it 3½, although we love this place)
Last year we entered our room, and it had not been cleaned
They remedied this quickly at the front desk with a free upgrade to a superior room. It’s about the same size as a regular room, but has a refrigerator with several free beverages that they refilled occasionally. Most importantly, the superior rooms were on the upper floors, overlooking the city, with the tiny Eiffel Tower in the distance. Much too small to capture a photo, but we could monitor its periodic light shows through the evening. We felt that the incremental room charge was worth this nicer room, maybe $30 per night (although that is $60 over our 2 night stay and these decisions add-up over the trip
Rue Lepic, Sacre Coeur, Montmartre Cemetery, Moulin Rouge, Pathe! Cinema
We paid $142.88 per night
Versailles
Tuesday, December 25th -Check-In (2:00)
Thursday, December 27th -Check-Out (12:00)
Hôtel Le Louis, Versailles Château – MGallery By Sofitel
2 Bix Avenue De Paris, Versailles, Yvelines, 78000 France
Expedia Rating: **** (we rate it 4½)
On our third visit to Pullman Versailles Chateau, we were disappointed last year. Our room looked out onto the back alley, instead of the ice rink toward the train station. We should have asked for an alternate room – the carpet was stretched and worn, a work tarp and room service dishes loitered in the hallway – the elevator buttons were grimy and smudged. To our surprise, a delightful free breakfast was included with the room. It was spectacular. And we love the location on the drive leading down to the Chateau. Now we know to avoid the crowded weekends in Versailles.
We paid $173.49 per night
Bagnolet
Thursday, December 27th -Check-In
Saturday, December 29th -Check-Out
Novotel Paris Est, Bagnolet
1 Avenue de la Republique, Bognolet, Seine-Seint-Denis, 93177 France
Expedia Rating: **** (we also rate it a 4)
This is the most towering of the hotels, in a suburban district of expressways and parks
It’s one metro station from Pere LaChaise Cemetery and maybe our best chance to find that remarkable out-of-the-way Bistro
We paid $134.71 per night
Montparnasse
Saturday, December 29th -Check In (2:00)
Monday, December 31st -Check-Out (12:00)
Mercure Paris Montparnasse Raspail
207 Boulevard Raspail, 75014 Paris, France
This is a new place for us
Looking forward to access to access to Luxemboug Gardens and the deep Left Bank
We will be in proximity to Picpus Cemetery and the Catacombs
La Defense
Monday, December 31stth -Check In (2:00)
Wednesday, January 2nd -Check Out (we will leave mid-morning to airport)
Sofitel Paris La Defense Puteaux
33 Voie des Sculpteurs, Puteaux, Hauts-de-Seine, 92060 France
Expedia Rating: ***** (we also rate it a 5!)
We frequently spend our last evenings in La Defense at the exquisite Sofitel. The staff is the best and the rooms luxurious – for a price much less than premium hotels anywhere-else in Paris. A ride on the metro transports us to evening hours at La Louvre, a New Years Eve performance or a meal at Chartier.
Located in an Exclusively Business District (with very little consumer commerce, except for the train station)
Clean Modern Plaza of Sculptures and La Grande Arche, Overlooking Paris
We paid $217.72 per night
Special Mention
Novotel Paris East Hotel
1 Avenue de la Republique, 93177 Bagnolet
Average per night: $167.20
The eight night total is: $1,337.60
(if you find that agreeable person to share a room in Paris, it could be less than $700.00 for 8 nights) Not Bad
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Where to Stay (2013)
This holiday season we will stay at four hotels situated about Paris:
- Montmartre – Sacre Coeur (18 arr.)
- Bastille – Republique (11 arr.)
- Gare de Lyon – Bercy (12 arr.)
- Eiffel Tower – Orsay Museum (7 arr.)
Some of our accomodations are in luxury hotels removed priciest inner arrondisements with larger rooms. Similar rooms along the Seine would be exorbitant, and everything in the neighborhood is cheaper. A friend stayed at a unit secured through
Airbnb. Her three nights there cost less than the fourth night spent in a hotel. Furthermore, she missed the little things and personal touches of staying in the residence of a local.
It’s safe to recommend the hotel chains (Mercure, Novotel, Sofitel, Pullman, etc) which are clean, safe, predictable and a good value – especially those located some distance from the center of Paris. This year we are also staying at an apartment unit with kitchen facilities and an independent, directly on the Seine.
We struggled to tear-ourselves-away from favorite venues, but always benefit at seeing Paris from a different angle, in another arrondissement (arr.)
Visit the Where to Stay page for our comments on hotels where we have spent a couple evenings over the years:
Latin Quarter – Pantheon (5 arr.) http://www.villa-pantheon.com/
Opera – Department Stores (9 arr.) http://www.opera-hotel-paris.com/
Montmartre – Sacre Coeur (18 arr.) http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-0373-mercure-paris-montmartre-sacre-coeur/index.shtml
Lachaise – Menilmontant (20 arr.) http://www.novotel.com/gb/hotel-0380-novotel-paris-est/index.shtml
La Defense http://www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-0912-sofitel-paris-la-defense/index.shtml
Palace of Versailles http://www.pullmanhotels.com/gb/hotel-1300-pullman-versailles-chateau/location.shtml
Designtripper.com
Interesting, Design-Priented Places to Stay
Close-Up, Emily Brennan (New York Times)
Where will we stay?
We will stay at four hotels situated around Paris:
- Montmartre – Sacre Coeur (18 arr.)
- Lourve – Les Halles (1 arr.)
- Versailles
- La Defense
We usually stay at established hotel chains (Mercure, Novotel, Sofitel, Pullman, etc) which are comfortable, clean and safe. In the neighborhoods outside of historic Paris, we have the opportunity to discover some areas a-little-removed-from the central core of tourism. They are a good value and we may actually see some local Parisians.
You will make your own hotel reservations, and may choose to stay elsewhere
Les Quatre Hôtels provides further information on the Four Hotels where we stay
Over the years we have also spent nights in:
Latin Quarter – Pantheon (5 arr.)
Invalides (7 arr.)
Opera – Department Stores (9 arr.)
Bastille (11 arr.)
Bercy (12 arr.)
2018 Paris Itinerary
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Paris for the Holidays 