Planning a trip To Paris in the spring (fingers 🤞🏽 and 🙏 for travel to open up!) . We’re considering the hotel “La Villa Haussmann” as a potential place to stay.
Has anyone stayed here before?
Is it in a nice/safe area?
Planning 4 nights here before moving on to Normandy and more.
Thanks in advance!
I can't speak to the particular hotel. I have not stayed there nor even walked through it. But, I can comment on the area. There are very few areas in Paris that I think of as being unsafe and this area is not one of them. I stayed nearby a few years ago and it was fine, a bit commercial but generally fine. Boulevard Haussman can be a bit noisy but I am sure a hotel at the level of La Villa Haussman has insulated windows to help eliminate traffic noise. Depending on what you plan to do during time, this might not be the most convenient area if you hope to walk to the usual major sights. If however, you are looking for a nice but not especially quaint area and plan to take the metro, this is a good area to stay -- good but not my first choice area. It also depends on if this is a first visit or not. If it is a first visit, I'd definitely look in the Latin Quarter, Saint Germain, or Le Marais.
It’s a perfectly safe area, I think of it as being mostly offices and perhaps not as many things open around it on the weekends.
We stayed in the 8th Arrondisement on our first trip to Paris but changed hotels and went to the other side of the Seine, the 6th, Left Bank which we enjoyed much more.
The 8th seems to lack charm, or a neighborhood feel.
I can't comment on the hotel itself, but I wouldn't stay in that area. It's not that close to a lot of the things you want to see. I'd try the 4th, 5th, or 6th arrondissements.
The hotel's own website says that their hammam is closed and their pool access is very limited due to the covid situation,
so keep that in mind - even if/when travel opens up, the amenities that draw people to this place probably won't be available.
Just agreeing with the others. I can't comment on the hotel itself. The area is safe, and if you have a specific reason to stay here, it can work fine (discount rate, staying on points, wanting to stay in the same hotel as friends or family, near a place you'll be conducting business, etc). But if you don't have a specific reason to stay in this area, other areas are better, particular for a tourist on a first visit.
Look at the hotels on Ile St. Louis, as well as hotels in the 4th, 5th, or 6th arrondissements, close to the Seine. These allow you to see more things by walking.
hey hey suzette
how many is in your party and how much is budget in euros? like others have said, stay in the single digits arr (districts). are you coming from USA and make sure of arrival times. do you have early check in and a place to hold luggage, usual time is about 2-3pm check in. most places are safe, just don't be obvious with wallet/purse hanging out "saying here you go take me". last year september 2020 we stayed in the 14th. great place but too far from central paris, took taxis to enjoy what's happening.look at booking.com, cross-pollinate.com, alcoves&agapes.com for places to stay nearby sites. it's so nice to walk out to people watch, sit at cafes for lunch, dinner, drinks and appetizers close to place you are staying. posters here have recommendations, can do in search button, they will tell you good, bad and ugly. make sure you keep up to date about covid-19 issues and traveling expectations, quarantine times, cancellation issues, some may offer a voucher or credit card refunds. make sure you understand all the fine print.
aloha
Wow, thank you guys so much for the great comments and information. Some have asked if this is our first trip to Paris and no it is not. But it has been a few years and to be honest I don’t remember being consciously aware of what arrondissement we stayed in before.
We have decided not to stay in this hotel because of everyone’s input and advice.
We are starting to book parts of our trip for April , all with free cancellation and fully refundable of course. Praying this virus will start to diminish everywhere, not just for travel reasons but for the health of all at risk. Had to cancel Italy trip earlier this year , I’m sure there are many others who had to do the same.
Thanks again for all the comments!
We were planning to be in Paris now, but when the pandemic hit we were still planning. One of the reasons we hadn’t booked anything was because I couldn’t decide on a hotel. There are so many choices. I couldn’t even decide which area. I did narrow it down to 3 choices (i would have to refer to my notes) but one was on the Ile St. louis. Let us know what you decide.
@Barbara
Barbara
We’ve narrowed it down to area 4 between
Hotel duc de Saint Simon and and possibly
Hotel de Buci In 7.
So much to consider.. we do want to include breakfast which is just easier for us to enjoy leisurely with coffee at hotel. Neither of us are “grab and eat on the go” anymore.
Not our first trip, hoping Pandemic is settled down by Spring because we can’t wait to go back!
hey hey suzette
saw the couple hotels you mentioned. i'm just gonna put out a few more
hotel elysa-luxembourg. it has A/C, superior room has a balcony, elevator, breakfast is 17E each. we stayed in the 7th with a balcony and really enjoyed sitting for coffee/happy hour watching the people walk by. it was an okay area but prefer closer to seine river.
hotel le sainte-beuve has A/C, elevator, 19E each for breakfast, next to luxembourg gardens, do walk the gardens
hotel abbatial saint germaine A/C, double room with balcony, breakfast 17E each, near the seine and ile de saint louis, norte dame, latin quarter which we liked, sat outside cafe, les deux magots, street band playing fabulous move your body music across street. it's not cheap but was fun. on a mission for eating eclairs and this place was 18E for one (LOL)
hotel diana has been mentioned here by posters.
la cuisine de philippe, (25 rue de servandoni 75006), behind luxembourg gardens. i wanted a souffle and read about this "hole in the wall" got there at noon, no reservation but you may need to make one, and had passion fruit souffle yummy and friend had grand marnier souffle and bottle left at table to add more.
montemarte with all it's artists and artwork, cafes to sit with a glass of wine and people watch.
one of my favorites, discoverwalks.com free tours plus some that cost.
creperie breizh paris (109 rue vielle du temple 75003) for fabulous crepes. was crowded and we sat near window,
frenchie-ftg.com (2 rue de nil 75002) classic american: reuben, fried chicken, lobster roll, hot dog, pulled pork sandwich (meats made in house) plus sides, and desserts. the barefoot contessa on food network is her go to place when she visits paris, saw this special on her show and saved it.
so many things to see, places to go, take a breather and relax at a park bench, outdoor cafe.
retro-tour.com are you and husband game for an offbeat experience, also in normandie.
2cvparistour.com, parisauthentic.com, tuktukinparis.com
withlocals.com/paris (the best of paris on a unique ride) we reserved this ride with julian, great tour guide and seeing places we would never think of. speaks great english and knows the old history of paris. we enjoyed it.
nossa-paris.com (1 rue de l'ecole polythechnique 75005) great grilled portuguese chicken and other portuguese cuisine along with wine.
we were there last sept/oct and it was so so busy and crowded with so many events going on, weather was great except one day of afternoon rain. just a few different ideas for you to check about.
enjoy and have a great and fabulous time.
aloha
Suzette -
I think you are wise to look in the 4th and 5th. I just wanted to suggest two other hotels. Both are in the 5th, right next to each other - across the courtyard from the Pantheon. Hotel des Grands Hommes, and Hotel des Dames du Pantheon. Both have breakfast included. My husband and I stayed at the Hotel des Grands Hommes in 2016, and we are booked to return this summer to stay at the Hotel des Dames du Pantheon with our children and my husband’s parents. Spring for the balcony rooms (overlooking the Pantheon). You can have your breakfast delivered to your room on a tray (in fact, now that may be the only option) - and it is truly heaven to sit out on your balcony, looking at the Pantheon. Truly an unbelievable stay. Convenient to everything. You can’t beat the view, and perfectly Parisian.
All discussion is helpful for us its amazing guidelines to select La villa Haussmann. According to your opinion its save area for everyone.
Responses and questions in this area shows how stagnant travel plans are right now. How sad for all of us.
