hotel decision

Stars don't mean as much to me as customer ratings. But past customer comments mean most to me. And sometimes you've got to take them with a grain of salt too. You might want to read a little more.

We're going to be in Paris the first week in June. It's now a very pricey hotel market, and substantially more for a decent room in a decent neighborhood than we're used to paying. But it is what it is.

Well, that’s the challenge - customer reviews for both places are really high. The Hotwire deal is going me 30% off, but it’s further from where I’d like to be (closer to Marais) - but that’s not a deal breaker. If the one hotel is much nicer than the other, or if traveling options from one are more convenient than the other that would help me make up my mind

I am one of those people who usually chooses the nicer hotel when making a choice so I would go with the Ampere. Plus, the Chopin is not even all that close to Le Marais. It's like a 25-minute walk, which is not bad, but is not exactly close so I would choose the nicer place and take the metro to Le Marais. The Hotel Ampere is an 18-minute walk to the Arc in a nice, real-life neighborhood.

I’d still pick the Chopin - I really dislike the area around Champs Elyssees !

Does the Chopin have AC ? Because that is a must have for me .

JHK and Pat - that's my dilemma... I want the nicer room, but the area around Champs Elysees wouldn't be my first choice. But, if I could 'escape' it in a metro ride, that's a plus. Also, two of the days we will be heading outside of Paris (Giverny, Versailles). I also think that the Hotel Ampere area would be less touristy - unlike Hotel Chopin which is next to the Wax Museum and Galeries Lafayette/Printemps.. Just checked - Hotel Chopin does not have AC - don't know if that's an issue last week in May... Such a hard choice. Maybe I should wait and Hotwire will offer a better location...

Despite the reference to being near the Arc d' Triomphe, the Hotel Ampere is not really near the Champs-Élysées. It's closer to Pereire metro station. I don't think either choice will be bad. For me, when neither location is ideal in terms of where I wanted to stay, I go for the "nicer" hotel for the same price, but that's just me. And in this case, the AC would be a major positive even though you may not need it in May.

I agree JHK - I'd prefer to book the nicer one...

I have one more to add to the mix: Hotel L'Antoine (near Bastille).

So, I'm down to 3 (for now, but would like to book something this week): Hotel Chopin 2* (already booked), Hotel Ampere 4, Hotel L'Antoine 4

Any feedback/thoughts?
Thanks!

If you do in the end stay at the Chopin, please let us know your opinion of the hotel. I have always wanted to stay there.

I'd go for L'Hotel Antoine. I'm partial though because that hotel is very close to where I stay in Paris and I am frequently on Rue de Charonne and Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine. The hotel is one of my go-to suggestions when it is in budget for people looking to stay near Le Marais. My two worries would be the possibility of noise from bar patrons because Rue de Lappe is nearby and because the Bastille area is pretty lively at night and thus relatively noisy and rooms can be small even by Paris standards. Do you like Christian Lacroix designs? He designed Hotel L'Antoine and you are not going to like it if you like plain walls. Also, you may want to check with the hotel if you dislike open bathrooms. I can't remember now because it's been some time but I think some of their rooms may have open bathrooms, which is something that can be offputting in a triple room.

Thanks - unfortunately the Hotel L’Antoine is now sold out - I’m hesitant on Hotel Ampere as I’d rather be closer to the Marais areas, but it such a nice hotel...

If you want to be close to Le Marais and that is your deal breaker, then keep looking. You don't have to be limited to what Hotwire is offering. What about Hotel Bastille Speria, Hotel de Neuve by HappyCulture, or Hotel Castex? All three are actually in Le Marais and could be in your budget -- I'm not sure of the budget but I am guessing that if Hotel L'Antoine is in budget, these places could be in budget but it is possible that Hotwire has some super low rates. You might just have to go for it when you see a place on Hotwire without forum feedback because low rates at popular places = sold out if you wait too long to book. Good luck.

Thanks - the 1st 2 places don’t have rooms for 3 and the Hotel Castex is twice as expensive with so-so reviews. I probably should book Hotel Ampere before it sells out, but part of me wants to wait and see what else Hotwire has on offer.

Have you looked at the family rooms at Hôtel Jeanne d'Arc Le Marais?

Just did - it’s not available, but thanks for the suggestion!