Hotels near Montparnasse tower

Yes, it is. Walked around there last year and it was middle class and busy. The hotel where my husband used to live (decades ago as a US military serviceman stationed offbase) has now become an apartment building for seniors, if that gives you a sense of the type of neighborhood.

Hotel Le Littr'e in Rue Littr'e might be worth looking at; it was under renovation last year.

The Café Montparnasse in Place du 18 Juin is still there and a good place to experience typical Parisian sidewalk café ambience -- and it's glassed in so winter temperatures won't prevent you from enjoying it. (Don't confuse it with similarly named place on Avenue du Maine.)

We stayed at Hôtel Orchidée and walked a couple blocks the next AM to catch a train at the Gare Monparnaasse. Location was perfect and it was a nice/clean/small hotel
I would recommend it.
We booked there because of the price and really liked the hotel. There is a nice restaurant across the street on the corner (had dinner there)

We love this area. Bustling with lots of restaurants, cafes, brasseries (the big famous classic brasseries of Paris are here like Dome, Coupele etc) and excellent transport. It is a great area and not particularly touristy. We have stayed at Hotel Delambre on Rue Delambre for about 100 Euro and there are several small hotels on that street. There are many other hotel options in the area. Rue Montparnasse with numerous crepe restaurants is just around the corner from there. Great area.

janettravels44
www.janettravels.wordpress.com

We love that area and have stayed around there 3 times.

One time we stayed at a Novotel but they also have their budget brands in the area such as Ibis.

Creperier Josselin is the most famous one. Our favourite is Ty Billig on rue d Odessa.

Hotel Lenox Montparnasse was comfortable and convenient.

Thanks for the recommendations. Will check them out. Good to know it's a nice area and less overrun by tourists.

Question. Trying to figure out whether we should get a taxi from CDG or use ale Bus. There are four of us with luggage and also backpacks. Is the rate set from CDG to Paris or is it dependent on number of bags and traffic? The bus does sound comfy from what I've read online...

It would be more comfortable on the bus. It lets you off at Montparnasse.

Here's a link to the bus.

http://easycdg.com/transport/le-bus-direct-cdg-airport-paris/

Since there are 4 of you with lots of luggage, I'd suggest a taxi.
The flat fee for 4 passengers with luggage from CDG to the Left Bank is 55 EU.
No need to tip, but if the driver helps with luggage, 1 or 2 EU is sufficient.

Follow the overhead signs to the official taxi queue and wait your turn.
Remember that legitimate drivers always remain in their vehicles.
There are plenty of minivans which can hold everyone and your luggage.

Make certain to write the full address of your hotel - including the Postal Code - on a piece of paper and hand it to the driver. You might also include this phrase, so there won't be any confuson: "Tarif CDG a Rive Gauche - 55 EU"

Hotel Mistral on Rue Cels is a gem, easy walking distance to Montparnasse rail station. The Bus is easy, four in a cab will be tight depending on luggage.

The dispatcher at CDG will match the group with an appropriate sized cab. There are van cabs that take 7 people. Four and luggage would probably be put in a van cab. The cost is the same 50 or 55 to Paris for 4 and luggage. 4 Euro extra for each additional passenger. With 4, a cab is the only sensible way to make this trip. The bus is more expensive and the hazards of theft while lugging all your valuables makes and extra 10 or 15 for the cab well worth it rather than having to lug all your stuff through the metro etc. If you do take the RER/metro be sure valuables are well stowed and not in backpack or pockets and that small cases e.g. purses, computer bags etc are well managed.

The dispatcher at CDG will match the group with an appropriate sized cab. There are van cabs that take 7 people. Four and luggage would probably be put in a van cab. The cost is the same 50 or 55 to Paris for 4 and luggage. 4 Euro extra for each additional passenger. With 4, a cab is the only sensible way to make this trip. The bus is more expensive and the hazards of theft while lugging all your valuables makes and extra 10 or 15 for the cab well worth it rather than having to lug all your stuff through the metro etc. If you do take the RER/metro be sure valuables are well stowed and not in backpack or pockets and that small cases e.g. purses, computer bags etc are well managed.

I'd recommend Le Bus Direct for a single traveler or a couple, but for four of you the taxi will be cheaper, faster, and easier.

I don't know hotels in the Montparnasse area but we stayed in an apartment off rue Richard Lenoir a few years ago and liked it very much. It's a busy, attractive, safe part of Paris (pretty much anywhere is safe). The Tour Montparnasse is a good alternative to the Eiffel Tower -- not as high but a similar bird's-eye view, much less waiting and inconvenience. You don't need to book in advance so you can go up when the weather is best instead of taking your chances in December.

Still liking the sound of the Bus over a taxi, but won't rule out a bigger taxi.

Since it's so close to Christmas, should we get first class train tickets to Brittany? I've never traveled first class by train in Europe, so not sure what the benefit might be. More space? More comfortable?

If you want to see pictures of first and second class seating on the TGV, scroll down on this page: http://seat61.com/tgv.htm

The big difference is that second class is 4 seats across while first class is 3 seats across, so you get a wider seat. Fewer people also means more space for your luggage if you're carrying a lot. And if you book far enough in advance, you can often get first class for only a few more euros than second class. Many people in first class are not paying for their own tickets; they're business travelers so it's paid by the company, the client, etc.

I think more important than class is getting tickets with seats booked ASAP, before the trains you want sell out. The cheapest tickets probably sold out long ago, but you may still get some discount if you act fast, and/or can work with a less popular travel time.

I'd forget about 1st classe versus 2nd classe for the moment.

Most importantly, which city do you plan to visit in Brittany?

Brittany covers a large area, there are quite a few cities, and many are not serviced by direct train.

Some cities involve a 2 hour trip, which would not be worth spending the extra money.

Many other cities involve a change of train, and possibly a bus or ferry service. Again, really not worth the extra money.
Most trains going in this direction leave from Gare Saint Lazare, not Gare Montparnasse.
Just let us know where you want to go so we can give you a hand.

Sorry, was at work and thought of the question.

I am going to Brest, and it appears that the journey is 4 1/2 hours from Paris. I'm wanting to be as comfortable as we possibly can, seeing that it's all round Christmas time rush.

Frankly, I doubt that too people will be flocking to Brittany during Christmas time, since it will be freezing there and many places will close for the holidays. Most families will be staying home for the holidays, or will go skiing.

You're correct that the train leaves from Gare Montparnasse and the travel time can vary, depending on the time you leave.
The price difference between 1st and 2nd Classe also varies quite a bit. I made a dummy reservation to check:
http://results.en.voyages-sncf.com/?clientId=bd1730b6-5677-45d6-a1ec-c38066db73f3&language=en&country=EN#/
If you have the money to spend, 1st Classe in TGV will give you a little bit more space and plugs for your gadgets, but there really won't be any significant difference beyond that.

Thank you so much. Appreciate the help. 2nd class it is!

Stayed at Hotel Le M and had no complaints. They let us into the room when we got there from the airport. We did not NAP! Best advice ever. Spent the day whizzing around Paris until 9:30 pm, then crashed.

Glad you liked it. How was the train to Brest? How was Brest?

The bus will almost certainly be more expensive than a cab and the cab takes you right to the door; with 4 people definitely the way to go.

We have stayed at the Hotel Delambre on Rue Delambre which is a great location. It is a typical small Parisian hotel -- small but adequate rooms. Private bath. Hotel safe. Wifi. We never do breakfast in the hotel, so can't comment on that. There are lots of little hotels like this in Montparnasse -- at least one or two others on Rue Delambre.

Janet it's probably best to read threads , op has already come back