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Need hotel and suggestions for one day layover in Paris this month

We're booked for the Best of the Adriatic tour beginning September 1, 2024. Reading forum posts months ago led me to plan a one day layover along the way to avoid stressing out over possible flight delays. I booked a direct flight from CVG to CDG, arriving at 8:25 AM on August 29. Our flight to Ljubljana from CDG is the next day at 1:15 PM. I've booked all flights, extra hotels, and pre-tour day activity in Ljubljana, but time got away from me and I still need a hotel based on our potential activities. We've been in Paris in 2018 BOE 14 day tour so we've done the usual tour stuff, plus had a lengthy visit at the Orsay and climbed the Eiffel Tower on our own.

I'm considering a Seine boat ride, L'Orangerie (I think we need tickets in advance?)/Tuileries Garden, Montmartre/Sacre Coeur, Luxembourg Gardens, and Rick's Paris Walk (already downloaded on app). Not expecting to do all of these; just rough ideas. I'm expecting it will be around noon by time we get into Paris to do anything. We mainly want to be outdoors and walking to get over jet lag. Would love any feedback or recommendations.

Based on those ideas, can you give me suggestions for a "reasonably" priced hotel? We want something clean and convenient, but we don't like to spend too much on hotels since we're not in the room for long.

On our return from Dubrovnik to Paris, I booked the Ibis Styles hotel in CDG since our flight arrives at 4 PM and we depart for the US the next day at 9:30 AM. Thinking of going into Paris for dinner? We may be tired and ready to go home by then though.

Thanks so much for any help and thanks for all the helpful posts I've read anonymously so far!

Posted by
8496 posts

I would book an airport hotel like the Novotel, drop my bags (if they don't have a room, they will hold the bags till you return) and then take the train into the city for the day, returning after dinner for a good night's sleep and a leisurely morning.

If you want to see the Orangerie, book tickets. It is in the Tuilleries. I'd probably skip the Luxembourg Gardens having enjoyed the Tuilleries and do a walk in Montmartre. We like to go to the Lamarck Caulaincourt stop -- walk up to CAulaincourt (either turn right and walk up the gradual slope and turn right at the top or walk up the stairs above the metro entrance). Then cross over and walk up Avenue Junot, which has lots of interesting architecture and even a villa (gated community) which is interesting if the gate is open -- if not, peak in. At the top of the slop is the famous status of the man walking through the wall -- good photo op. Then you can continue up to Place Tertre (one of my least favorite tourist hells in Paris, but YMMV) or you can head down the hill past the Lapin Agile and the Montmartre vineyard, turn right on the pretty street that leads to the back of Sacre Coeur and then walk along the building to the front for. a great view over Paris.

book a restaurant ahead and enjoy a nice leisurely meal before heading back on the train to your hotel.

Posted by
972 posts

I would book an airport hotel like the Novotel, drop my bags (if they don't have a room, they will hold the bags till you return) and then take the train into the city for the day, returning after dinner for a good night's sleep and a leisurely morning.

I agree with this completely.

Posted by
22 posts

@janettravels44, I never even thought about staying at an airport hotel when we have a whole day layover, but it does make sense. No stressing out in the morning. I'll book that, get Orangerie tickets, and decide on a restaurant to book. I've saved your Montmartre walk suggestions to my phone.

Thanks so much for your input!

Posted by
364 posts

Two totally different thoughts.

At start of your trip, you have reasonable time to stay in Paris and you absolutely should. Lots of hotels in the 5th and 6th. Some pricey, others less so. We had to find a place for an extra night on no notice when BA cancelled our flight home in June 2023 and found a pretty reasonable 3 star hotel in the 6th, near the St Michel /Notre Dame Metro stop for just over 200 Euros. We just went on line at the airport and found many options on Expedia.

On the way back through Paris, you have really limited time.

On both days that you fly out of CDG, I’d recommend more time to navigate the airport than I’d recommend anywhere else, if only because of the absolutely terrible experience we had two days in a row with British Airlines. See, https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/departure-from-cdg-a-cautionary-tale-for-british-airways-travelers

Now if you’re flying some other airline, maybe you don’t need extra time. Still, with 9:30 am flight to return home, the airport hotel thought may be a good one.

By the way, with an 8:30 am arrival, you should get to your hotel well before noon. Too early to check in but you can just leave your bags at reception and check in later.

Posted by
10574 posts

I'm with Janet and Jojo. I don't see any reason to further exhaust yourselves dragging luggage into Paris and back to the airport. With a 13:15 domestic flight, you need to check in at 11:15, so you'd have to leave Paris by 10:15 anyway.

Janet suggested the Mercure. There's also Novotel, Ibis, Sheraton, Hilton, and many more. We recently switched to the Holiday Inn Express because it's the same category as the Ibis (where we've stayed many times), but it's cheaper because they use the US pricing system with senior discounts, AARP discounts, nice person discounts, and breakfast is included. It's on the CDG Val shuttle at Pr stop.

If you were arriving by train in Paris, staying in Paris and going out the next morning would be logical. But you are arriving at the airport. I have the same choice coming up for a visit to the US, but we're arriving in Paris by train: so city or airport?

Posted by
972 posts

I don't see any reason to further exhaust yourselves dragging luggage into Paris and back to the airport

Exactly my thinking. In fact, leave all of your bags at the hotel, including backpacks...be totally "hands free"...the thought of schlepping bags into Paris, and back out the next morning, is a non-starter for me.

Sleep well at the airport hotel, leisurely wake up the next morning, relax - after all it is a travel day - enjoy a nice breakfast. Sounds fantastic to me.

The only thing I would do differently from what most people seem to recommend is skip the train and take a taxi from/to CDG...pick a right bank destination where you intend to start your day (Orangerie?) and get dropped at the front door, and cut out the learning curve of the train, obtaining tickets, plus additional Metro...also, I would prefer the taxi out to CDG, especially after dark (not sure when this trip is)...

Posted by
22 posts

Thanks Janet, Jojo, Fred, and Bets. I decided to book the Marriott Courtyard at CDG for $206 per night senior discount. We will take a taxi to and from our day in Paris.

Fred, we’re on Delta round trip from Cincinnati to CDG. Flying Air France to Ljubljana to start our RS tour and Croatian Airlines from Dubrovnik back to CDG.

Thanks again! Excited about our trip!