Hotel in Paris

hi, im not sure about the Gare De Nord area other then the fact, there was gridlock when i was walking down Rue La Fayette from the canals to the Opera house. if youre going to loose $$$ canceling your hotel, i would just stay at the place you have already booked. travel using the subway is nice (at least i liked it) and it appears you only have one transfer to make it to the train station. why not let us know what your concerns are? like what time does your train depart Gare de Nord or whatever you concern is. happy trails.

I wouldn't worry about basing your entire stay just to be near the train station you leave from unless you're only staying overnight. Stay in an area that you want to and deal with the one time event of getting to the train station separately. If you are really worried I would just look for someplace on the other side of the river - say the 3rd Arrondissement - and you should be a short Metro or cab ride over there when the time comes. Have a great trip,
=Tod

I agree strongly with the above replies. With four nights in Paris, stay where you want, and then just take the Metro or a cab to and from the station(s). A taxi is actually more convenient than staying near the station, as you get door-to-door service, instead of having to schlep your luggage from your "close" hotel (inevitably 5 blocks away). And while some do stay near Gare du Nord for price reasons, it isn't the nicest or most convenient area for a visitor. If the length and/or expense of the taxi ride is a concern, Tod's idea is great. Stay on the Right Bank and you'll have a shorter trip. The Marais (parts of the 3rd and 4th Arrondissements) is a great place to stay, and is much nicer and more convenient than the Gare du Nord area.

We've stayed at the "Villa des Artistes" twice when in Paris and LOVED it! We've recommended it to several others and they, too, have given it rave reviews. It is located just around the corner from the Lux. Gardens and makes for wonderful walking to Louvre, Notre Dame, Les Invalides, Eiffel Tower. It is on the Rue du Grande Chaumiere. At one time, it was the living quarters of Alphonse Mucha, famous Art Nouveau artist (hence the name). It was a Best Western-owned hotel when we stayed, not sure now. It is clean and quiet. When we go back to Paris, we'll stay there again. Great staff and wonderful food (amazing breakfast buffet!).

Thank you all for your comments. I'm feeling really frazzled at this point. This trip has increasingly become much more expensive than I had originally planned. Hotels in both London and Paris are outrageous! The Hotel I mentioned above was just under $200 a night and was more or less in my comfort zone. It just seems like it's all the way across the city. This is only our second overseas trip and the first time we've visited more than one country. I thought I could make arrangements myself, but it's more time consuming and difficult than I realized. I made a serious mistake when I purchased plane tickets and had to change them, which doubled the price I originally paid. Now I'm stressing over everything and in a panic. I will check out a few places on the other side of the river as suggested and if I can't find anything I'll just keep what I have.
Thank you again for all your advice.

Thank you all for your comments. I'm feeling really frazzled at this point. This trip has increasingly become much more expensive than I had originally planned. Hotels in both London and Paris are outrageous! The Hotel I mentioned above was just under $200 a night and was more or less in my comfort zone. It just seems like it's all the way across the city. This is only our second overseas trip and the first time we've visited more than one country. I thought I could make arrangements myself, but it's more time consuming and difficult than I realized. I made a serious mistake when I purchased plane tickets and had to change them, which doubled the price I originally paid. Now I'm stressing over everything and in a panic. I will check out a few places on the other side of the river as suggested and if I can't find anything I'll just keep what I have. Thank you again for all your advice. Hi, just a comment on how i do things. > if the tickets are special fairs and need to buy now, then do it. If not, then i save the tickets for last. > i will reserve/buy the hotels first. then work my way to the tickets. Some places dont require you to "pay" upfront some do, but i will try to lockdown what i want to do/see in each place and then figure out how long i want to stay.
> if you like "comfort zone" is the 1% then, expect to pay accordingly unless you go off season or get special deals. I look at the hotel as a place to put my head for sleep, shower, can sit on the throne. All i want is clean and in a central area for my needs. I can see having a nice place if youre on a honeymoon, but thats just me and how i travel. Id rather spend the money on doing things than in a hotel room where i only spend 6~8 hours of the day. Happy trails.

Terri, I don't think that there is anything bad about the Gare du Nord area. However, you can easily get to the station with one change from the 10 line to the 4 line at Odeon. I do not recall that station, as to the transfer route in terms of stairs/escalators. However, the #4 and #10 are the only two lines through that station, so the transfer hopefully is not too convoluted. The rate you have is terrific. I checked the other hotel mentioned and it is at least half again as much. On the tripadvisor page for the above mentioned hotel, serveal others are listed, all about half again as much as your rate. The hotel for which you have reservations is as well rated as the other mentioned. Yes, the location is out, beyond the Eiffel tower. However, with the metro, it is not inconvenient. If I were you, I would stay and be assured that you have apparently found a bargain for a reasonably well rated hotel.

Terri, I sympathize with your predicament and London especially is expensive. If you're stuck having to plan everything yourself have you bought Rick's books for the various cities or countries you're visiting? A good guide book you can trust will make this process much more manageable. The important thing is to find a book that fits your budget, interests and travel style. Personally I try not to spend too much money on the room - as long as it's a clean and safe retreat that's enough. You spend most of your day out seeing things so I try to save money on the room and spend it out seeing stuff instead. On Rick's recommendation stayed in Hotel Champs du Mars near the Eiffel Tower. This is a family run hotel in a great area but it is across town from where you're discussing. I just went on line and their prices are running ~120euro or US$150/night and I with internet searches and potential deals I would expect you can find a great place for in this price range. I know spending more time on the planning probably sounds crazy but I would recommend spending some time going through some travel books and videos and finding the company pr person that's fits you best. RS Europe book is full of helpful "how to travel" information like money, phones, packing etc. A good guide book can save you a ton of money and time when you travel and way more than pay for themselves. Good luck with everything,
=Tod

If you're looking for something less expensive, you can try the places listed on EuroCheapo: http://www.eurocheapo.com/paris/features/where-to-stay-in-paris.html. Among their listings is the place I stay, the Grand Hotel des Balcons (official website here: http://balcons.com/). The lobby is nice, but the rooms are more basic; the neighborhood is great, and getting to Gare du Nord would be a straight shot on Metro line 4 from the Odeon stop. One potential problem in June: no A/C. Be aware that the places listed in EuroCheapo are not secrets, so they can get booked up fast. Don't cancel your current hotel until you get another confirmed booking. Even if you don't use their hotels, EuroCheapo has neighborhood summaries, which will help you choose a hotel location better. I agree that getting Rick's books will be a great money-saving tool.