Types of Accommodation
From:
Where to Stay in Paris
ABOVE: The Hotel Regina is a 4-star hotel on
the Place des Pyramides.
Hotels
 Most travelers stay in hotels for good reasons: It's easy to
check into and out of a hotel, somebody else does the housekeeping, and--in
most, but not all, cases--the traveler can cancel a reservation without penalty
in an emergency or if travel plans change.
Like other big European cities, Paris has vast numbers of hotels
that range from tiny one- or two-star pensions to luxury palaces and modern
chain properties. We recommend checking the listings at our booking partners,
Venere and
Booking.com,
which tend to have lower rates than the hotels' own Web sites.
Notes:
-
Quoted hotel rates normally include taxes and service
charges, but breakfast is often extra these days. If the hotel offers only a
buffet breakfast and you want something simpler, or if the hotel's breakfast
price seems excessive, you can buy a simple petit déjeuner with
French bread, a croissant, a hot drink (and sometimes a glass of orange
juice) at any café.
-
Rooms in Paris hotels are often small, especially at the
lower end of the price scale. Also, some cheaper hotels don't have
elevators. If you're short on cash but insist on elbow room and a lift,
research carefully before booking.
-
If you're traveling with a family, it may not be practical
to cram rollaway beds into a double room. You might be better off reserving
two rooms in a cheaper hotel, staying in a hostel, or renting a holiday apartment. (See below.)
Hostels
Hostels have come a long way since the days when most "youth
hostels" consisted of large dormitories with bunk beds, communal bathrooms, and
strict rules (including a requirement that hostelers leave the premises during
the day).
Many of today's hostels have double or quad rooms, modern conveniences,
and friendly service at competitive rates. What's more, a growing number of
hostels welcome families or grey-haired travelers who enjoy a social atmosphere
and the company of fellow foreigners. See our
Hostel Web links for more
information.
Apartments
 If you're staying for a week or more, or if you're traveling
with children, a furnished holiday rental can be a good value and a great
experience. Rates for a one-bedroom apartment are comparable to what you'd pay
for a double room at a midrange hotel, you can eat in at breakfast or when
you're too tired to spend the evening at a restaurant, and you can enjoy the
illusion that you're living (however briefly) in Paris.
Caveats:
-
Renting an apartment is more complicated than booking a
hotel room. Procedures vary, but normally you have to pay a non-refundable
deposit when you book, and you'll need to pay the rest of the rent upon
arrival (or sometimes before). A security and/or damage deposit may also be
required. Some agencies and landlords don't accept credit cards, which means
you may need to send the deposit by international wire transfer and bring
the balance in cash when you arrive. (The latter can be a problem if you're
coming straight from the airport and your bank has has a daily limit on ATM
withdrawals.)
-
Check-in is often less convenient than at a hotel, since
you'll need to meet the agent or landlord at a certain time or (in some
cases) go to the agent's office first. Check-out is easier--usually, you can
just leave your keys in the apartment--but you may be required to do (or pay
for) a final cleaning.
-
Often, you'll receive only one set of keys, which makes it
harder for couples or families to split up for sightseeing, shopping, etc.
-
Amenities vary: We've rented flats that offered guidebooks,
maps, and washing machines for clothes and dishes, but our last apartment didn't have a TV (though
it was equipped with a Macintosh computer and high-speed Internet, and the
view of Sacré-Coeur from the living-room windows was better than any sitcom
or game show).
For more information about renting apartments in Paris,
including links to articles about our own experiences, see our
Paris Apartment Rentals page and the
Accommodations section of our
Paris
Articles Index.
Private studios and rooms (bed and breakfast)
 The
city of Paris and the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau have an "Authentic
B&B" program that makes it easy for tourists to rent studios or rooms in private
homes. For more information, including listings, see the Paris CVB's
Bed & Breakfast (chambres d'hôtes) page.
Next page:
Left Bank: Latin Quarter,
St-Germain
Top photo copyright © Alija.
3rd inset photo copyright © Visionsurf.
|
