Request for Hotel and Travel tips for Paris

Hi,
I am travelling first time to Paris and this is the first time to Europe
anywhere. I am traveliing from USA and will be there in the Dec.-Jan new
year time frame. I have already booked the air ticket but feeling confused
about the hotel/seclection of good area and other information. I would like
to make my trip very economical and can live with basic amenities.

What do you think is the best price effective hotel for a tourist for 4-5
days ?? Also from CDG , how to reach to hotel with heavy luggage etc..

I will appreciate any information provided on good and cheap hotels/nice
area/commute/tips etc...also I found a very cheap option in clichy ?? how si
clichy for a tourist ??

Thanks in Advance,

Looka Brasi

Looka Brasi writes:

Hi,
I am travelling first time to Paris and this is the first time to Europe
anywhere. I am traveliing from USA and will be there in the Dec.-Jan new
year time frame. I have already booked the air ticket but feeling confused
about the hotel/seclection of good area and other information. I would like
to make my trip very economical and can live with basic amenities.

The Michelin red guide to Paris is a very reliable source of information
on good hotels in all price and amenity ranges.

Also from CDG , how to reach to hotel with heavy luggage etc..

By taxi.

I will appreciate any information provided on good and cheap hotels/nice
area/commute/tips etc...also I found a very cheap option in clichy ?? how si
clichy for a tourist ??

A bit seedy at night, otherwise okay. It's at the west end of Sin City
(Pigalle). This assumes you mean the area around the place Clichy in
Paris.

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

For transportation from CDG try http://www.airport-connection.com

Looka Brasi wrote:


What do you think is the best price effective hotel for a tourist for 4-5
days ?? Also from CDG , how to reach to hotel with heavy luggage etc..

Taxi? But just remember that taxis have meters in Europe, too - I got
"taken" my first trip by a driver who showed me a placard quoting a
price from CDG to my hotel that turned out to be nearly twice what I
would have paid a "normal" taxi. (I SHOULD have known better, but I was
tired from a long trip, and wasn't thinking too clearly.)

You should definitely check Jack's travel site. He lists inexpensive
charming hotels, great restaurants, and tons of info on Paris sites.
www.jack-travel.com

Betty

For transportation from CDG try http://www.airport-connection.com

Be wary of Airport Connection. I used them this past July to get from CDG
to my hotel in Paris (near Porte de Clichy). I reserved it on-line, for a
shared trip that was supposed to run under 40 euros. When I got to the
airport, no problem, they were waiting for me... but instead of a shared
rate, the guy knew nothing of it, I was to be charged the standard
individual rate (twice that).

Oh, but it gets worse. The driver also didn't take credit cards, because
his machine was supposedly broken, nor would he take US dollars (and, since
I hadn't exchanged currency yet, had to get some from the hotel at a
horrible rate).

Yes, I sent an email to Airport Connection informing them, and canceling my
return trip, but never heard back from them.

The mistake I made was not determining what was going on before getting into
the van, but you're pretty wiped out at that point (from a 12 hour flight)
and just not thinking about problems, you just want to get to your hotel.
Won't happen again! There are alternatives, and it's not difficult getting
a cab from CDG to Paris. If you don't have much luggage, you can take the
RER.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

I also used Airport Connection this past April, and had absolutely NO
problems with them. They were prompt to respond to all my emails, and the
drivers were friendly, helpful and on time. We had no problems paying the
shared ride rate, even though on the way into Paris there were no other
parties in the van except mine! In addition, I was able to arrange getting
the other two people in my party picked up at the other terminal with the
same van that picked me up(we flew in on different flights). They were very
accommodating, and with three people, the cost wasn't significantly higher
than cab fare; a small price I was willing to pay for door-to-door service
from a reliable company instead of a cab driver working for Lord only knows
who or figuring out how to use the RER &metro after an equally long 12 hour
flight.

You can't really hold it against the driver that he wouldn't take US
dollars. After all, Paris is in France, not the US. Why on earth would you
expect him to?? No wonder Parisians get such a bad impression of us! And
why should it be his problem that you didn't arrive prepared for any
situation?? It should go without saying that even though your credit cards
can be taken virtually anywhere, you should always arrive with at least
enough local currency to get you to your destination in case of emergency,
ridiculous exchange rate beforehand or not.

Jinx

"Mike Jacoubowsky" wrote in message
gy.com...
For transportation from CDG try http://www.airport-connection.com

Be wary of Airport Connection. I used them this past July to get from CDG
to my hotel in Paris (near Porte de Clichy). I reserved it on-line, for a
shared trip that was supposed to run under 40 euros. When I got to the
airport, no problem, they were waiting for me... but instead of a shared
rate, the guy knew nothing of it, I was to be charged the standard
individual rate (twice that).

Oh, but it gets worse. The driver also didn't take credit cards, because
his machine was supposedly broken, nor would he take US dollars (and,
since
I hadn't exchanged currency yet, had to get some from the hotel at a
horrible rate).

Yes, I sent an email to Airport Connection informing them, and canceling
my
return trip, but never heard back from them.

The mistake I made was not determining what was going on before getting
into
the van, but you're pretty wiped out at that point (from a 12 hour flight)
and just not thinking about problems, you just want to get to your hotel.
Won't happen again! There are alternatives, and it's not difficult
getting
a cab from CDG to Paris. If you don't have much luggage, you can take the
RER.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

In article ,
"Jinx" wrote:

I also used Airport Connection this past April, and had absolutely NO
problems with them. They were prompt to respond to all my emails, and the
drivers were friendly, helpful and on time. We had no problems paying the
shared ride rate, even though on the way into Paris there were no other
parties in the van except mine! In addition, I was able to arrange getting
the other two people in my party picked up at the other terminal with the
same van that picked me up(we flew in on different flights). They were very
accommodating, and with three people, the cost wasn't significantly higher
than cab fare; a small price I was willing to pay for door-to-door service
from a reliable company instead of a cab driver working for Lord only knows
who or figuring out how to use the RER &metro after an equally long 12 hour
flight.

You can't really hold it against the driver that he wouldn't take US
dollars. After all, Paris is in France, not the US. Why on earth would you
expect him to?? No wonder Parisians get such a bad impression of us! And
why should it be his problem that you didn't arrive prepared for any
situation?? It should go without saying that even though your credit cards
can be taken virtually anywhere, you should always arrive with at least
enough local currency to get you to your destination in case of emergency,
ridiculous exchange rate beforehand or not.

Jinx

sure but they are in the business of transporting people arriving in
France -- and supposedly take credit cards. If their cc system was down
they should be prepared, as most hotels are, to take other major
currencies.

Jenn writes:

sure but they are in the business of transporting people arriving in
France -- and supposedly take credit cards. If their cc system was down
they should be prepared, as most hotels are, to take other major
currencies.

Try paying a taxi in Los Angeles with euro sometime.

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

In article ,
Mxsmanic wrote:

Jenn writes:

sure but they are in the business of transporting people arriving in
France -- and supposedly take credit cards. If their cc system was down
they should be prepared, as most hotels are, to take other major
currencies.

Try paying a taxi in Los Angeles with euro sometime.

see if you find an airport van company that doesn't take credit cards