Charming Paris Hotel

Looking for a hotel with some charm in a perfect location--I have a 5 yr old and 8 yr old in tow! Can spend $300-$400 per night. This is our first trip to Paris. All suggestions welcome as I am still quite unsure which arrondisement has the most to offer a parent traveling alone with two kids!

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I suggest you have a look at this hotel site.

They have a pretty good seletion all over the city.

Click %26#39;Charming %26amp; boutique hotels%26#39; and read yourself a little bit through the descriptions.

http://www.hotels-exclusive.com/paris.htm

I suggest, you concentrate on hotels in the 6th, 5th, 7th (Left Bank) and maybe 1st and 8th arr. (Right Bank).

Come back, if you wish more detailled information about exact location, traffic noise, etc. etc.

Narrow down to about three possible hotels. Check availabilities with the hotels directly. Same with the booking procedure.

Lots of hotels now do have own web pages. Just say which ones have gathered your particular interest.

Happy hunting. :o)

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Your budget is 250 -340 Euros a night and that buys a lot. I usually advise (as do many others) that people on their first trip stay in the 1st to 6th arrondisements or possibly the third, but with young children, you don%26#39;t necessarily want to be in crowded inner areas that don%26#39;t have many open spaces where children can run around and have a bit of carefree play.

You could try the area of the 17th around the Parc Monceau (a park frequented by Parisians with children in a well-heeled residential area not far from the Arc de Triomphe) so you could take the children to Parc Monceau to run around a bit. There is a Best Western (Hotel Regent%26#39;s Garden) in a classic building (built by Napoleon III for his physician) that has a lot of charm and many quite big rooms. Some of the %26quot;Regents Rooms%26quot; (280-290 E a night) have two double beds and tables and chairs.

hotel-paris-garden.com/English/TheHotel2.html

I read in a guide book that the hotel also has some adjoining rooms where you could sit and read in your room with the children in their own room only a step away. Check the rates that apply for rooms booked at least 30 days in advance (but note the pay-upfront and no cancellation refund rules) and also ask about deals on adjoining rooms and family rooms. The other thing is that it has its own garden for (not too wild) play. Being a Best Western you would hope it would be child friendly

With the children, you are unlikely to want to go out at night and you can take buses and the metro to the places you want to see during the day - perhaps the zoo in the botannical gardens (near metro Jussieu) or some of the places recommended for children on this site

parisdigest.com/withchildren/museedelapoupee…

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I%26#39;d recommend the Hôtel Madison, which is just opposite the church of St-Germain-des-Prés--excellent location. Just down the street is a good Italian restaurant offering pizza, pastas, and standard French food. A block away is a Haagen-Daz ice cream shop.

From the hotel it%26#39;s half a block to the St-Germain métro, about 3 blocks to the Seine, and two or so blocks to the excellent Paul%26#39;s Boulangerie near the rue de Buci: terrific hot chocolate, good breakfasts. The Luxembourg Gardens, which kids love, is within reasonable walking distance. Room rates would be within your budget.

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firstmmo,

Underhill mentioned Hagen Daz ice cream.

May I respectfully request that you

forget that and head for Berthillon.

I%26#39;m the sorbet type but their ice cream

is equally as good if that%26#39;s your thing.

btw, I live in San Carlos and wouldn%26#39;t

steer you wrong.

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A charming hotel needs a courtyard IMO.

Hotel des Marronniers on rue Jacob is one.

With kids you need to be near a good metro and bus system since they often do not walk as much as adults. Any hotel near Madeleine/Opera/department stores would be good for that.

All buses 20 through 29, 94, 95 and others go through there.

You should also think about a private guide who is used to working with kids. go1to20, LPennin104 and Parisfind (all at aol.com) are some of them.

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Both the 2 recommendations on the Left Bank

are indeed great but it was most interesting

when our 2 grandchildren (5 and 8) were with

us, we opted for The Regina Hotel on the

Right Bank. It couldn%26#39;t have been more perfect! The Eiffel Tower %26quot;blowing kisses%26quot; to

them from their balcony. The Ferris Wheel in

the Tuilleries as well as the %26#39;boardwalk%26#39; and

the restaurants which welcomed them! It was a

perfect spot and the staff treated them as if

they were royalty. Even the bartender allowed them to teach him how to make them

%26quot;Shirley Temples%26quot; which was totally new to him. The walk in front of the Louvre to the

Batobus was perfect. They were delighted that

they could RUN in a city! Wherever you decide to stay you%26#39;ll have a marvelous time...seeing Paris through children%26#39;s eyes is an unforgettable experience! Savor it!

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I%26#39;ve had Berthillon ice cream and much prefer Haagen Daz!

About the Regina--we were very unhappy with that hotel when we stayed for four nights a while back. We had a dumpy little room on the mezzanine floor with furniture that had seen better days, and I don%26#39;t mean antique: just scuffed and battered. The room smelled musty, and the bathroom was quite small. Never again.

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Underhill...my sympathies are with you since

you are the first poster I can recall who

had an unfortunate experience st the Regina.

Ours was just the opposite!

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Here, perhaps, but not on the Fodor or bonjourparis.com sites.