Paris and Venice hotel suggestions

[L Stegall]

Okay fellow travelers, I'd love to hear your recommendations for small, boutique hotels in Paris and Venice. Given the current exchange rate, as much as I'd love to stay at the Ritz or Crillion in Paris or the equivalent in Venice, but I'm going to have to tone down my expectations just a notch or two. I've never been to Venice before and it's been years since I've been to Paris.

Thanks!

[johnastovall]

I have always loved my stays at the Hotel Lenox Monteparnasse.

As for Venice, I've not been there yet but will contact my Italian source for some suggestions.

PS: the Dollar just hit 1.501 to the Euro, today. You might want to buy travler's checks in Euros now to take rather than ones in Dollars.

[Buddha]

I took leave in Europe years ago using one of those 'on $5 a Day' books. It was full of small trattorias and pensiones that were great. I would do the same thing if I ever go that way again, but I like the small, out of the way places, even over here.

[L Stegall]

Thanks John. I'll check that hotel out tonight. If you hear any Venice recommendations, I'd love to hear those as well. Yes, the exchange rate is downright sad. We've put off this trip for 3 years now due to the exchange rate - instead going to South America and Asia - both of which were wonderful trips. Still, we finally decided that it wasn't going to get any better, so we should just bite the bullet and do it.

ADDED: Yes, just the type of exterior and size I'm looking for. Thanks.

[L Stegall]

Originally Posted by Buddha

I took leave in Europe years ago using one of those 'on $5 a Day' books. It was full of small trattorias and pensiones that were great. I would do the same thing if I ever go that way again, but I like the small, out of the way places, even over here.

Thanks Joe. Yes, I like small, intimate out of the way hotels as well. But, I do like them to be luxurious!

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by L Stegall

Thanks John. I'll check that hotel out tonight. If you hear any Venice recommendations, I'd love to hear those as well. Yes, the exchange rate is downright sad. We've put off this trip for 3 years now due to the exchange rate - instead going to South America and Asia - both of which were wonderful trips. Still, we finally decided that it wasn't going to get any better, so we should just bite the bullet and do it.

ADDED: Yes, just the type of exterior and size I'm looking for. Thanks.

Italy guy should be back with in the hour...

[darktiger]

I am going to Venice early May. After tons of research I decided on this place. For the money it cannot be beat (all the other places, my top 2 picks were already booked).

http://www.pensioneguerrato.it/

Here is the reviews.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ce_Veneto.html

[L Stegall]

Thanks darktiger - I'll be anxious to hear your review of Venice. We're not going until September - definitely wanted to miss the summer crowds. Curious what your top 2 choices were?

[darktiger]

My number one choice was this, so it might still be available.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ce_Veneto.html

[CaptainTom]

I'm going to Paris in April ( yeah, I know the song ).

Can't provide any cheap places to stay because my traveling companion thinks that roughing it is slow room service.

[Duffy Pratt]

In Paris, I've liked the Residence Lord Byron. It's about a block and a half from Champs Elysees. It's small, quiet, on a nice street, and has a very pleasant staff.

To a certain extent, how much you pay in Paris will depend alot on how convenient an area you want to be in.

In Venice, I would recommend spending some extra money to get some place near St. Marks and on the Canal. I have stayed at the Hotel Londres Palace. It's not cheap. It's a very fine hotel, just one block from the Bridge of Sighs.

Have fun in both places. And in both, make sure you get up before dawn at least once for some picture taking. Especially in Venice, the early morning shots when the streets are empty simply can't be beat.

Duffy

P.S. For food in Paris, I highly, highly recommend a small family bistro called Chez Giraud. If you are interested, I can get you the contact info. And in Venice, there is a fairly cheap place with outstanding food called Trattoria de la Madonna. Its about a block from the Rialto bridge, and its well worth searching out.

[dminton]

I stayed at an freakin Etap in Porte de Bagnolet. Its the French Motel 6. Half of the people in my group got bed bugs, and the place had no A/C. We spent one night raiding the ice machine and throwing ice cubes at the Algerian hookers 6 stories below.

However, the Etap in Munich was nicer than some of the better hotels I've stayed at here. (all Marriotts, a couple Embassy Suites, a few Crown Plazas, all of which were total dumps).

[Howard Barlow]

In Venice, we stayed at the Hotel Principe a couple of times. Right on the canal, of course, many are. Not cheap, but very nice.

[AllenAyres]

We too prefer to stay in local boutique hotels when we travel, to get a better feel of the culture. Otherwise we'd stay home and go to vegas or disney ;)

Our trip to Venice we stayed in Hotel Pausania:



A "15th century castle", the rooms were spacious and gorgeous (for Europe and for the price - spacious means different things in Europe :) ). It's a 10 min walk from most anything in Venice.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ce_Veneto.html

Some people there had good and bad experiences. For us, the room was very nice, service was good, but a misunderstanding on the booking ruined that portion of the trip. I would probably choose a different place next time, if only to experience more of venice.

For us, our Paris trips were better. We stayed at Hotel de la Bourdonnais the last time (one year anniversary) - in a nice quiet neighborhood only 2 blocks from the Eiffel tower (You can see the tower if you are on the upper floors). Outdoor cafes and markets are within 1 block in just about any direction, we tried both as well as a couple nice restaurants. We'll probably stay there when we go back, good memories :)

Our first trip to Paris, (a suprise engagement trip for Melanie, my beau ), we stayed at Hotel Du Louvre - highly recommended if you can swing the price:






The view outside our balcony - not the best image (all are taken with a Canon P&S), but to the right is the Louvre, across the courtyard in back is another part of the Louvre and to the left is Palais Royal:



Right smack dab in the middle of where we wanted to be, for sure :) We walked all over Paris (at least from the Louvre up Rue De Rivoli to the Arc De Triomphe and over to the Eiffel Tower and back ) and this hotel was a great jumping off place.

If you have time, you can get some amazing prices on hotels - we got the Hotel Du Louvre room for ~120 euro's (normally ~600 euro's/night). We got the Hotel De La Bourdonnais for about the same price (normally 200-300 euro's I believe, and the Hotel Pausania was very similar. Check http://farechase.yahoo.com , http://www.kayak.com , www.expedia.com etc. We traveled in March and April and had a blast. I soooooo want to go back :) We'll go when our little ones are big enough to remember going.

But for now, I am extremely jealous...

[L Stegall]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

Can't provide any cheap places to stay because my traveling companion thinks that roughing it is slow room service.

And really, isn't that the definition of roughing it? It is for me as well!

Thanks for all the tips - I'll be checking them out and let you know what else I find. Any other ideas welcome as well and Duffy, yes, we're totally into food, so restaurant ideas are great as well.

Allen, that place looks great. Thanks! Howard, I'll check your recommendation out as well. Thanks again.