Okay, I'm thinking Disneyland Paris
 

Since I'm planning Italy 2008, why not a stop at Disneyland Paris, too?

So, anyone have any advice on where to stay for a few days in Paris? I've not been, and have no clue where to start looking and planning.

I know one thing, I will not have a pair of sneakers in my luggage!

The pretentiously-named L'Hotel was the most charming little place, with the BEST freaking location EVER. A little pricey, though.

I can't recommend Hotel Montpensier enough. At < €100/night (as low as < €70 for a single bed room) and across the street from the Louvre, it couldn't be beat for us. If scenic views and lavish interiors are what you're looking for in a hotel, not so much. But it's clean, the staff is friendly, and it's across the street from the Louvre.

Perhaps a visual aid would help persuade her:




































































Now, doesn't that look swanky ? :cool:

Wow!

Well, absolutely, it does as do you two. But even at the budget of 370€, that's way over budget for me and the friend that may be going with me.

It's most swakalicious, though.

So, can anyone recommend a good Paris travel book? Fodor's?

And how easy is it to Metro around and to get to DL park? I know I'll be walking, a lot.

This is much more in my price range! And, right across from the Louvre....
Not as swanky, but since I plan to mostly be asleep when I'm there, the swank factor can be much lower, and it's right across from the Louvre.....

Lonely Planet is always good. We had one other book I'll look up when I get home. And a Streetwise map is an absolute necessity.

This sounds like our travel strategy...my general goal is to spend as little time as possible inside the hotel. So convenience, cleanliness, affordability and location are my top priorities. Swankiness is a bonus if I can get it.

Heheh, my goal in Paris was to live like an Emperor.

Loks like you pretty much did. Swanky, indeed. And may I say, again, you looked wonderful all decked out for a night on the town. Tres swanky!

Hahaha, that was the night we dined on baby duckling and consumed a two hundred dollar bottle of wine, whilst overlooking Notre Dame at sunset.



Ahhhhh, Paree!

Une si belle vue!

That said, a 200€ bottle of wine would be lost on me. And what is it with dining on cute baby animals and vegetables those Frenchies insist upon? ;)

If I had unlimited funds and this was my last blazing glory of a vacation, of hell, if I had the money, I'd do exactly that. Alas, I don't, but I think I will have more than enough to have a great time, enjoy wonderful bread, cheese and a city that evokes pure magic, and has Disneyland nearby just in case.

I am going to die of jealousy now.

Ick.

Thump.

That was me, dying of jealousy.

Some day (she said, shaking her fist at the sky,) some day I will go back to Paris and stay in a swanky hotel where the toilets flush and I will eat baby animals and baby vegetables and maybe even a baby mineral if it gets too close.

You certainly don't need to spend a lot of money in Paris to have good food. It was one of those cities where everything was yummy, and 6€ bottles of wine were delicious.

That said, I always wondered why some wine cost so much ... and after the 200€ bottle ... I knew.

Ahem, it was still a barely mid-priced bottle in the restaurant's (Tour d'Argent) War-and-Peace-thickness wine book. And, though I dread feasting on cute baby animals like veal ... this place has specialized in baby duckling since the 12th Century .... and, yeah, it was the most delicious thing I've ever eaten.

I'll bet it was, unfortunately, you could not see my tongue firmly planted in cheek with regard to that. Believe me, I'd of been eating that, too.

So how did you find out about this place? Just curious, that sounds like it was one of those meals to remember. I've had a few of those, but none in France...sigh.

Um....sweetie ?....that was a €300 bottle of wine we consumed at the Tour D'Argent which, at the exchange rate at that time, would be about $345. Worth every penny!

Ah, oui ... I thought it went down far better than that 200€ merde we consumed down by the Seine.

We stayed here and loved it. We sprung for the few extra Euros to get an Eiffel view, but better yet were the sounds of street musicians and fresh coffee.

Yes in Montmartre, which can be rather tourisity up top on the butte, but with the Metro steps outside the door moving about Paris was a breeze.

The food was excellent almost everywhere including sandwiches from the FNAC record store on the Champs - Unfortunately, back home everything tasted like crap for weeks - so bring stuff home with you.

You mean the one at Jules Verne ?

Same here. Ah, for 200€ (or 300) to spend on swanky clothes or other parisian goods...

Ok - I am now officially homesick for Paris

I love that you use the term "home"sick.

And I love that we all loved our hotels.



And the food.



Oh, and besides, ya know, the gastronomics ... there's the art and architecture, the accents, the culture, the museums, the monuments, the Metro, the cemetaries, the cathedrals, the history, the beauty everywhere ... oh, and one of the world's better Disneylands.



Not bad.

Paris is and - even after London - remains my very favorite city. There is something so magical about the place. I really love everything about it.

As for guide books, I swear by Lonely Planet and Time Out guides. The Lonely Planet Condensed was THE guide we used throughout Paris. It was wonderful.

There are 2 new guide series that I haven't used but am very interested in:

Walpaper City Guide from the publishers of the hipster magazine and from the fantastic Phaedon press.

and

The Hedonist's Guide which MUST be good.

As cool as Paris is...

I love Gothenburg, Sweden - I'd move there in a heartbeat, just to be closer to Balder.

The French Riviera is still very nice to see such as Saint Tropez , Nice , Cannes , Juan les Pins , Marseilles .

Sydney's hard to beat.

Freshest of food (try throwing a shrimp on the....... saute pan with truffle butter), great wine (try some of our Mudgee Region classics), and the locals are as accommodating as you could want !

Oh, and the LashPair are there.... :blush: