quote:
He is hoping the hotel will have a safe so we can store our passports and stuff there instead of carrying the stuff on us. He thinks if we just leave the IDs inside the rooms, it might get stolen by ppl who work there. I think he’s paranoid, but what can i do?

For $300/night, it had better have a safe .
You will probably be able to either lock this stuff in your in-room safe, or store it in the front desk safe.
He’s probably right about not just leaving stuff lying around in the room.

I would much rather shell out for an expensive meal in Paris (or anywhere in France) complete with aperitif, entree, dessert, cheeseplate and massive ammounts of wine (Ok, maybe this is just me ) than 300€ for an hotel. Spending all that money on an hotel, but saving by eating stuff from Monoprix just a bit silly – There are so many charming places to stay in Paris that are not as expensive, like Hotel D’Orsay – right by the museum. As far as shopping, the haute couture boutiques like Dior and Vuitton are in Rue St-Honore. Check out the Eglise de la Madeleine while you’re there. As far as museums, I’m in love with Musee Rodin and the art of Camille Claudel. Much more intimate than the huge and overwhelming Louvre and Centre Pompidou – although do go to Pompidou if avant garde and modern art is your thing. Champs Elysees is just a (beautiful) tourist trap. Although, there’s a Gelatto Shop there that I just love. As far as Disneyland Paris, skip it and go to Parc Asterix instead.

platinum barbie, could you and your boyfriend adopt me? If he has that much money to burn, he could throw some our way for our backpacking fund!

8 days is not too much for Paris. it’s such a big, vibrant city. That’s a decent amount of time to get acquainted with it, although we are all wincing since you could have had some really nice meals on that money, or even bought some nice Parisian fashions.

While everyone is roasting your boyfriend about the hotel, I would applaud you for cutting back from 2 countries to 1 city, especially for your first time. There is something to be said for savouring the first time experience.

I think the hotel is $300 Canadian a night, so roughly 200 Euros/night. Still very high, but not quite so stratospheric .

I started out with a 10-day trip to London, and I agree that a long stay in your first city is a great way to start out with Europe.

8 days in Paris at a $300-per-night hotel? Colour me jealous.

Just wanted to comment on the safety issue: My friends and I got attempted-pickpoted on the Paris metro. I say attempted, because the pickpocketers got nothing from any of us because we had taken some basic precautions. Moneybelt was worn under clothes with passport, emergency cash and extra credit card, and important documents in it. The small purse I was carrying was looped through my belt loops like a waist pouch, and my travel wallet was attached to the bag with a metal chain.

The pickpocketer got the zipper of my bag open without me noticing, because the metro was very crowded. But he wasn’t able to get my wallet out of it because of the chain. My friends had similar setups (the guys had the wallets in their front pockets, not back pockets) and even though we stood out as tourists and we were obvious targets, none of us lost anything.

That said, this works fine for preventing pickpocketing but not for other types of theft. I was mugged in Costa Rica a couple of weeks ago and no money belt or wallet chain system would’ve helped, because when someone threatens you with a knife or a gun you just hand stuff over as quickly as you can. That’s why I recommend using your hotel safe for things like passports, important documents and extra cash. At $300 a night, your hotel had better have a safe!

In Europe, I found most that pickpocketing is much more of a problem than overt crime like mugging, though, so a setup like I suggested might be useful nonetheless.

If you’re staying athe Warwick on rue Berri, then you got quite a deal. Just for fun, I had a look at the current rack rates, and the least expensve single room is 450 euros, and a double 580—- per night!!
I’m squarely in Petite Paulette’s camp—- I’d far rather stay in a "normal" hotel, and perhaps splurge a little on great meals if you have money to burn. After all, the majority of your time in a hotel room, you’re unconscious…
With regard to the Champs Elysée, I think it’s nothing special, except for the view. For the most part, prices are high if you want something like a coffe or coke. Keep in mind that, if you sit at a table, you’ll pay higher prices for a drink than you would if you stand at the bar; on the other hand, at a table you’re able to do some people-watching and sit down and relax for a while, so maybe it’s worthwhile to pay the extra charge sometimes.
By the way, there are many very good restaurants in Paris where you can get an excellent several-course meal for 35 euros per person, plus wine/coffee, but including the service charge. That might seem expensive for those on really tight budgets, but when you’re spending a fortune on a hotel room, it makes little sense (to me ) to survive on sandwiches while you’re surrounded by great restaurants.

quote:
Just wanted to comment on the safety issue: My friends and I got attempted-pickpoted on the Paris metro. I say attempted, because the pickpocketers got nothing from any of us because we had taken some basic precautions.

pickpocketed? are you sure you weren’t getting a quick n nasty grope from a dirty old man? you say pick pocket o he says grope some boobies uh

luv_the_beach, could you suggest any nice, affordable Parisian hotels for a pair of young backpackers that will be staying in Paris for 6 nights in July? We’re spending two months backpacking round europe, and would like to really get to know Paris as much as possible. Sorry for hijacking the thread, but you did say that you had a Conde Naste or a Travel & Leisure article with something in it, no? Thanks!

CalBear,

For backpackers, I always thought hostels are much more fun. But I can definitely dig up that article…or at least see if I have it. I have a stash of travel magazines: Conde Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, and Travel & Leisure. Let me see what I can find.

All others:

I just don’t want to give people to wrong impression of Champs Elysées. It’s a very very very prominent avenue, but it is not a shopping district, nor is it lines with cafes. There are some cafes, but the Champs Elysées despite being an impresive must-see does not ooze that charm that you get from, say, Place de la Sorbonne or Île-St-Louis. And on top of that, anything on the Champs Elysées including money exchange will cost dearly.

quote:
If you’re staying athe Warwick on rue Berri, then you got quite a deal. Just for fun, I had a look at the current rack rates, and the least expensve single room is 450 euros, and a double 580—- per night!! I’m squarely in Petite Paulette’s camp—- I’d far rather stay in a "normal" hotel, and perhaps splurge a little on great meals if you have money to burn. After all, the majority of your time in a hotel room, you’re unconscious… With regard to the Champs Elysée, I think it’s nothing special, except for the view. For the most part, prices are high if you want something like a coffe or coke. Keep in mind that, if you sit at a table, you’ll pay higher prices for a drink than you would if you stand at the bar; on the other hand, at a table you’re able to do some people-watching and sit down and relax for a while, so maybe it’s worthwhile to pay the extra charge sometimes. By the way, there are many very good restaurants in Paris where you can get an excellent several-course meal for 35 euros per person, plus wine/coffee, but including the service charge. That might seem expensive for those on really tight budgets, but when you’re spending a fortune on a hotel room, it makes little sense (to me ) to survive on sandwiches while you’re surrounded by great restaurants.

The meal thing may be a joke, i guess i will come back and upate on the food.

We’re staying on Warwick Champs Elysees so i’m not entirely sure if that’s the one you’re talking about and i’m way too lazy look it up right now

thanx for the tip about the restaurants!

quote:
8 days in Paris at a $300-per-night hotel? Colour me jealous.

Just wanted to comment on the safety issue: My friends and I got attempted-pickpoted on the Paris metro. I say attempted, because the pickpocketers got nothing from any of us because we had taken some basic precautions. Moneybelt was worn under clothes with passport, emergency cash and extra credit card, and important documents in it. The small purse I was carrying was looped through my belt loops like a waist pouch, and my travel wallet was attached to the bag with a metal chain.

The pickpocketer got the zipper of my bag open without me noticing, because the metro was very crowded. But he wasn’t able to get my wallet out of it because of the chain. My friends had similar setups (the guys had the wallets in their front pockets, not back pockets) and even though we stood out as tourists and we were obvious targets, none of us lost anything.

That said, this works fine for preventing pickpocketing but not for other types of theft. I was mugged in Costa Rica a couple of weeks ago and no money belt or wallet chain system would’ve helped, because when someone threatens you with a knife or a gun you just hand stuff over as quickly as you can. That’s why I recommend using your hotel safe for things like passports, important documents and extra cash. At $300 a night, your hotel had better have a safe!

In Europe, I found most that pickpocketing is much more of a problem than overt crime like mugging, though, so a setup like I suggested might be useful nonetheless.

Ooo…thanx for the tip on the set up thing, i will definitely warn him about that. We’re both really concerned about losing things so I hope things will turn out okay!

quote:
While everyone is roasting your boyfriend about the hotel, I would applaud you for cutting back from 2 countries to 1 city, especially for your first time. There is something to be said for savouring the first time experience.

thank you it was his idea

Just be extra careful one metro line 1, which runs through the heart of the city, through major tourist sites, and up to the La Défense area (the Paris area’s high-rise businesses area). Obviously, this line will be the city’s busiest and most corwded, packed with commuters and tourists. And pickpocketers prey here. Just practice big-city common sense. Sh*t happens but overall, it’s a very safe city.

I loved Paris, and felt pretty safe there, except for a few scoundrels in the, um, sex district near the Moulin Rouge. Enjoy your eight days…with daytrips, you won’t run out of things to do.

Calbear,

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the article. If I remember correctly, it was the feature article of a Travel & Leisure magazine, from either 2000 or 1999. Some of the information may have changed since then, but I highly suggest looking at travel magazine archives at a library, (and perhaps finding something newer). I wouldn’t spend too much time researching this, though. Just scan the cover pages on magazines if you have the chance. This shouldn’t take long as Travel & Leisure, National Geographic Traveler, and Conde Nast Traveler, only publish 12 issues per year.

Luv_the_beach, is this the article you’re talking about?

http://www.frommers….

No, but this article is awesome! Thanks, clunker.

No problem.

that’s a fantastic article,I’m looking into a couple of those places now. i really appreciate all the help!

$300…. sounds like someones gonna be proposed too….

quote:
$300…. sounds like someones gonna be proposed too….

exactly the opposite
he’s leaving canada for three years so we are taking the trip before he leaves
plus, i am only 21, too early to marry :/

i know this was discussed in another threat, but do you guys have any suggestion in terms of cameras?

are there internet cafes that would burn the pictures on CDs so i dont have to bring anything else but one digital camera the one memory card?

quote:

are there internet cafes that would burn the pictures on CDs so i dont have to bring anything else but one digital camera the one memory card?

Yes, there are tons of places like that. Including on the Champs Elysees where you can have your CD burned while enjoying a 12 euro coke in the process.

Seriously though, such places are everywhere. Don’t worry about it.