Wait (until checking in time) in Paris
 

I search the France section and did not see a thread about this, so I'm posting it here. If there is a thread, please point me to the right direction.

My flight lands in Paris at 7 AM coming from WAS, but the hotel check-in is at 12:00 PM near the Pompidou Center. What would be my options, just hang out in the city near the Hotel, or book an extra night previously to allow me to just get in and unpack my stuff.

Edit: I will just be carrying a overnight bag, camera bag and a laptop.

Thanks

if you just want to store your stuff, every european hotel we have ever hit early has offered to accommodate us.

my wife does not travel light.

you are fortunate with a 1200 check in. frequently checkin is closer to 1500.

Check Your Bags
 

Assuming that I'm staying somewhere centrally located, my usual MO in Europe is to go to my hotel first (I'll call a day or two before and mention that I'm arriving on the redeye from the states)--if my room's ready, great--I can shower and clean up. If not, I grab what I need and check my bags with the bellstand before heaidng out for a 4-5 hour exploration of something close, easy, and not to exhausting before returning to the hotel to check in and clean up before dinner. Works every time.

You never know
 

With arrival at 0700 and no checked bags you can be at the hotel as early as 0830 or so. Best bet is to go to the hotel and see what they can do. There is a chance that if your room is ready they will let you check in early, though they are technically within their rights to enforce the 1200 time and/or the room may not be ready. As noted above, most hotels will let you stash your bags while you go enjoy a stroll until check in time. BTW, such bag stashing is generally at your own risk so I would leave the carry on but not the camera or laptop.

My flight always got in around 7:30am too. I always hated coming in that early but we always just leave the bags with the hotel and while away our time at a cafe or wander over to Luxembourg and just sit peacefully watching the world go by. Not far from the Pompidou Center is a little pedestrian street, rue Montorgueil, where you can spend some time.

Bobette

I decline the onboard breakfast regardless of which class I am flying. (24 hour-old croissants re-heated = blecch!)

On arrival at CDG I take care of money and postal needs, buy some newspapers and then sit down at a brasserie for a nice breakfast during which I will call my hotel to ask what the possibilities are of an early check-in.

This is one of the negatives of the UA flights which arrive at CDG way early.

Yeah, thats the airline I'm going in and it never dawn on me the 7AM arrival and getting to the hotel by 8AM and the 12 PM check in. Most likely the hotel will stow my bags for the 4 hours.

I don't care for UAs early arrivals-it cuts off the day of departure and gets you to Paris way too early. They used to have later arrivals before they eliminated most of their flights to CDG.

Not to concern you too much, but I would take note of the post above that mentioned keeping your valuables with you. Many of the Paris hotels will "keep an eye" on your stuff but that often amounts to having it in a public area near the front desk. With all the check-outs before noon, there's a lot of people roaming through those lobbies. Keep the stuff you leave locked and take the high-end camera with you.

Another activity for killing time until check-in is a bus tour sightseeing the sites in Paris. Those buses seem to be out early, and while it's a little dreamy on jet lag, it's also low stress, and maybe something you'd do anyway.

BTW, a 7 am landing leading to an 8 am arrival in town is optimal. I've done it but not often.

US is the same.

Hotel California on Rue de Berri, in the center of Paris refused to let us check in early.

We arrived by train in the morning via train, only had two backpacks but they refused to check us in until 3pm. We were able to leave the backpacks behind with the concierge. But I didn't get the feeling they were very accommodating.

I almost always have had early check in without problems except when the hotel was full the previous night. When not I have had success getting a shower and change of clothing prior to leaving the hotel. The facilities have not always been wonderful but... I was entitled to nothing at all.

You will not be the first person to have arrived from North America on an overnight flight and gotten to the hotel at that time. It's quite common. They'll take care of you as much as they are reasonably able to. That can be anywhere from giving you your room to doing nothing. They will not be upset that you showed up and asked.

Worst case: May in Paris is a great time to hang out at a sidewalk cafe, have petit déjeuner, and watch the people go by.