cwerdna

I'm going on a Contiki European tour (it'll be my first time to Europe) but am staying an extra night in France, after the tour is over before flying back to the US via CDG.

Contiki has us staying our last 2 nights at Ibis Paris Berthier Porte de Clichy but where I chose to stay the extra night (check in 12/23, out 12/24 for a flight at 11:30 am) is up to me.

I plan on being just a tourist visiting sights the tour doesn't take us to or revisiting some places.

I went to http://www.ibishotel.com/gb/hotel-21...hy/index.shtml and found the rate to be ~$82 USD/night. Am I better off just staying there another night or going somewhere else, esp. given that I'm going to CDG the next day?

I'm willing to bid on Priceline, as I've done it many times for US hotels w/great success. But, I'd probably need to know what zones to pick/not pick.

I'm looking for something that's either a better value (but still $82 USD or less). I think these are important:
- convenient for me to get to via public transit/cheap transportation or not a very expensive taxi ride from Ibis Paris Berthier Porte de Clichy with luggage (one suitcase + 1 carry on)
- convenient via public transit/cheap transportation to CDG
- safety
- proximity to sights and public transit

I really doubt I'd want to take a taxi to CDG (too much $). I read that a taxi from Roissy to the city is 65 to 95 Euros!

Thanks!

GuillaumeD

Ibis hotels are quite standards. This one is about 300m far from a metro line 13 station (not the best line).
82$/night seems to me a good fare for an hotel in Paris, even if you are not in the best location but, normally, a safe one.
If you want to go back to the airport easily, try the Opera Garnier neighboorhoud as you can catch there the Roissybus (10€/pax) and you will be closer to sights. But everything costs so it will be more expansive.

cwerdna

I figure I may as well add the Priceline zones, if I want to go that route (of bidding for rooms). It'd be great to know which zones I should aim for/stay away from or if they're just too wide to ensure I'd get something meeting my criteria.

See below for screenshots of their maps:



(To save typing) The zone numbers and names are:
1 Bastille - Bercy
2 Batignolles - Montmartre - Republique
3 Champs Elysees - Opera Quarter West
4 Eiffel Tower - Porte De Versailles - Montparnasse
5 La Defense - Neuilly
6 Opera Quarter East - Les Halles
7 St. Germain - Latin Quarter - Montparnasse

Thanks!

GuillaumeD

I will give you, IMHO, the zones that fit with each criteria.

- convenient for me to get to via public transit/cheap transportation or not a very expensive taxi ride from Ibis Paris Berthier Porte de Clichy with luggage (one suitcase + 1 carry on)
1. can be far, 4 not very convenient and 5 as it is outside Paris, your hotel can be far from the RER

- convenient via public transit/cheap transportation to CDG
2. Gare du Nord and the RER direct to CDG
3. Opera and Roissybus
6. Chatelet and the RER
7. RER if you are close to a RER B station

- safety
3 and 7 for sure.
2, 6 it depends on your exact location
Paris is a safe city but some people can feel unsafe in some areas, but not very touristic one)

- proximity to sights and public transit
All of them, but the best are 3,6 and 7.


Finally, I would advise you 3 or 7. As 7 is big, if you choose it, try to remain close to the river.


All the answers are only my opinion. If someone can add his/her point of view...


Hope my answer is clear enough!

imagineertobe

Well, of course the problem with Priceline/Hotwire is that you can't choose where your hotel is!

If I were weighing the same considerations you are, I would pick something in zones 3, 6, or 7, since all of them have decent 1-stop access to CDG and are safe. 1 and 4 would be my second choices.

Your Ibis Porte de Clichy is going to be in a seedy area, so I would personally stay away if you're going to be by yourself. If Priceline/Hotwire don't come through, there are some nice hostels in Paris, too.

Peace.

cwerdna

Thanks to both of you for your quick replies! I've got a lot more to go on now.
Ahhh... I didn't realize that. Yeah, for our tours, I'd imagine that Contiki didn't care so much about the area as I'd think we'd be picked up and dropped off from hotel via tour bus anyway.

Interesting. Ibis Paris Berthier Porte de Clichy is now down to ~$77 USD/night.

cwerdna

Thanks again everyone!

I'm 90% sure I'm just going to stick with Ibis Paris Berthier Porte de Clichy since it's cheap and most convenient (no need to change hotels). I'd spent too much time researching, trying to bid on Priceline, etc. but wouldn't end up saving any money.

I plan to get to CDG probably via the Air France Bus or Roissybus and will just take a cab in the morning from the above hotel to one of their stops (Opera for Roissybus or Etoile for the Air France bus). The flight's at 11:35 am but http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin...t/checkin.html recommends checking in 3 hours before in Paris, for some reason. So, I'm guessing I'd take a cab started at 6 am-ish.

Somebody please chime in if's not realistic to get a cab in Paris on 12/24 between 6 and 7 am. Only reason why I say that is http://www.frommers.com/destinations...062020015.html says:

imagineertobe

I haven't found it to be too difficult to get a cab in the morning in Paris, certainly not if I call one, and especially not during the holiday time that you'll be traveling.

Also, checking in 3 hours early at CDG is ridiculous since there's absolutely nothing to enjoy once you get past security (poor shopping, hard seats, limited space). AC is in the same terminal as AA (T2A) and I've checked in as late as 1 hour before the flight, having no problems clearing immigration and security and getting on my flight (the farthest walk to a gate is maybe 10 minutes). I wouldn't suggest planning to cut it that close, but I would think 2 hours to be a good medium. YMMV

Peace.

Louie_LI

A cab from that hotel to the airport will cost you about €35 and take about 25 minutes. It might be worth the extra money for less hassle (a cab from there to Opéra (about €8) plus the bus (about €10)).

vincentb89

Hi!

Glad you're coming to see our lovely city this winter! About transportation :

. have you explored the possibility to take the RER (B line) to CDG? 30 minutes train, 8 euros, and frequency each 8 or 10 min with 1/3 of the trains being direct. I'm going to CDG from Paris center every three weeks and i find it the most efficient way (mainly because it gives me freedom about delays with the insurance of only waiting a couple of minutes if i miss my RER).
From your hotel, count at maximum a 10 min taxi ride to Gare du Nord RER B line (between 6 and 8 euros) and 26 min of train

. about taxis : a few things i've discovered
It can be tricky to find a cab at certain hours such as in the morning between 8 - 10 am and at night between 6 pm and midnight. However availability depends on the neighborhood you're staying (and yours isn't a hot spot so taxis should be plentifull)
On the 24th, at 6 am ( and i would advise you to leave at 7 due to the lack of traffic) you should'nt even be waiting for a cab ( no traffic in Paris at 6 am neither in the loop circling Paris where traffic can sometimes be a pain in the ...). Furthermore, and you're lucky , you're staying both near a metro station and at the fronteer between Paris itself and the suburbs so you will without any doubt find a cab station (ask for it at the metro station Porte de Clichy) or even ask your hotel receptionist to book one for you ( between 10 and 20 min in advance)
Still, if you want to enjoy a quiet night without any worries, i would advise you to book a cab ( count at least 5 more euros, not in booking fees but as the price for the cab to come pick you up). I would advise you to use G7 taxi company, just because it is the largest ( more taxis available), that some of their phone agents speak english and that i find their phone reservation system quite efficient.

And a few tips about Paris and your neighborhood:
. your neighborhood is safe( not the safest in Paris but still safe). However your only transportation is Metro Line 13, which is one of the worst lines in the Paris area when it comes to safety ( mainly because the last stop of both north directions of Line 13 are in tough neighborhoods). Even though you stop way before these stations, you may find a few people to be quite tacky in the metro. I'm 21 year old tall man but i still shut down my Ipod and try not to encourage thieves by showing off wealth. Apart from that, metro is quite safe !

I hope you enjoy your trip !

cwerdna

Interesting. When I called the hotel the other day, they claimed it'd be 50 euros, possibly more. 50 is more than I'd like to pay. From another thread, I ended up doing a Google search for "paris airport shuttle" and have found a bunch of shared van services, some reasonably in priced. Unfortunately, I don't know which (if any) are reputable.

I am familiar with Super Shuttle in the US so I'd imagine http://www.veolia-transport.com/en/m...ttle-paris.htm is reputable but I checked http://www.supershuttle.fr and got a quote of 24 euros, which is a little spendy.

vincentb89: Thanks for all the advice! Yes, if the taxi ride to Gare du Nord RER is that cheap, maybe that's the best way.

Yeah, I did read about the goofy convention in Paris where if you call for a taxi (via reservation line, kiosk, etc.) instead of hailing one on the street, the meter starts running at that point for the journey to you.

vincentb89

Just did a quote using viamichelin and taxi metric fares from your hotel to Roissy:
24 kms from point to point , with the highest metric fare named C fare which is 1,33 euros per KM ( C fare for the intra Paris segment because of the hour ( C fare for trips between midnight and 7am) and C fare for the other segment because you're in the suburbs)
= so it should be around 32 euros but i would advise you to count on 40 - 45 mainly because of the fact that even though most taxi drivers are no crooks, they may not take the most direct route and that driving between terminals in Roissy CDG can be quite slow !

Mountain Trader

This is precisely why I would not use or recommend Priceline in Paris-the zones are way too big and include both good and bad areas.