parisian party

Before traveling to Paris for the first time, I think many Americans have this fantasy of what Paris is like. Unfortunately, this fantasy is more Paris,Vegas than Paris, France. America is the land of Super Size Me, and Service With a Smile, and New and Improved, and Have it Your Way. America is also ENORMOUS and if you happen to live in America, that means you can get on a plane, fly for over 6 hours, get off the plane and still be in the land of Bigger is Better. Oddly enough, many Americans don’t realize that by flying a few more hours in another direction, there’s a whole other world where things are smaller, the general philosophy is “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, and the only option is to have it someone else’s way! Nowhere is this more apparent than when you’re trying to choose a hotel in Paris.

By now, who hasn’t fantasized about being Carrie Bradshaw in her fabulous Versace gown languishing in that gigantic suite at the Plaza Athénée. But with a rate of 2580.00€ per night for the Prestige Suite, the Plaza Athénée is a bit out of budget for the average soon-to-be newlywed couple. But you still want to splash-out for your wedding night, right? $500 - $600 seems to be about the average price that many of my clients have allotted towards their honeymoon suite. But where $500 will get you a 35 sq meter Superior Room on the 27th floor with a lake view at the Four Seasons Luxury Hotel in Chicago, that same $500 will only get you a 20 sq meter Standard Room on the 6th floor of the Hotel Westminster in Paris. The Hotel Westminster is a very attractive hotel, right on the Rue de la Paix, but it’s no Ritz Carlton- that’s all I’m saying…

The same can go for what’s inside the room. Americans are accustomed to a higher standard of service. The tourism industry in the States prides itself on meeting and surpassing that standard. I personally can’t get enough of that standard!! I love how when I’m in the U.S., staying even at an average hotel, there’s sure to be an endless supply of big ole fluffy towels, a perfectly firm-yet- bouncy-bouncy queen sized bed with tons of king-sized pillows, and A/C that I can crank up as high as I want. Here in Paris? Ummm…not so much. I really can’t tell you why because I don’t know myself, all I can say is it’s not America, the norm is not the same, and millions of tourists keep coming back, so they must be doing something right!

I think it’s important to be informed and to stay realistic when you’re looking for a hotel in Paris. You can find simple and attractive hotels in Paris for $100 a night, but they probably won’t have a view of the Eiffel Tower, and you probably won’t be greeted with fresh towels every night once you get back to your room. One of the best sites that I recommend is www.tripadvisor.com. This is a website where past guests can post reviews of hotels. They have a section on each hotel page where people can upload candid photos of the property, so you can see what the hotel room really looks like (without the fancy camera angle and professional lighting!)

Also, you should keep in mind that size isn’t everything. I visited an adorable hotel yesterday called the Duquesne Eiffel Hotel,which was tiny, tiny, tiny. I can’t even tell you how tiny this place was, BUT it was so pretty, so clean, the staff were SO friendly, AND some of the rooms have a view right on the Eiffel Tower! And for Paris standards, it was pretty cheap- rooms start at 125€ (around $175) a night. I know that that’s not “budget-bride” prices, but show me another triple threat at that price! Actually, that’s a good idea- if you know of a cute, affordable, room-with-a-view in Paris, drop me a line! I’m curious to know what else is out there…