Vacation Accomodations

I have a list developed of blog posts to catch up on.  They all have pictures which makes it a bit more time consuming since I can’t just do it on my phone during my commute.  I thought I’d catch up on them during the holidays, but that was wishful thinking.  So for a future time, I will write about mom’s Thanksgiving visit, getting my Christmas tree, Christmas festivities: nutcracker, Harvard Revels, Handel’s Messiah, Christmas, 2048 competition, new office.  The list goes on and on.

In the meantime, I do have something I’m excited to post.  I just locked in my accomodations for my Paris trip coming up.  I had locked in my Reykjavik hotel right at the start since it seemed to be booking up quickly.  I took some time trying to find just the right hotel.  I’d find something that wasn’t too bland, only to read in reviews it was on a noisy street, or some other issue.  I finally landed on a place that felt very Scandinavian.  There were surprisingly few of places with this style.  Well at least in my price range.  It’s on a nice quiet street and has rave reviews. 

 

But for Paris, I kept going around, trying to find just the right place.  Part of the problem was that although fairly cheap to fly to, Reykjavik is super expensive for all other things - from accommodations to food and everything in between.  So my hotel budget was quickly blown by my three nights in Reykjavik - it was almost as much as my budget for 7 nights in Paris.  I was trying to figure out if I should go cheaper in Paris to balance it out. 

I checked the hotel I stayed in 25 years ago when I first visited Paris, Hotel Esmeralda.  It was so quaint and I loved the morning breakfast in the cellar.  Such great hot chocolate and croissants from such a friendly rolly-polly french women.  From our hotel room we could see Notra Dame just across the water.  It looked like it hadn’t change a bit since I was last there.  And well, I kind of wanted something a little less dated.  Plus, when I was last in Paris, I visited the area and the neighborhood had become fairly touristy and crowded.  And the price wasn’t all that great.

 

 

I did come across a great find - staying at a religious place.  I was intrigued with the cultural experience, especially as one that still doesn’t fully understand religion but appreciates the beautiful architecture it has produced.  There’s a place associated with Sacre-Coeur, but I found the location a little too non-central.  I’m hoping to walk a lot and with the February weather, I want to limit my hikes to the city center.  I was tempted by Maison Eymard in the 8^th adr blocks from the Arc de Triomphe.  The price was ridiculous - about $45 per night for a single bedroom.  I think you had to go to service each day and there was a curfew, but that worked into my travel plans.  At one point, I was considering booking 5 nights at the Maison Eymard, which is the minimum required and then splurging at a high-end hotel for the last few nights, which also happen to be my birthday.  There were a several other in this category that I found via this website.

In the end, I ended up going the apartment route.  I found that you seem to get much more bang for the buck when renting an apartment, instead of a hotel, and this doesn’t take into consideration any money saved by having a few meals at home.  Seven days of eating out all your meals is a lot.  It will be nice to have a fully furnished apartment/kitchen.

 

I searched and searched, and narrowed it down to two places.  One place was this beautiful top-floor apartment, under the eaves, but it was just a bit too pricy.  It was very Parisian and reminded me of the era that An American in Paris with Gene Kelly was set.  I could imagine myself as Audrey Hepburn from Roman Holiday (but in Paris).  Here's the link: http://www.homeaway.co.uk/p1209190a#calendar

The other place was on the Isle Saint Louis and was just lovely old school French with exposed wood beams and classic furnishings.  When I first stayed in Paris, I stayed on the left bank and the last visit was on the right bank, so I figured, the middle is next.  Plus the location was great.  I was finding I would find some great deals but then read reviews and realize the neighborhood was a bit… um, let’s just say they were often next to the rail stations - think Times Square of a few decades back.  Not great, and not the Parisian charm I’m after.  I do have to say I’m spoiled by the friend’s apartment I stayed in a few years back near Place de la Bastille.  I'm linking to an old post but realize I didn't have many pictures of the place.  Dead batteries.  I felt so Parisian walking through the residential streets.  Not a hotel in sight.

 

The Isle Saint Louis place turned out to be already booked for my dates.  They did provide a list of other available apartments.  Which then put me in a stand still again.  The ones that were in my price range were not that great.  I did find this beautiful, royal, wood-paneled place that was also in the Isle Saint Louis.  It was out of my price range, but I figured I’d ask if they would negotiate on the price.  I’ve learned, you never know unless you ask.  Turns out they were willing to negotiate and I am happy to report I’m staying at a place where I feel like a real Queen, my own royal chambers in Paris!  This is why you travel in the off season.  Here's the pictures of the apartment I will be staying in:

 

 

  

The living room is drop dead impressive.  The dining area is delightful.  The bedroom is up in a loft area which is a bit non-traditional but very cozy.  And who cares, you’re sleeping when you’re up there.  The kitchen is fully equiped. The neighborhood is so charming and the entrance is just so classically Parisian.  Nothing you would ever find in the States and something to delight in every time I return home each day.  Entrance from the private courtyard and the front door leading into my apartment.