Different Accommodations in Paris

Although the French at least drive on the correct side of the road as far as Americans are concerned, everything else seems different when you arrive. The people all speak French, their cars are unusual to say the least, their driving manners range from the weird to the unacceptable, and they even pronounce hotel, o-tel. To clear up unnecessary confusion, we decided that a few definitions were in order, to help you find the right Paris Hotel or Paris Apartment to suit your style.

Hotels are graded by the French Government in terms of five stars which is not the case with all the Luxury Rentals Paris is renowned for. A one-star Hotel is pretty basic with a minimum of amenities. As the stars increase so do the facilities (and the price), and the quality of the food and drink too. Some Hotels keep their star ratings artificially low to avoid paying higher taxes, and this is often where Paris bargains may be found. Other so-called Luxury Hotels in Paris are old and tradition often precludes their modernization. So make your choice between the two, and don’t complain if your Louis Sixteenth bathroom does not have heated towel rails or a shower! If you are asking a Frenchman to help you choose between Luxury Paris Hotels, remember that hotel is pronounced o-tel, and that the French way of saying Grand Hotel is l’O-tel de Grande.

Paris Apartments are called Apartements and usually require at least a two week booking. The big difference is that they are fully equipped for self-catering, and of course shopping for foodstuffs in Paris is a twenty four-hour pleasure. When you book your Luxury Vacation Apartment in Paris it can be essential to take advice, because luxury and beautiful views are often in the eyes of the beholder. Rooms in a Paris Apartment are called pieces which include lounges, dining rooms, bedrooms - that is chambers - and kitchens, but not bathrooms. Grocery stores are called super marches, and convenience stores epiceries. The correct way to say I would like to book an apartment in Paris please, is to say j'aimerais réserver un appartment à Paris s'il vous plait.

Should you be unable to afford one of the Luxury Hotels in Paris or alternatively a Luxury Paris Rental, then you might like to consider a Bed & Breakfast - although we should warn you that standards vary greatly. To complicate matters even further they may be loosely described as a gite, chambre d'hote, maison d'hote, manoir or even as a cottage. Another alternative could be what the French call a Hostellerie, which may be anything from a delightful small seaside hotel, to little more than a drab hostel. If you are lucky you could be utterly enchanted, but be careful for there is some really basic stuff out there too.

Hostels are far more honest for they are exactly what they say they are and that is cheap and basic. Although as far away from a Luxury Vacation Apartment in Paris as the earth is from the moon, many older people stay there for they are often far more than just youth hostels. During peak summer periods the French often take a break themselves and hope to cover costs by renting out their Homes. Again, the situation is very much like the proverbial curate’s egg in other words good in places only, which is why many responsible holiday agents prefer to stay away from them.

We do hope that the above assists you to find suitable accommodation in Paris, be it a Classic French Hotel or one of the Luxury Rentals Paris is renowned for. The best advice that we can offer is that it is always best to take advice when staying in an unfamiliar city, and in this case to consult a professional travel agent you may rely on.