Paris

Camalot

Camalot

Camalot

Soldato
Joined
7 Mar 2005
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Wolverhampton
Hi guys,

My girlfriend is 21 in two weeks and i am wanting to take her away for a couple of days to Paris as a surprise break.

I know nothing about Paris, would 1 or 2 night be expensive? Could anyone recommend where to stay or a couple of things to go see/do.

Thanks.
 
Prague. I've just ordered 4 nights in a 4 star hotel 100 meters away from the castle. Just under £200 per person including flights and buffet breakfast.
 
Paris IS expensive. But i also think it's a great city and worth visiting if you can afford it. me and my better half stayed at Hotel Taylor, which is not too far away from Gard Du Nord, and by tube, is not to far away from the good stuff (the Eiffel Tower etc etc)

The closer you get to the centre, the more expensive it is, around the Notre Dame area it was €11 for 2 coffee's! And with the conversion rate being pretty pants, that's some damn expensive coffee!

Overall though, i think the people are great over there. Very friendly and always accommodating, and the food is just excellent.
 
You don't have to spend a fortune in Paris but be wary of cheap accommodation in Paris as standards can be extremely low. You are better off at the bottom end of the market staying in modern inexpensive rather than charming old Parisian inexpensive (which will probably be smeggy and watch out for shared bathrooms).

Do you have a budget?

Personally Paris is not my favourite city but everyone should go there at some point. I worked there quite a lot and didn't love it but anyone can find something to enjoy for a weekend there.
 
strang3r said:
Prague. I've just ordered 4 nights in a 4 star hotel 100 meters away from the castle. Just under £200 per person including flights and buffet breakfast.
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This.

We much preferred Prague! Food, drink, people and weather were all better and cheaper than Paris!

Lets just say that in Paris a Coffee stop you won't get much change from 10 Euros for 2 coffees. We found a (nice) underground bar in Prague that charged us £1.80 for a beer and glass of wine.

Nuff Said :D
 
Somewhere cheaper than Paris? Blackpool! It's even got a tower, just tell her its Paris shell be none the wiser :p
 
As several have said Prague is loads nicer, and cheaper, than Paris

I would visit in the week though to avoid the stag parties
 
You can do Paris on a Budget.

I have been a few times. The last time admittedly was with a friend who used to live there so we stopped with her friends, but the time before that I went with a collage friend and we managed to fly from Manchester to CDG, stay in a 3 star hotel (Bed and Breakfast) and it was less than 15 mins walk to the Champs Elysees and it only cost us £145 each.

Your problem is going to be the time of year your going ie Peak Holiday season.

If you don't have the option to book it and give her a card with a 'Surprise! I have booked us a weekend in Paris for [enter date booked, ideally at the end of September]!' and book the trip when the schools and Uni's are back in term, then I would recommend Krakow, Poland.

Beautiful city, the people are soooooooo friendly and its one of the oldest cities in Mainland Europe, with one of the oldest Universities too. The food is excellent and the prices of the drinks, food, transport and hotels (really cheap) more than makes up for the slightly more expensive flights. Most people speak English so if your Polish isn't that hot you will get by.

I believe its very similar to Prague (which isn't surprising given the location, they are pretty much next door neighbours) but without the stag do's and brothels :D

Edit: If you are going to look at Krakow, book the hotel direct with the hotel - dont book through a tour operator or hotels.com or whatever. We managed to get a great deal on a 3 star hotel for 3 nights bed and breakfast by booking direct. It only cost us (well me cause I got it for my bf's birthday) £58 total (approx conversion, pay on arrival)...madness!!!
 
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I'm off to Paris in a week. £240 each, Eurostar there, 4* and a short walk from main places. I'm sure it's expensive when there, but it's a world leading city, has some of the best art in the world and is probably worth seeing at some point in one's life!
 
fus said:
I'm off to Paris in a week. £240 each, Eurostar there, 4* and a short walk from main places. I'm sure it's expensive when there, but it's a world leading city, has some of the best art in the world and is probably worth seeing at some point in one's life!
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I think it is worth it a a one off for the major attractions but it is similar to London in that outside of these it's not great and there are much better cities
 
Paris sucks, Nice is sooooo much better!

Although if you havent been yet then you might as well go to experience it.
 
If you do go to Paris - go here for dinner one night. Not romantic but quirky and so much fun. Also very cheap. I think it cost us about 16€ for cheese and 19€ for meat and the wine was 2€ per bottle ;) It wasn't the best wine I have ever tasted but it didn't matter :)

If you go to Krakow, go here for a meal. Really good food, the waiters speak English and give very very good recommendations for food and not very expensive
 
Toulouse is my favourite french city. Nice is pretty expensive, but not up to Paris levels. Bordeaux is good as well for a couple of nights, and you could get a wine tour in, if you are interested in that
 
Citybreaks are something I really enjoy doing but I've never found Paris to be anything other than curiously overpriced. For the price I usually pay to stay in half decent centrally located Hotels in other capital cities, I'd get a crappy 1-2 star place on the outskirts of Paris. It really is quite bizarre.

There are numerous other fantastic cities in Europe where the same budget will get you a great romantic weekend away - because hey, staying in a nice hotel on such a break is pretty nice.

Probably my favourite so far has been Berlin.
 
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