People may have many different impressions about Paris, some of them totally contrary. The European most visited city is complex and shows us its many faces. For example, If you stay in a hotel in the heart of the 18ème district and decide to have lunch in a crowdy Parisian style bistrot at Rue de Rivoli, after your boat tour by the Seine River, then you won´t like Paris at all. And besides you won’t have tried the real Parisian stylish life and not even the real French food. But there are much better ways to enjoy the City of Love…
1) Where to eat: First of all, never, ever eat near any landmarks. The good restaurants attract people because of its food, and not because they are on your way. Restaurant owners who want to get easy money from tourists set their business near the crowd to conveniently attract them. Rue de Rivoli, Champs Elysées and the vicinity of Eifel Tower are always a bad choice. And you will end up eating a frozen meal prepared in one of many small industries set outside the town. Also you will be dealing with the famous bad educated and arrogant waiters and your impressions about Paris will be ruined. Now, if you find a crowded restaurant hidden in a small street away from the crowds, where the clients are all speaking French, then this is probably a good choice! And if you are wealthy enough to be travelling at the Parisian high-end level, always choose a starred restaurant from the Michelin Guide. It is the only guide We (still) trust. Check the world´s 50 best restaurants review and the recommendations we made, by clicking here. Paris is the best city in the world for a luxury haute-cuisine experience and there are 9 restaurants with the highest 3-star rate. Also important: Don´t use TripAdvisor. It was a good tool many years ago, before the restaurant owners found out how to trick the algorithm and receive fake good reviews. It is now useless. Read more about this here
2) Where to stay. Again, if you can afford a Thousand-Euro room rate, then Paris is probably the best place on Earth to choose from. We have ranked some the world´s best hotel and four of them are in Paris. Check it here. Actually the world´s best hotel in our opinion is the Ritz. The suites are simply stunning. And from these luxury angle, you will see a well educated and pampering Paris, that you will love and never forget. Get a nice limousine from the concierge for a smooth ride in the town. But If you can´t afford the super luxury standard , you may easily end up into a trap. So here are some tips. Don´t ever choose hotels near landmarks or train stations. It is the same case I mentioned about restaurants. Cheap boutique-like hotel in Paris can also be a bad idea, unless you know the hotel or you have a secure recommendation from a friend. Choose instead a large hotel company (Ex Accor or Marriott ) and pick one a bit away from the city center. You can get an excellent daily rate at Bl. Péripherique for a honest, clean and comfortable room.
3) What to do. First of all, try to learn some basic words and phrases in French. You will get attention and people will be much more polite when talking to you. We have visited Paris dozens of times and we have never experienced the so called French arrogance, simply because we speak French. The best Paris feeling, beside the luxury restaurants and fancy hotels, will be related to Arts and Culture. If you are a first time tourist in Paris, then you will have to face the crowds at the main Landmarks, like Arc de Triomphe, Tour Eifel, Notre Dame and the Louvre. There is no way to avoid it. If you are a returning experienced visitor, try then the Grand Palais, the Petit Palais, the Musée D’orsay, the 2000 years old Arénes de Lutèce or the glamorous Prix de L’ Arc in October. Also remember that Paris is the world´s Fashion capital, along with Milano. So if you you are wealthy and you have good taste for it, go to Av. Montaigne or Rue Saint Honoré to shop the from world´s best brands. Avoid their shop branches at Champs Elysées or Galeries Lafayette, because they are now being invaded by crowds of Chinese nouveau riches.
Needing some luxury Paris tips? Email us at omnimundi2@gmail.com