Where to go in The French Riviera.....

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

We stayed at The Marina Baie des Anges--through RCI. Going through Dial an Exchange sounds like a much better deal. The location is excellent. I forgot to mention that the bus to Cannes is $5.00 also, and it runs right along the coast.

In Paris this time we stayed at the Hilton, which was a totally different experience from the little Hotel Champ de Mar in the Rue Clare where we stayed last time. We returned to Rue Clare one evening to eat and people watch and it was just as charming as the last time. The Hilton turned out to be an excellent deal. We were on the executive floor, so we had access to the lounge: free breakfast, free drinks all day, free tea sandwiches and drinks, free open bar at night. We saved lots of money by utilizing the lounge--and the stay was free because of Hilton points. It has no charm, but it's a very nice hotel, and it's a 3 minute walk to the Eiffel Tower--and a 15 minute walk to Rue Clare.

[LisaH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close LisaH]

Guess we were lucky two years ago when we went to Paris and stayed at the Marriott Champs-Elysees. I had no problem using my cat. 7 certificate when booking 12 months ahead. One little tip while staying at the Marriott Champs-Elysees: ask to get an upgrade by paying (I think) an extra 30 Euro per day. You get a much bigger executive room and it comes with free breakfast for the entire party. We are a family of four so just breakfast alone was more than worth it. At the end of our stay, we found out that the internet connection was also included in the upgrade. My younger son was a little upset-he wished that we could have found out earlier and didn't limited his on-line time during the week...

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

vinolover,

Thanks for the info!!! Great pics!!!

Unfortunately, I am not a member of RCI, and don't plan on becoming one, any time soon. I think I might be looking into DAE, to see what resorts they offer, in the area. Who knows, they might even be offering the one that you stayed in.

I don't need to be on the beach, just in a decent location to visit the Cote d'Azur towns. That's my priority.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Sounds like you guys both had wonderful trips!

In our recent stay in Brussels, we paid an extra 50 euro a day for executive privileges. It entitled us to free continental breakfast, unlimited internet, the mini-bar in our room, along with drinks & o'dourves, between 5 & 9 each night. It was great, and well worth the cost, even for just the two of us.

Lisa.....Maybe I will get lucky, and be able to grab a week for standard reward points, If I'm on top of it. I will give it my best, that's for sure.

Pstreet1

The Hilton turned out to be an excellent deal. We were on the executive floor, so we had access to the lounge: free breakfast, free drinks all day, free tea sandwiches and drinks, free open bar at night. We saved lots of money by utilizing the lounge--and the stay was free because of Hilton points. It has no charm, but it's a very nice hotel, and it's a 3 minute walk to the Eiffel Tower--and a 15 minute walk to Rue Clare.

LisaH

Guess we were lucky two years ago when we went to Paris and stayed at the Marriott Champs-Elysees. I had no problem using my cat. 7 certificate when booking 12 months ahead. One little tip while staying at the Marriott Champs-Elysees: ask to get an upgrade by paying (I think) an extra 30 Euro per day. You get a much bigger executive room and it comes with free breakfast for the entire party. We are a family of four so just breakfast alone was more than worth it. At the end of our stay, we found out that the internet connection was also included in the upgrade. My younger son was a little upset-he wished that we could have found out earlier and didn't limited his on-line time during the week...

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

I concur about Rue Clare. My first few trips to Paris, I stayed at the Grand Hotel Lavique on Rue Clare. To my amazement they even had ice machines, something rarely seen in European hotels.

I always used the train, rather than bus from Marina Baie des Anges, since the train halt was very close to the resort. The location can't be beat, right in the middle of everything. You can take the train east to Nice and Monaco, and west to Cannes, St. Raphael, and Grasse, with ease. With the traffic on the roads of the Riviera, I prefer going by rail.

We stayed at The Marina Baie des Anges--through RCI. Going through Dial an Exchange sounds like a much better deal. The location is excellent. I forgot to mention that the bus to Cannes is $5.00 also, and it runs right along the coast.

In Paris this time we stayed at the Hilton, which was a totally different experience from the little Hotel Champ de Mar in the Rue Clare where we stayed last time. We returned to Rue Clare one evening to eat and people watch and it was just as charming as the last time. The Hilton turned out to be an excellent deal. We were on the executive floor, so we had access to the lounge: free breakfast, free drinks all day, free tea sandwiches and drinks, free open bar at night. We saved lots of money by utilizing the lounge--and the stay was free because of Hilton points. It has no charm, but it's a very nice hotel, and it's a 3 minute walk to the Eiffel Tower--and a 15 minute walk to Rue Clare.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

DAE sometimes gets Timeshare Vaugrenier weeks. I just saw two 1BR units at that resort on their current availibility list for this July.

We stayed at the Timeshare Vaugrenier in Villeneuve Loubet (about a 15-20 minute drive from Nice). This was seven years ago so I can't comment on what it's like now but we really liked it. We got this on an RCI weeks trade.

It is a regular apartment complex where people live so there are only a couple of apartments for timeshare trades. We had a 2BR/1BA (very small bedrooms and bathroom). But the kitchen was fine; it had a DISHWASHER (only time we've ever had that in a Europe TS) and a washer/dryer. The living room/dining room area was good sized and it had a nice balcony with a Mediterranean view. But it is NOT on the beach if that is important to you.

Great location for daytrips to the Cote d'Azur towns (and Monte Carlo if you want to see that area as well).

Nothing fancy but good apartment, nice apartment complex, great location. You can see my photos of it in the link below. Pre-digital camera days so not very many photos and not good quality Wrote a TUGS review with more detail.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

DAE sometimes gets Timeshare Vaugrenier weeks. I just saw two 1BR units at that resort on their current availibility list for this July.

I saw them, too. I posted them, this morning. I also saw Marina Baie des Anges.

BTW.....I also found Marina Baie des Anges, for rent @ $77.00 a night, for May 08. That comes to less than my MF's, so I might just rent.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

One more question........How bad a location is Cap d' Ail, for visiting the other Cote d'Azur towns ?

I ask because I could also use Marriott points to stay at the Marriott, Cap d' Ail, if it's not in a terrible location, for getting around.

Thanks all, for all your input, and info!!!!