MOUSEHOLE, CORNWALL, ENGLAND
Versailles Palace
VERSAILLES, FRANCE
Paris again
PARIS, FRANCE
I couldn’t wait to head back to Paris. I’d enjoyed it so much the first time and yet there was still so much to see. Round 2 didn’t get off to good start though.
I had booked my room through lastminute.com and specifically opted for the secret hotel deal where you pay a heavily reduced price for a ‘top hotel’. The catch is you don’t know the name of the hotel until you book it and you don’t know the exact location either. I bought my hotel stay (Novotel Paris Est) and after doing some research I thought that it would be great. It was advertised as a four star but once I arrived I was unimpressed with the room and hotel in general, not to mention the dodgey location. It was appalling with tattered carpets and old furniture and so it didn’t take me long to check out.
Luckily I got reimbursed from lastminute.com and was able to purchase a new hotel room (Eurostars Panorama Hotel) in a better area near Gar du Nord that allowed me to get around Paris with ease and safety. It’s small but clean and modern and the staff were brilliant. I’d like to stay here again. I really, really like France. I’m thinking of learning French! Oui.
Bottom line: Don’t purchase secret hotel deals on lastminute.com The risk is too great. Take the time to find a nice hotel. It’s worth it.
Les Deux Abeilles: Best hot chocolate in Paris
PARIS, FRANCE
Last time I was in Paris I discovered to Les Deux Abeilles and decided I wanted to head back for round TWO.
It was a nightmare finding it and I walked around for almost an hour before I remembered where it was. When I got there it was still early enough that there was only one other patron there so the still quiet calmed me down.
I read up on TripAdvisor about Les Deux Abeilles and people were saying that it has the best hot chocolate. So that was what I ordered for breakfast. I’ve always thought that Paul’s served really good hot chocolate. But this was by far the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. It comes in a small jug. You pour as much as you like into your cup and top it off with thick, thick cream. The hot chocolate is viscous and mixed with the cream on top it’s more than heavenly.
