Philippe Brimont, is an exceptional tour guide. He kindly and patiently worked with our group of 7!…read moreHe picked us up, personalized the tour, and worked late because we wanted to see as much as possible. He drove us all around Normandy and stopped to tell us stories that occurred all over the place. If any history fans are reading this I would strongly recommend using his services. As a stubborn man who thinks he does not need a tour guide. I feel like it was well worth the money because I had the opportunity to see and learn a lot more because Philippe was excellent!

Frédéric picked us up promptly in a spotless Mercedes Benz van. He drove us at a good speed,…read moreamazingly avoiding the snarling holiday traffic. When we got into the van, he asked what we had seen already and what we wanted to see. Based on this itinerary, Frédéric figured out a route to see everything with minimal traffic woes in four hours. Not only was Frédéric a great driver, he was also quite knowledgeable about Parisian history and culture. We laughed and shared stories together. The next time we are in Paris, we will be sure to call and reserve Frédéric, perhaps for a Versailles tour as well.

Taking a Seine River boat tour is a MUST when visiting Paris so I planned to do just that a few…read moredays ago. I chose Vendettes du Point Neuf due to its proximity to the area where I was staying. It was easy to reach on the Metro as it's located on Point Neuf which is a tip of the Ile de la Cite island that Notre Dame is located on. In this case, I decided just to walk on. It was early May and I sensed that there would be plenty of room available and I was right. I arrived at 2:08 pm and immediately got on the 2:15 pm tour at a cost of 17€. I found out they have a tour boat that leaves every thirty minutes for the one hour tour. We left promptly on time sitting on top of the open air uncovered deck with great unobstructed views. The boat has a drink and snack bar on board in addition to water closets for the guests. The boat moves at about 10 miles an hour and circled the Ile de la Cite island with great views of Notre Dame and then proceed down the river passing the Orsay Museum and continuing all of the way down to the Eiffel Tower for more great views of it, There we turned around and proceeded back to the starting point arriving one hour after leaving. It was an enjoyable cruise. The weather was comfortably cool and the narrator on board did a good job of describing everything that we passed by. At the end he does stand at the exit hoping for a tip. I felt the cruise was well worth the cost and would recommend it depending on the weather.

Beware: Do not book for Bastille Day Fireworks Cruise. We booked the July 13th cruise and boarded…read moreand sailed at 9:30pm. We went down 3 bridges and parked the boat. We could only see the tip of the Eiffel Tower and very limited fireworks. There was not any information or "guide" provided about Paris or the buildings we did pass. We spent around $250 USD for 4 people. They did not offer refunds or even a cruise for another day.

While in Paris hubby and I wanted to take a dinner cruise so we booked one on line with Paris…read moreSeine. Locating the area to board was extremely easy and so was boarding. We were so lucky to have a table right by the outer part of the boat which allowed us to fully enjoy the experience . Our table also was beautifully decorated with rose petals as well. The meal is tasty, with three choices to choose from. The staff was exceptional as well . The amazing views of the Eiffel Tower while eating were superb. Definitely a night to remember .

Okay so let's talk dinner cruises and what you're paying for…read more 1) First and foremost you're paying for the captain and crew to safely navigate the ship. When you take a look at the length of these vessels, the current in the river, the narrowness of the waterway and how they twist the ship in these conditions- they're impressive ship handlers. And on top of it all, they time it to make sure your first view of the Eiffel Tower is as it starts sparkling. Brilliant. 2) The food. Now most dinner cruises aren't actually known for their food. This wasn't my favorite meal of the trip, but it was damn good. And when you realize there's a staff below cranking out these options in a galley below decks while under way, there's some mad respect for the quality they're able to achieve. 3) The experience. There's live music and there's great views. All in all... you sit back and just enjoy the sites. Just remember... the more you pay for your menu, the closer you sit to the windows. But hey, that's why you came right? Anyways, is this a total tourist trap- hell yes. But I wouldn't have it any other way. It was pricey, but I certainly didn't feel ripped off. And watching my son's eyes light up the first time he saw the Eiffel Tower at night was worth every penny.

I did the sunset cruise and thought it was an awesome way to see the stuff on the Seine. Honestly…read morethis was worth it for the Eiffel tower views alone. We did seem to leave a bit too late (we were on time with the scheduled time but I think it should have been earlier) so it was pretty dark when we left and we didn't really get to see any sunset, mostly just twilight and the dark. There also isn't any narration and an optional audio guide might have been nice. Finally, I found it pretty hard to see any of Notre Dame from the bottom deck. These improvements would make this experience better but it was still great and the price is reasonable. Some tips: sit on the left side of the boat (when facing forward) for the best Eiffel Tower views and consider sitting on the top for even better views into everything. Dress warmly if it is the fall or winter as it does get pretty cold since you're on the water. To find the pier, use Google maps- it is well marked and the directions to get there are good.

It is my first time in France and my trip couldn't have gone well without American Concierge…read more I was met immediately at customs by my truly amazing guide Janice. In less than 30 minutes we were at Palais Garnier(opera house) in the heart of Paris. She elegantly led through the streets instilling all her knowledge of Paris and France. Janice sat me down with a cafe ole, and proceeded to inform me all about; neighborhoods, cafes, cabs, taxis, trains and the very important Paris metro system. Since my trip was to south she was in charge of getting me on to my train without fail, with threats of a national Rail Strike. My guide ensured me that I will get to my final destination and beyond. Without fail I was on a High Speed train to Lourdes France to begin a truly remarkable vacation, and by the time I got back to Paris I felt like an expert in getting around. Thank you for a truly amazing experience

Fabulous personalized tours !!! Rich the head concierge was excellent…read more My wife and I do not enjoy large group tours. That's why we went with this service. We first skyped with Sharon and Rich to plan out our trip, mainly to find the best out of the way places. We started the trip with a personal Airport pickup. Then we spent the next 4 days on some great private tours. First the Montmartre art & culture tour, then the Marais shopping tour (my wife designed her own perfume scent), then the Tuileries Waterlilies & Hot Chocolate Tour (love that Angelina's Hot Chocolate). But the best part though, was when Janice (a Jazz singer her self) took us on a custom Jazz music tour to the best out of the way Jazz venues, and gave us the low down on the Paris Jazz culture. We also wanted to to Marianne's private gallery tour, but the timing was not right. We'll do that one the next time, and probably the Cheese market tour, and (maybe) the 'Gotta Dance' tour. Thanks Rich and americanconcierge.com. We'll see you next time we're in Paris.

I spent two nights in Paris with my mom and two kids in December, and my mom booked us a room at…read morethe Park Hyatt Vendôme. We arrived in Paris by train, traveling with my small boys and a big piece of luggage, and took the subway to Place de l'Opéra, a mildly arduous journey. We walked to the hotel and tried to check in, only to learn that the Park Hyatt would not accommodate us unless we upgraded to a much larger, much more expensive room (we'd neglected to mention the two children in our party when we booked). After much back-and-forth, my mom booked us a room at the Hyatt Madeleine, a more reasonable hotel that still gave us the benefits of her Hyatt status. It was supposedly a short walk from the Hyatt, but we spent a good twenty minutes schlepping across Paris with the children and luggage. (Very grateful to my saintly friend Ava B., who offered key support as a third adult in this unruly party.) Which is all to say, I loved this hotel the minute we walked in, reaching our destination an hour and a half after arriving in Paris. Check-in was smooth and pleasant, and we were welcomed with glasses of champagne, which we quite appreciated. There was a half-bottle of red wine waiting in our room, too, which we were happy to drink while packing to leave the next night. Our stay was brief, and we spent most of our precious time in Paris out and about. The hotel was an excellent home base, though, centrally located and very comfortable. It was less fancy than the Park Hyatt, of course, but the lobby was attractive and our room was spacious and clean. It had a king bed and a sofa bed, where my three-year-old refused to sleep, instead jumping around and harassing me and once, picking up the clean underwear I'd set out for the morning and putting it on over his pants. Breakfast was included with our stay, and we took advantage of this by going down to Café M and feeding my children chocolate croissants before leaving the premises each morning. They also got room service one night while my friend and I went out for a grown-up dinner at Brasserie Pastis, an outstanding nearby restaurant recommended by the concierge. I'm sure the Park Hyatt would've been nice, but I was impressed by the Hyatt Madeleine, both the accommodations and the hospitable service. I'll bet it was a better fit for our group, too, what with the wild three-year-old. A great place to stay during an active trip to Paris.

I'm still thinking about my stay here recently because it was so enjoyable. Stayed here for my…read morefirst leg in Paris to celebrate my birthday booked with points. I'm a globalists and was checking the available rooms leading up to my stay and knew that they were fairly booked. Despite that the hotel was still able to give me a really good upgrade to a premium king room from my standard queen room. They were able to allow me early check-in and my room had some great wine and cake to welcome my stay and birthday. I just appreciate how much thought and effort they put to make my stay memorable. My family was able to enjoy breakfast every morning and it was delicious. I still think about their delicious, soft scrambled eggs and fresh apple juice. The location was nice and peaceful. The beds were super comfortable. They were able to accommodate my late checkout, which was great because we had a later train departure. The staff during breakfast were offering me some bags to take out pastries for our journey, which was so nice. I would not hesitate to return to this location when traveling back to Paris.

Alberto was fantastic. So engaging, interesting, and well informed. We're heading for Rome next,…read morewe wish you could come with us! Thanks, Alberto, you've given us new insight into the beautiful City of Light Jackie and Todd (Le pompier)

I was doing some research about Paris, and came across this free walking tour. They have English…read moreand Spanish tour. I signed up for the English tour. It was simple and easy through their website. Meet up location was easy to find. My tour guide is Alberto. He is very friendly and knowledgeable. He told a lot of stories about all of the history monuments we visited. To be honest, I dislike history class, but I like listening to stories. Alberto did it in a nice way that interested me. I paid more attention to his tour more than my history professor in college! Tour was about 2.5 to 3 hours long. It was a very enjoyable experience. Thank you Alberto!

Meilleur magnificence hotel hospitality at its best!…read more Upon entrance, we were whirlwinded like the song, 'Be Our Guest' (Beauty and the Beast). Each staff personally introduced themselves, chic French mannerisms & complimentary champagne to welcome us to Paris! Hotel ~ recent remodel for modern and upscale decor. Classy & comfortable lobby area to take a moment to look up travel plans. The room was spacious with high ceilings. Large armoire with plenty of hangers. Relaxing rain shower that keeps you soaking longer. Prime location for tourists ~ in one direction a few minutes of walking to the Arc de Triomphe, high-end shopping & restaurants at the infamous Champs-Élysées Avenue. In another direction walk easy minutes to the beautiful boat tours along the Seine River. The Eiffel Tower is walkable but more enjoyable as a morning jogging highlight. Breakfast & Bar ~ service is exceptional! Greeting by name, orange juice squeezed fresh every morning, so pulpy you don't drink this OJ, you chew it! Eggs just how you like it, lattes just how you like it. Award winning fruit jam served rated best in France. Nightcap drinks are fun every night. Again, the service here is amazing. Review recap ~ best location, best rooms and over and over again ~ best service. InterContinental Paris is one of our best hotel experiences ever.

Fantastic location, great rooms with comfy beds and pillows, small but functional rooms and amazing…read morestaff. Probably the friendliest staff I have met in Paris to date. The room was clean and functional the pillows here were excellent and the room temperature was functioning well so that I did not have to meddle with it too much. Often in old building it can be too hot or cold and this was just right. It's a stones throw from fantastic restaurants and cafes and a very short walk to the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysee. Would happily come here again anytime.