The first in my Paris blog post series, this one includes my overnight flight to Paris in United Premium Plus, lunch near the Bastille, my SO/ Paris hotel room, and a first-night dinner at Bonnie.
I had a fabulous trip to Paris!
I spent five nights there with a couple of friends, and it went so well. I had to pack a lot into five days, but it was the perfect length trip. This is the first of several recaps of my trip starting with my flight and hotel and then coming soon: the Eiffel Tower, a Seine river cruise, exploring the Left Bank, the Louvre, sightseeing, and a day in Champagne! Look for those posts to come in the next week.
Before all the sightseeing, I had one goal: sleep on the flight and arrive ready to enjoy my first afternoon.
Flying to Paris in United Premium Plus
My flight to Italy last year left at 6:30 p.m., and I spent half of it eating dinner instead of sleeping. This Paris flight left Dulles at 10:30 p.m., which turned out to be a MUCH better time for me. I could settle in and go straight to sleep rather than treat the flight like a long dinner party in the sky. Only 9:00 p.m. departure flights from here on out!
I didn’t know about United Premium Plus until I saw it as a seat upgrade from my back-of-the-plane economy seat. It’s the cabin between economy and Polaris business class. The seat was roomier, reclined more and had a footrest. It’s comparable to the first class seats on US domestic flights in width, cushion, and armrest. I still wasn’t lying flat, but I also wasn’t stuck at a perfect right angle for the whole night. My seat was wide enough to lie sideways. I’d absolutely choose Premium Plus again when the price makes sense. I also had a nicer blanket and pillow, and I got the same toiletry bag you get in Polaris.
I also talked to my doctor about flight anxiety and had a prescribed medication that made me a little drowsy. I do think that helped me relax and sleep. Between that, the later departure and my Fly Hugz neck pillow, I got about four to five hours of sleep. Last year, I only slept about 3 hours in my business class lie-flat seat (which honestly felt like plywood) so I might have even liked Premium Plus more!
First Café Near the Bastille
I landed at Charles de Gaulle around noon and took a scheduled Uber straight to the hotel to drop off my bags. My room wasn’t ready yet, so I walked up toward the Bastille.
I love the florals that many of the cafés had over them as decoration.
I decided on lunch at Café Milou, which also had florals!
This was exactly the Parisian bistro moment I’d hoped for on day one: a lovely salad topped with melted goat cheese toast and a glass of rosé.
I wandered a little more after lunch, taking in the neighborhood before heading back to check in around 4 p.m.
SO/ Paris Hotel
I’ve mentioned several times that my sister, Laura, is a travel advisor with Fora, and whenever I need a hotel I ask her for recommendations. She helped me book SO/ Paris with plenty of perks!
I had gone back and forth between a vintage Parisian hotel and something more modern, and considered a few different neighborhoods and price points. The SO/ Paris had a fourth-night-free promo that made it more affordable for a five star hotel, plus all the Fora perks, so it was the winner! My booking included a free (VERY NICE) breakfast every day, a welcome cheese plate in my room, and a $100 hotel credit to put toward dinner.
SO/ Paris is artsy and modern, with a completely different feel from an old-fashioned Paris hotel. Check out the vibe in the lobby bathroom.
My SO/ Paris Room
My room high above the city was spacious and lovely.
The view across the rooftops was amazing to wake up to.
I was obsessed with the featherbed and the rain shower. I also loved the products, complimentary sparkling waters, and the way the towels smelled. And needless to say, it had air conditioning!
For a European room, it was quite spacious. Housekeeping also left several surprises – chocolates, sunscreen, eye masks – on my pillow.
Plus this cute speaker to put on some music while getting ready!
The location worked especially well for sightseeing. I was right by the Seine, close enough to walk across a bridge toward the Left Bank, and not far from Notre-Dame.
The nearby Sully Metro station on line 7 was steps away and made it easy to head farther across the city. I liked being able to choose between walking and the Metro depending on the day’s plans (and my shoes).
After checking in, I took a 20-minute nap. That was enough to help with jet lag without losing the whole afternoon to it.
My room at night:
Rooftop Breakfast Included
Another huge perk I had booking with my sister was breakfast at the rooftop restaurant. They had all the pastries you could want, healthy options, fruit, chia pudding, muesli, self serve plain yogurt, smoked salmon, and more.
And even a bowl of onions – gross! Haha.
Dinner With a View at Bonnie
The first evening, we went upstairs to Bonnie, the rooftop restaurant and bar. The post-flight shower was amazing.
The bar had absolutely amazing views of the city—including my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower!
We ordered drinks, and I discovered my new favorite apéritif: a Lillet Spritz (pronounced “lee-lay”). It was like an Aperol Spritz, but the version I had was made with Sauvignon Blanc. My new fave!
After drinks, we had dinner at Bonnie Restaurant.
We had a mix of small plates: a tomato and burrata dish, lobster ravioli, an eggplant salad, and a crab cake. And of course tons of French bread!
The food was wonderful, but the views were even better. I could see the Eiffel Tower from up there, and it was such a fun first-night reminder that I was actually in Paris.
How cool is this bathroom view!?
Evening Stroll
We went for a stroll afterward to soak up a bit of the nighttime city before heading back to sleep.
Next up, a walk through classic Paris and my trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower!
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