Connectivity in the World of Covid-19 I In Touch with GoBox's Mission

A devastating virus, Covid-19, has taken over our lives and put a stop to the world as we knew it. Borders have closed, stores have shuttered. Restaurants, cafes and bars have fallen silent. Schools and offices have emptied, barred from allowing students and workers to enter. More than 4 billion people are under stay-at-home order across the world. Such a radical transformation of the societal, economic, social and psychological status quo has rarely, if ever, been experienced. These are dark times. Instead of counting country medal counts at the Olympics, we are counting deaths. The pundits, who were all boasting about the economy as stock markets hit record highs, are now seeing the economy crumble before their eyes. Less a granite monument, more like a house of cards. The Queen, for only the third time in history, has given a national address, hoping to steady the resolve of her nation. Yet, all across the world, stories are coming in and being lifted up that tell not a story of despair but rather of hope, of support, of connection. 

At eight PM, we gather, like so much of the rest of the world to applaud the heroes on the front lines. In Paris, this means seeing, for the first time, the faces of our neighbors that have so long hidden behind closed curtains, long days and differering schedules. Our street has become a little micro-community. We remark often how we have never felt more connected, more tied to the place we call home. We are among the lucky whose sole role in helping the world handle this crisis is to stay home.

GoBox can be a useful tool inside the home too

This has allowed time for reflection and we have slowly learned to adapt. This feeling of being anchored is also being reflected in how we remain connected to those who do not happen to live on our block. Staying inside has not meant being shuttered out of society. The world goes on in a different sphere, the internet. 

The advances of the 21st Century have truly shown their revolutionary value during this time. Conference rooms have been transformed into Zoom portals. Classrooms have become digital workshops. Cocktail hour now takes place on FaceTime. Connectivity has made this all possible. GoBox has long understood this power of connectivity. The principles GoBox has been preaching around keeping in touch with loved ones no matter how much distance separates you, working and learning from wherever you are and being able to find your way in strange unknown worlds. Although GoBox currently has few travelers to connect, we remain firm believers in the power of these principles. 

GoBox takes heart in this newfound understanding of connectivity, and continues to build on its mission to provide it fairly and equitably to whoever may be in need. 

Where to rent WIFI hotspots in Paris? Find GoBox Around Paris

If you’re planning your Paris trip and staying connected is a priority, here is where you can find us. The majority of our partner hotels are well placed, in the center of some of the nicest neighborhoods in the city. Room sizes in Paris tend to lean on the small side, so that’s exactly why you’ll want to be spending most of your time exploring the streets of the mystical, historic city. Without internet access or roaming, that can be a bit complicated though. Having a GoBox is the answer, allowing you to explore the city as you wish.

If you want to stay around the Eiffel Tower, Adagio Paris Centre Tour Eiffel has got you covered with GoBox. A spacious, kid friendly apparthotel with great Eiffel Tower views, and they propose GoBox right from its reception! What else could you wish for during your family vacation. Explore the city with the little ones, know where you’re bringing them at all times and don’t let getting lost and going to the wrong places because of lack of connectivity make them lose their patience. Be the parent in charge and lead the group like a captain. 

If you wish to be placed in quite a central and lively location, namely Opéra and Paris’ first arrondissement, we got you covered for every possible type of  trip. 

If you’re going on a work trip, then we can start by recommending our partners around Opéra, a high-traffic business district, like Hôtel Opéra Opal or Adagio Opéra. The former has a charm and a cozy, relaxing environment, the type that you’ll love to come to after a long day full of meetings. The latter is an aparthotel, meaning there is a kitchen, enabling you to settle in, almost like an apartment, better for longer stays. Both of these make GoBox available at the reception, available to you as soon as check-in. Email on the go, book an uber, order your dinner as you’re on your way back to your hotel. With GoBox, be efficient, don’t lose precious minutes during your work trips. After all, the more optimised you make your time the sooner you’ll go home to your family. 

If the first arrondissement is better placed for the purposes of your business trip, Melia Vendôme and Maison Albar Le Vendôme are the places for you. The former is very chic, calm and classic. From the Spanish chain Melia, you will feel the Southern European charm all the while being in a space conceived for your professional endeavors. The latter is brand new, having opened only a few months ago, and the modern design and pure atmosphere are extremely welcoming. Both hotels, thanks to their partnership with GoBox, enable you to stay connected throughout the city, wherever you go. Having a secure (password protected), permanent and fast connection is key to getting work done throughout the day. Other business friendly, well located hotels that carry GoBox include Hôtel Opéra by Melia, Mercure Bastille Marais, and Best Western Marais Grands Boulevards. 

If your trip in and around these areas is not a professional mission, but rather a leisurely getaway, GoBox has you covered. GoBox works with wonderful partners in the hotspot that is the first arrondissement that may be the perfect home for your Parisian holiday. Namely Hôtel Ascot Opéra, Hôtel Ile de France, and Hôtel Louvre Saint Honoré. The two former are near wonderful Japanese restaurants and are hidden off on a sidestreet from the chaos. Meanwhile, Louvre Saint Honoré is placed right near the iconic Louvre museum. All three, GoBox partners, want to take you further, expanding your experience to the whole city by keeping you connected wherever you go.

Want to go a bit more East of the city? Let’s move onto our partners in the 6th, 5th and in the unforgettable Marais neighborhood. Wherever you want to go, GoBox can get you connected.If your neighborhood of choice is the Sixth arrondissement, also known as Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Hôtel Dauphine Saint Germain is the place for you. Extremely well placed, being a few minutes’ walk to the Seine and a ten minute walk in the other direction to the Luxembourg Gardens. Having a GoBox to navigate during your long walks is simply necessary. Getting lost isn't as charming as it’s made out to be, believe us. 

The fifth, a neighborhood that is right near the sixth also has its iconic features. Notre Dame, the historic Parisian Cathedral is a must and our partner hotel, Melia Paris Notre Dame is located just a short ten minute walk from there. A calm, peaceful and chic place to stay that proposes GoBox to you as soon as check-in to ensure that you navigate those mesmerizing streets just right. 

GoBox is available at Innside CDG by Melia

If you're planning to stay in the charming, hip neighborhood, le Marais, Hôtel Temple de Jeanne carries GoBox. A small but charming, independent hotel that, right from their reception, gives you access to city wide connectivity thanks to its partnership with GoBox. Another wonderful neighborhood is the elegant, residential, Eighth arrondissement. If you are planning to go as a couple to enjoy a romantic séjour in Paris, Hôtel Splendide Royal is the one for you. A small but extremely refined and charming palace like hotel with a friendly italian staff that look to put you at ease in the bustling city. In sticking with that approach, Splendide Royal actually offers GoBox to their guests as part of their stay. 

Close behind, but a bit quieter and even more residential is the sixteenth arrondissement, where Melia Paris Champs Elysée is located. In the neighborhood of embassies, close to l’Arc de Triomphe, this Melia is a good option for a semi-work, semi-leisure trip with a professional yet relaxing environment and location. Melia Champs Elysée will ensure to offer you GoBox, an optimal travel connectivity solution. Find your way around like a local. 

 This serves as just a brief recap of the options for finding GoBox on your next stay in Paris. That being said, GoBox is constantly working with our partners to expand our network, so please check back in to see all of the incredible places you can find GoBox.

GoBox, a game changer

We here at GoBox were touched by all of the feedback that we have received about how GoBox has had a positive impact on our clients’ trips. In ways that both pleased and surprised  us, GoBox has proven to be a trip changer. First, take for example some of the ways that we might have expected GoBox to have an impact, being connected really helps travelers seamlessly get to where they want to go. Jennyfer, an American traveler in Paris, staying at our partner hotel Adagio described her experience on TripAdvisor, "We rented a GoBox for 8 euros a day which is pocket WiFi. I would recommend this if you don’t know where you are going. It was very helpful for us as we walked everywhere, it allowed us to use Google Maps”. As Jennyfer pointed out, GoBox allows you to use Google Maps, just like you would in your home city. We all know that wandering aimlessly for hours in an unknown city is totally overrated. Why, when every minute in Paris counts, where every meal is to be savoured, where no expo is to be missed and every site is to be seen should you squander that time, wandering lost. Your phone, your trustee sidekick, that at home gets you that great reservation, that gets you where ever you need to go on time and helps you manage all your daily comings and goings is essentially rendered useless. A fourteen hundred dollar e-reader, what a shame. Not with GoBox.

GoBox Client at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris

We at GoBox knew that GoBoxes would help our customers connect with the places they visited but what we did not expect is how much our clients wanted to connect to their communities back home and share their experiences with their loved ones, who temporarily feel so far away. As Jennyfer crowed,  “the GoBox also allowed us to go on Facebook live from time to time while out and about in Paris”. Today’s world is all about sharing those special moments. Whether you are walking around Paris, skiing in the Alps or relaxing in Provence, France is one photogenic country. GoBox allows you to share your once in a lifetime experiences seamlessly and in real time. 

GoBox customers, rightfully so, want to efficiently spend their travel budget. For too long telecoms have taken advantage of travelers’ vulnerability when abroad. Their mouths water at the idea of a traveler, stuck abroad, forced to go off airplane mode for a mere five minutes in an emergency so they can hit them with the exorbitant fees they have no option but to opt into. As Jennyfer, wisely pointed out, “We didn’t want to have to pay high cell phone bills when we returned so we kept our phones on airplane mode and used the WiFi from the GoBox”. GoBox promises to take away all of that stress, hidden costs, data limits, no more. Wherever they go, our clients can roam as they wish, and enjoy the historic cobblestone streets. As Debra, another American GoBox client put it, "I like it very much. The GoBox allowed me to travel your city and it was a much more wonderful experience because of it. Thank you!”.