travellover36

Hello and thank you in advance for your help.

Sister and I will be staying in Paris beginning of May for 5 nights; we are on a very tight budget and after much, much, much research I found:

Hotel Sainte Marie, 6 Rue de la Ville Neuve
75002 2e for 46E/night.
Shared bath which is fine for us as we were actually thinking about staying in a hostel but we'd rather have a private room.

I have looked and looked and there are very few mainly old reviews, so I wanted to see if anybody has heard or stayed here lately?

We're Days Inn people, only need a clean bed to pass out, but we're 2 early and late 20's girls and the only thing that really matters to me is the safety of the area...

Help?

Thank you so very much!!!!

WillTravel

111op stayed here a couple months ago, and he found it acceptable. See if you can find his report on it.

I'd be fine with this very central area, but it is close to a red-light district. However, that need not bother you.

Have you looked at Hotel Tiquetonne? That might be the same price or less, and you could even get a private bathroom, and the location is a little better (and even more central).

You can get private rooms at hostels too. This one is about the cheapest in Paris, but not quite as central as the other two mentioned options. Still perfectly fine, though, and near lots of interesting and relatively cheap places.
http://www.aijparis.com

Christina

At that price, I think it may not be as good as a typical Days Inn, but you never know. A very cheap hotel in that area with shared bath won't have a lot of reviews, people just won't be staying in places like that very much, and the folks who do won't be posting reviews anywhere (where did you see them? tripadvisor?)

Here are three on Travellibrary, none particular glowing (two pretty bad):
http://preview.tinyurl.com/2uemfc

Tripadvisor has 24 reviews, at least four within the last year or so.

Is that the best you could come up with after so much research? that's too bad. Did you look on www.eurocheapo.com? I know you can't expect much at that rate, though. Hotel Tiquetonne is about that rate and I think it's acceptable from what I"ve read, and I think it's a nicer location.

SkiBum123

Here is a thread I started for my son and nephew:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34779198

Where they actually stayed:

http://www.cosmos-hotel-paris.com/

http://www.hoteldenevers.com/

They were ok and had no complaints about either except Nevers has cats.

Lots of good ideas in that thread.

travellover36

Hello,
So after more reading I am not very comfortable with my choice... and now I am more confused than ever...

I looked at 111op's post but don't like that he mentions that the area is a bit sketchy...

Thank you Christina for Eurocheapo, I am looking through, and yes I did a lot of research... maybe not the best I guess but Paris was the first city I looked a hotel for... blame it on inexperience

I am going to try and stat over in Paris. We're in our 20's, I am not done with the itinerary yet but we'll do the first timer things I am sure and at night we enjoy walking and maybe sitting at a cafe or bar...

What arrondissements do you recommend? Maybe I can start by there and try to find an affordable accommodation. I also guess I am going to have to increase my budget...

Thank you!!

Mara

I stayed at the Hotel Picard in the 3rd Arr. a number of years ago. Right now I can't find a website for it but it is on here:
http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/h75003picard.htm

It still pretty inexpensive and I found it convenient as it is on the outskirts of the Marais and near to Place de la Republique and a number of any metro lines....

Also has pretty good reviews on tripadvisor....

travellover36

Hello all and thank you for the suggestions.
I actually looked for the St Marie in the "yello pages"and saw pictures of the surrounding area.... not in love.

So, the Picard is 59E, thank you Mara.

I also found the Hotel Du Commerce in the 5th for 53E as well.

And the Hotel de Nevers 46E.

These are the best prices I've been able to find in a somewhat central location.

Any advice as to which would be better?

Thank you!!

travellover36

Hello,
The Nevers is full.
Not answer yet from Picard.

The more I look into this, the more confused I get... feeling pretty silly right now.
According to what I have read in some places the area around the Hotel Sainte Marie is not that good and yet if you look at the trip advisor reviews everybody raves about the location.

In a guide book I am reading they point out the area around Les Halles as dangerous at night, and yet I also read a couple of comments of people that were happy to be around that area... very confusing.

So I guess I should just play it safe and book Du Commerce in the 5th? For what I have read the worst of that area is that it might be too touristy...?

Could you tell me where the trendiest nightclubs are please?

Thank you very much for your help and again, thank you for your patience.

nele10

hi,

i don't know if it is too late but i can recommend you this hotel (Boissiere).It is in the 92 but actually it is still in Paris and It is in 12 min by the underground to the center of paris ,the private double ensuite are 28.50 euros per person and you don't have to share the bathroom the area is safe i used to lived there ,it is really close from the 17th district .
And there is as well Hotel Saint Sebastien near to bastille ,really central ,a lively area with a lot of bars and club .it is in the 11th district,it is pretty safe !
And if you are looking for trendiest nightclubs,most of them are on the avenue champs elysees (8th arrondissement)
if you want have a look at the map and photos of hotels
http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/france/paris/
I hope it will help you ,bon sejour a paris
If you have another questions fell free to ask as i am a parisian i can maybe help you !
Bye

WillTravel

Perhaps the highest-end nightclubs are in the 8th arrondisement on the Champs Elysses, but those would probably be out of reach for someone who's looking for a 50 Euro per night hotel room. I think you'd like places in these areas:
Montmartre
Bastille
Republique
Belleville
Latin Quarter

If Hotel Nevers is full, there are several other budget hotels on that street and nearby, and there is nightlife in that area.

Even a non-trendy nightclub can be expensive, so keep that in mind.

travellover36

Thank you Nele 10.

The hotels you recommended end up being about the same than the Hotel Du commerce, which is fine, but out of curiosity, do you like the 5th arr?
I was really considering the Picard but I found some very not good reviews... uh! This is so exhausting... But thank you all for your help!

Thank you

Christina

I think the HOtel du COmmerce would be probably fine considering that budget (you are not going to get much at all for that price), and it is a very good location. The reviews aren't outstanding, but for 50 euro that is kind of amazing in that area. And the owner has a couple other higher-end hotels, so I don't think would risk having a complete dump.

Some other cheap hotels I could recommend are still around 75-100 euro for a double/twin, and a couple of them are even 1* hotels (but in good areas). There just isn't much out there for 50 euro.

Here are a couple near Oberkampf/Bastille area which I think you'd like, but they are more than 50 euro:

Mary's Hotel on rue de Malte
http://www.maryshotel.fr
twin is 80 euro

Hotel Daval is a 2* but doubles are 82-95 euro (near Bastille)
www.hoteldaval.com

Hotel SUnny Mouffetard has twins at 83 euro, and I like the location near Gobelins metro/Port Royal
http://www.hotelsunny.com

Hotel St Andre des Arts is a 1* in a prime location in St Germain, but doubles are around 93 euro, see www.france-hotel-guide.com

Hotel de l'Esperance is a 2* near rue Mouffetard (not too far form the Sunny) and again, I really like the area; twins are 90 euro
http://www.hoteldelesperance.fr/

Another in that area, Hotel les Gobelins has twins at 87 euro
http://www.hotelgobelins.com

The Hotel de Nesle in St Germain is also a very good location, but they will only reserve by phone. Their doubles/twins are 75-100 euro (think they are 1*)
www.hoteldenesleparis.com

that's the best I can do off the top of my head, a double room in Paris in a decent area for 50 euro is very difficult in top rate season

travellover36

OMG, thank you so much for all your help.

I know I am asking for a bit too much for too little a price... Honestly when I started talking about taking this trip with my sister we did not realize beginning of May would already be high season, but the minute I started doing research I realized otherwise...

I'll discuss with my sister, thank you so much for all the recs and comments, they are truly very appreciated.

I know for around 50E we're not giong to get much... Du Commerce doesn't even have a phone or TV, but the plan was to go and rough it out in hostals, but I'd had to pay around the same for 2 beds in dorms and at least we're getting a private room...

My main concern was the area and some sort of cleanliness, we really want to maximize our money and spend in having great experiences so we're ok sacrificing the extras at hotels. It really does seem like the area around Du Commerce would be at least safe - Thank you for the confirmation. On to the search again with the new names

Re the nightclubs I know they can get expensive... more of a reason for us to save in the hotel We're not party animals and I am pretty sure at the end of the day we're going to be pretty beat anyway to be partying every night, but at least 1 time I have to go dancing in Paris with my sis!

Again, thank you so much for your kind assistance.

WillTravel

Here's another option I've read positive things about:
http://www.123europe.com/123/en/hote...d_hot=14029755

Christina

A lot of people don't understand hotel seasons. In major cities and capitals, they are not just related to when tourists from certain countries want to visit Paris, in fact, some of the best hotel rates are in the summer. That's usually when I go, and I get about 20 pct discounts if I book after July 14th through 8/31 or so. So during most of the year in capital cities of Europe, peak hotel rates run from around September through end of June. They can be a little cheaper during some winter months (late Nov or late Jan-early Feb), but not around the Christmas holidays.

So rates for most Paris hotels are at their peak from March 1st until July. The only time period a bit more expensive is some weeks in Sept-OCtober when there are a lot of special trade fairs or fashion shows, and a lot of hotels don't raise their rates in those weeks abot the usual high rate. ONe advantage of May is that you can get by without air conditioning, so can stay in cheaper hotels without that consideration.

YOu are right in comparing to a hostel cost, as they will be around that price, also (about 20-25 euro per person).

This is another place in a good location in the Latin Qtr which is sort of like a hostel, but you can get your own room and it's probably a step up. But it does have some rooms without bath and then they are only 68 euro (and you share a bath with only one other room). I cannot offer any recommendation about this place, I just know about it and I know the location is good.
http://www.hotel-marignan.com/

There are older people there and some families, so it won't have quite the noisy or zoo atmosphere of some hostels.

travellover36

Hello Christina and WillTravel, thank you again for your help. I am amazed at the willingness of people like you to help us inexperienced travellers just to help...

You are right about the seasons... I guess you live and you learn. We are visiting 4 countries and I remember telling my husband that we (sister and I) were lucky because according to the guide books the mass of tourism wasn't till mid June, and since we were starting early May we were in good shape... ha! The little secrets... but, now I know for next time.

Thank you for mentioning the AC, I was very worried that I was going to suffer without it but we just can't afford that. My worry now is that we're going to be in Nice mid May and the hotel doesn't have AC.... oh well hopefully we'll survive, looking at the weather averages it shouldn't be that bad.

Ohhhh... we had kind of decided to go with the Du Commerce cause we're insisting on being cheap, I actually had already e-mailed the Marignan but wanted to save the 65E (total stay)... you're making me nervous again, have you heard horrible things about the Du Commerce other than the Trip Advisor reviews?


Thank you!!!

Londonres

This link will give you reviews of Paris clubs.

http://www.timeout.com/paris/clubs_gigs/

aimeekm

I stayed at the Hotel Du Commerce a year ago. I very much recommend it for a budget traveler. It's not luxurious, but clean, relatively roomy (our room at least), and the staff was helpful and friendly. We also chose the shared bath. Our room had a sink, but the toilet was two doors down. Not a problem for us, I don't think there was anyone else staying on our floor. We were on the ground floor, which the rooms surround a very small courtyard. It would have only been inconvenient if it rained, as it was outside with no cover (the courtyard, not the toilet!). The showers were in the lobby. I was actually impressed with them (extra e or two a day we prepaid at check in). They were small rooms which had a shower and a dressing area. The biggest inconvenience is going to the lobby in your pj's or bathrobe and having to bring your soap, towel etc. with you. They were very clean and were cleaned between each use. Never had any wait at all. In retrospect though looking at the 10e a night rate difference, if I booked today I would book a room with a shower.

But the best part is we LOVED the location. The neighborhood was great with all types of markets, bakeries, crepe stands, sandwich shops, bars/cafes. It is close to an area we called restaurant row (between Saint Germaine/Saint Michel/Saint Jacques) which had sooo many reasonably priced restaurants. It is also very well located for sightseeing, we walked to most sites (Louve, Notre Dame, Arc de Triumph, etc.).

I'm guessing we're similar type travelers, we are two girls in our late twenties (at least I was last year!). We didn't miss the TV or phone at all....we spent no time in the room unless sleeping or getting ready.

BTW... on the hotel's website it's 49e/night plus a 6.60e booking fee, so a little less than the 53e you mentioned

ter2000

Try Hotel des Allies - http://www.alliesparishotel.com/

Double rooms start freom €45. We (husband and I) stayed there a couple of years ago and were perfectly happy. Price does not include breakfast, but you're within a stone's throw of Rue Mouffetard with plenty of good places to eat. It's clean, quiet and safe.

Very good location but on a quiet street so you won't be disturbed at night.

travellover36

Thank you, thank you for the comments... ahh, hopefully next time I go I can stay at a very nice location...