Jade

Hi all,

My mother and I are staying in the Hotel du Danube, on Rue Jacob in St Germain from the 21st August for 5 days. Just found out that it has no air conditioning at all. Has anyone stayed here or somewhere similar at this time of year in Paris?

We basically can't afford to pay more than about 140 Euros per night. Which is what we will be paying here.

The location looks simply wonderful. Would you go ahead and stay here after finding out it has no a/c?

Thanks
Regards,
Jade

martytravels

I got back from a late June trip to Paris (routinely in the 90s each of the three days I was there) and our air-conditioned rooms was muggy. It's manageable, though. At night the breeze thru the window was fine for sleeping.

dutyfree

If there is any chance that you could change to get a hotel with A/C I would highly recommend doing it. I Paris during various parts of the year and the summer months are very hot and humid at times. The past couple months that I have visited there I have had the A/C on in my room full blast as the humidity was horrible!(Sometimes the hotel windows do not open that far.) There is a reason that all the Parisians want to leave Paris in August and head to the seashore...........If you think that you can deal with it then keep the reservation?

dutyfree

Sorry....I left out the word "visit".

Intrepid

I'm very sorry but any air conditioned room that is "muggy" isn't air conditioned! I would advise against not having A/C but if the hotel fits your budget and the location means a great dela to you then unless you can find something comparable that is air conditioned I would keep the reservation.

AllyPally

Hi Jade. I visit Paris frequently and try to stay in different areas (albeit I am partial to L'Odeon). Just got back yesterday from 32C heat during the Bastille Day parade. My father, boyfriend and I stayed at Hotel Muguet, mainly due to the recommendations on this board.

I cannot recommend this hotel enough. It is in the 7th and I am now officially a convert to the area. We did go to St. Germain for dinners and a wander round but it was nice to come back to the tranquility of the hotel and the street it is on.

The hotel is air conditioned, ours functioned perfectly well. Our room had a massive double (two large singles pushed together but made up as a single bed). Bathroom was small but so clean you could eat off the floor - completely tiled in white. Room TV had CNN and there was a safe for passports. Breakfast (we only ate there one morning as we had an early start) is served in a charming conservatory in the back. The hotel reception is very inviting. Sort of art deco-ish and very stylish

We paid 103 Euros and was a fantastic bargain. Highly recommended

AllyPally

Forgot to answer your original question! Although you can't predict the weather, I wouldn't go to Paris in August without booking a room with aircon. If you don't need it, you can always switch it off. But if there is a heatwave, it can be too uncomfortable lying in bed, in the still air with the windows open with potential noise waking you up. Yuck

yipper

Hi Jade,
We also just got back from France. I wanted to stay at the Hotel du Danube because of the great location and the recommendations, but decided not to because of no AC. Just like AllyPally we stayed at the Muguet in the 7th. I was so grateful for the AC. Paris was hot. I loved the area where we stayed. I found the St. Germain area charming, but very busy. I enjoyed the quiet of the 7th. We ate in great restaurants. From our room you could see the Eifel Tower. We paid 103 Euros. The problem with no AC is, if it is hot you usually only have one window to open therefore not cross breeze and it is nosiy outside. Find a place with AC. Have a great time.

Christina

I am not as dependent on AC as some others, but there are so many hotels in Paris within your budget with AC, that I wouldn't book one without it in August, either. To some extent, it is because of the noise, not only the heat. Even when hot, Paris can be cool enough at night if you can open windows and have the right location (which you may not in some hotels), but the street traffic noise can make that not a good idea. A lot more 3* hotels in Paris have AC now than used to.

August is low hotel season in Paris, and many hotels even have discounts off normal rates--that's another reason I would go with an AC hotel. You can find August discounts on www.123france.com, www.parishotels.com and www.pariserve.tm.fr

For example, I know the Hotel Claude Bernard in the 5th, which has AC, has very good August discounts. The area you chose in St-Germain is more expensive, however. There aren't many budget hotels over there. But if you look on 123france.com, for example, you find these 3* AC Hotels with August discounted rates for a double room:

5th arr: Claude Bernard 109/129 euro
Hotel de la Tour Notre Dame 129 euro

6th arr:
Hotel Madison 168 euro
Hotel St Germain des Pres 150 euro
Aviatic 130/155 euro

7th arr:
Cadran 125 euro
l'Hotel Academie 129/149 deluxe
Jardins d/Eiffel 106-113 euro

The Cadran is near rue Cler, Jardins d'Eiffel near rue St-Dominique and Academie is in St-Germain. I know some of these rates are over your level, such as the Madison, but gave them as examples of the good deals you can find in August.

skylark

Jade - we have booked at the Left Bank St Germain which is a Best Western, in August and the rate on the BW site was 120 euros including breakfast. Also check out Venere.com, they have l'Hotel Academie for 99 euros for a standard room and not much more for a bigger room, also good rates at other hotels which do have A/c.

djkbooks

We, too, were glad to be staying at Muguet with a/c one June during an unseasonable heat wave. Gosh was it nice to come home to a pleasantly chilly room each evening!

Maira

Ally-- I am so glad to hear, once again, good things about The Muguet! I first posted a recommendation for this hotel in 1997 and I have never read a bad word about them.

Jade, I stayed at a room without A/C in a Paris hotel once (Hotel St. Christophe; wonderful in every other way) and I would had paid double just to have had some A/C. You don't want to be tired and desesperate for fresh air while on vacation in Paris. Ask then if they would supply your room with a portable fan, if not, go for A/C.

mdv

Take the advice of the other posters: you need AC in August. I went to Paris once in August w/o AC-never again. Absolutely horrible, hot, humid, noisy , no relief at night and I generally dislike AC. The Muguet sounds great .

suezanna

I just spent 5 nights in Paris from June 9th-14th and the A/C was an absolute godsend. I was at Le Madison (which I highly recommend) and would say if you can spend only 28 euros more then stay there. Slightly better location but ice cold A/C.

harvey

I was in Paris during the "heat wave". As so much of Paris is not really air conditioned it was wonderful to get back to our very cool room that had ac. You don't know what the weather is going to be like in Paris. I can't imagine how not an un-ac room on an upper floor with just one window for ventalation could get. I do not tolerate heat well and will pay the extra 40 for ac. Enjoy Paris.

Dave

Just returned from Paris....
1) Have a great time!, and
2) To answer (specifically) your question: YES

Best wishes, Dave

Jade

Thank you to everyone. I am now looking into the other hotels mentioned here and hopefully will find a vacancy. It does sound potentially horrible to be caught in Paris without aircon!

Thank you once again!
Jade
Sydney
Australia

Hagan

Gosh, I never even gave A/C a thought when I made our reservation! We're arriving Sept. 5, and I had actually thought it might be a little cool! Now I'm concerned. We have reservations at Michelet Odeon, for only 93.50 euros a night. I like the location, as we will be commuting to/from CDG, and in between to Gare de Lyon and Orly, and it is near RER and metros that we will need. I saw the Cluny Square has A/C, is 125 euros a night and great location. Any advice from you sage travelers out there?