You'll want to check out the Esprit de France hotel group in Paris, one of the best in your price range (www.esprit-de-france.com/en/). They have 7 excellent properties to choose from.

There is also my favorite, the Esprit St-Germain (www.hotel-esprit-saint-germain.com/en/), but it may be too expensive on your dates.

Since you travel a lot, you sound like you know what you want.

Try this website to start narrowing down hotels.
http://www.venere.com/france/paris/

You can filter by ***, location, type of hotel, price, etc....

My choice is the 6em, preferably on the Seine side of St. Germain. It's easy walking distance to Notre Dame, St. Chappele, Musee D'Orsay, and a tad futher for the Tour Eiffel.

Once you're closer, check the hotel website to see if a better price is offered.

Robert2533 - I just looked at your recommended hotel, and the cheapest rate is over $400 US per night, with an outrageous price for breakfast. I don't think the OP wants to spend this kind of $$$$$.

Bookmarking

A/C in October? Odds are very low that you would ever turn it on.

Of your requirements I think there are tonnes of places:

walkable distance to some attractions - basically any hotel in the 1-6 arrondisments

must have NO smoking rooms - I think they all are now due to smoking regulations

a/c - cant imagine you would need this in Oct

wireless internet - most 2 star+ hotels offer this

on site restaurant/room service - this will be harder to find, but I cant imagine going to Paris and eating room service??? There are restaurants on basically every corner...

double beds - a double room will have a double bed. If you want two you will need to look at a quad room, or a twin room with two beds.

Why dont you look at trip advisor and see what appeals to you if you are particular - you should get lots of variety there plus reviews.

Hi V,

>one or two GREAT meals. Ideally, the hotel will be in a "touristy" location so we don't spend much time having to find our way around. But I'm not really sure where that would be. Budget...up to $300/350 USD per night. ... Aside from being a walkable distance to some attractions, must have NO smoking rooms, a/c, wireless internet, on site restaurant/room service, and double beds.<

I do not mean to be unkind, but you sound exactly like an American Tourist being satirized on TWTWTW by David Frost by in the 60's.

You seem to be trying to bring NYC with you.

A/C in Paris in October? Avg High/Low are 61/49 F

An onsite restaurant? Paris has over 40,000 restos.
The Michelin Guide Website lists 100 starred restos.

Two double beds? More likely twins.

"walkable distance to some attractions"? What attractions do you wish to visit?
Why not look up Paris under "Destinations"?
Paris has a reasonably good public transit system.

GREAT meals? What's your level of sophistication, and what is your budget?

You can filter hotels by price and location with www.booking.com as well as with www.venere.com. Pick out a few and we can help you decide.

Enjoy your planning.

This is obvious, and probably unwelcome, but . . . hen we visit NYC (last time was an "illegal" apartment rental in the Meatpacking Districmvlast Spring)

Sorry --iPad not cooperating.

. . we don't try to turn it into our beloved San Diego. Most people enjoy Paris best when they try to "get into" its abundant charm. My advice: forget that room service exists, and eat only at real Parisian restos, bistros, cafes, crepe stands, etc.

We love the Hotel Muguet in the 7th. You can walk to the Eiffel Tower if you want. It is between two main metro stops, and on 4 bus lines that will take you anywhere. It is near MANY really good and reasonable restaurants, and has great ambience. If you are lucky, you could even get the room that has a view of the Tower.
room service--really? Well, you're on up there.
For 4 days, in Paris, can you give THAT up?

http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/paris-hotels-left-bank-thread.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/paris-hotels-right-bank-thread.cfm

Jump to the bottom of the thread and then scroll up to Dec 31,2010. In that section, I have categorized the recommended hotels, by district, and have provided websites.

Happy Travels!

I'm not sure what you mean about "American style" hotels being overpriced or which ones you are calling that, but the main ones I think of like that (maybe the Hilton by the Tour) and a few large chain business hotels) don't seem overpriced any more than other hotels in Paris. YOu pay more for those 4* business hotels, which is what you are looking for if you insist on an in-house restaurant (mostly). There are some 4* French hotels that don't even have a restaurant, such as the Aubusson in St Germain.

Forget A/C in October but the fact is with your other requirements, you'll get it anyway. I don't understand the double beds requirement but suspect you mean two beds, each being a double if it's just two of you. That will be the killer requirement. Some of the big modern chain hotels have that, though. As for the nonsmoking, most hotels are entirely nonsmoking in Paris, but the ones that are not do tend to be the large chain business hotels, for sure. But they will have nonsmoking rooms, of course. And by law, I think they have to be a separate floor now.

Look at the Crowne Plaza at Republique, that is fairly convenient (but you aren't going to be walking to tourist attractions), lots of cafes around, and I think they do have rooms with 2 double beds (and the other things you want, of course). http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/paris/pardl/hoteldetail/hotel-room-rates

The Marriott Renaissance near the Louvre might suit you and it is very central, except I don't think it has 2 double beds in a room, but am not sure. Also the Opera Concorde hotel is really nice.

The real issue is the 2 double beds at that price point, the rest isn't that hard to find. Because except for rare hotels, that would mean you'd have to book two rooms and you aren't going to be able to do that in the level hotel you want for $350 total.

I would rethink a couple of your requirements.

You are VERY unlikely to need AC in Paris in Oct.

Two double beds means a deluxe room in most hotels - and when linked to the on site restaurant and room service is going to be fairly rare in your typical French hotel. You are asking for the amenities of an upscale US style hotel - but at a bargain price.

Don't misunderstand me - we expect the same things - but our budget is higher. Not that we do the George V at $900 per night - but I think what you want is more in the $500/night range. Also - prices in Paris can depend very much on what conventions/activities are in town. If you are there for the pret a porter or similar - all prices will be sky high.

I would search for the amenities you want through several of the search engines - and then contact the hotels directly to see if there are any deals to be had. But think you will probably have to compromise either on amenities or price.

Several hotels near Espirit St Germain that might work...it's a great area. Hotel Louis II, Odeon Hotel, Relais St Germain, Hotel Odeon St Sulpice....check on those.

Odeon metro/bus stop near by...great for getting around and Gerard Mulot is right there for wonderful pain au chocolat.

Hotel rates are pretty much at their peak in October in Paris, anyway, so there are not going to be any deals. There are tons of trade shows in Paris, the fashion shows aren't the only issue. IN fact, this year is the Auto Show which is just as important a trade show and doesn't happen every year (I think it is from end of Sept through mid-October). The fashion shows are the first week in October.

The Pullman hotel over in Montparnasse has rooms with two double beds (called a family room), but I didn't mention it because it wasn't super central, but it's not a bad area. That used to be the Meridien. Depends what is most important to you. http://www.pullmanhotels.com/gb/hotel-8189-pullman-paris-montparnasse/index.shtml
But the rate is around 300 euro a day, which is more like $375. They look kind of booked up in October, though, but depends on the dates.

I think the Novotel over near Les Halles may have rooms with 2 doubles, also, and that is pretty central, although some folks don't like that area as much (me one of them). I'd rather stay in the Crowne Plaza Republique myself.