noa

Please help me choose between these hotels. We will be spending 4 days in Paris at the end of August (2 adults, 2 kids) and are looking for a budget hotel in Paris 5e, 6e or 14e. I've read a lot about St Andre des Arts in St Germain and got a pretty clear picture, they offer me a quadruple room for 115€. I've found nothing on Excelsior just off Bd St Michel, their quadruple is 90€. They are both one * hotels. Then there is Les Jardins d'Alesia in the 14e, three *, and their double room is 60€ (which is 120 for the 4 of us). I know 5e and 6e arrond. very well (I simply adore St Germain) and would just really appreciate if someone can explain me the difference between the two hotels or give me some inf on Excelsior. I understand that d'Alesia is another story, but I do not know the surroundings. We won't have a car and getting back in the evenings for 4 females can be tricky if...
Can anyone help me and suggest what to choose ?

WillTravel

Sorry - I have more questions than answers.

How far is Jardins d'Alesia from the metro? Are you likely to want to return to the hotel during the day?

Did you check out the neighborhood using the feature at http://www.pagesjaunes.fr ?

Do any of these places have air conditioning?

Travelnut

Jardin d'Alesia is about a block from Metro: Alesia, on a tree-lined street. This is right off avenue du General Leclerc, rue d'Alesia, and two metro stops from Denfert Rochereau. That means it's a nice residential (not upscale, just ordinary) area with lots of shops, grocery (Monoprix), rue Daguerre market, Catacombs, the RER station etc...

It will take you roughly 15 minutes from your metro to reach St Germain/St Michel. There are also 3 bus lines off Alesia. There are no "sights" within walking distance but there's nothing wrong with the area.

Are you sure there are no comments on the Excelsior on Tripadvisor?..

p.s. Jardin d'Alesia has only 3 twin-bed rooms, so make sure you ask for those if that's what you want.

Travelnut

There is another poster that is a fan of St Andres des Arts, see if you can pull up her comments. It is definitely the most 'central' of all of them (therefore 'noise' could be an issue if you have to leave windows open for air).

Morganne

I would vote for Les Jardins d'Alesia....a lovely 2 star hotel...and moreover, I'm loving Rue d'Alesia...for shopping, it's a great area...a lot of different types of shops...
The hotel is very clean and the breakfast room is particularly nice and cute!Staff is veru nice too, very friendly!
Have you seen the pictures on the website: http://www.hoteljardinsalesia.com ?

Have a nice trip in Paris!

SuzieC

I've stayed at the St. Andre. I would stay there again. I did enjoy the location. The Hotel is not in any way modern - but the bathroom was clean; the room was clean enough but it is a bit shabby around the edges and that might be off-putting to some. THe building itself, their website said, is from the 1500's... so its old! I'm old, I'm a little shabby about the edges too. Allowances must be made! <GRIN> I don't know about the other two choices - can't comment about them.

vivi

My daughter stayed at St Andre des Artes, she loved it for the location and the price. But it is a budget property and yes, it can be noisy! I have seen it, it is funky and in an interesting, central area.

Travelnut

This option pushes your overall price up, but it's a bit more central and has air-conditioning/supposedly was upgraded recently.

Hotel Istria *** at Metro: Raspail
Twins 70€ -including- breakfast
(Promotion rate)

http://www.parisby.com/istria/pages/profile.htm

http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/h75014istria.htm

Guenmai

I stayed at the Hotel St.Andres des Arts one summer...just to try it out. The room was basic, but fine. The problem I had was with the awful receptionist. I had a family emergency...my grandma had died...so my mom had a French speaking friend of our family call the hotel...from California... to inform me of her death and to come home immediately. They claimed I didn't exist and hung up.Very rude. Several more calls were made and again the same attitude.My mom was frantic thinking that something had happened to me. But, thank goodness a family friend was living in Paris and my family found his number and called him long distance and asked him to personally go to the hotel and deliver the horrible news to me which he did. So, although my room was ok,to this day, everytime I walk past that hotel I get upset. The location is great however. Happy Travels!

mdmomof7

Travelnut, would you know the difference between a standard and superior room at the Hotel Istria. Have you stayed there before? The hotel I wanted is booked for the room price I wanted to pay. So I'm looking for a nice 2 or 3 star w/ AC. This looks good.

Travelnut

We've been staying further south, but I know where the Istria is. I took notice of it when Parisby.com picked it up. The best thing is to ask the hotel what makes the superior 'superior'- usually it's a bit more space (ask for room measurements).
I just read that twin rooms (by law) have to be larger than doubles - anyone know if that is true?

isabel

I've also stayed at the St Andre des Arts amd often recommend it. You cannot beat the location. The street can be noisy but I didn't find it any worse than several other hotels I've stayed at in Paris, and we had a room in the front (it was a quad, I don't know if they have more than one so that might be the room you would get.) The room was not any more shabby than some of the two and three stars I've stayed at and the bathroom was quite nice. There is no AC, but we didn't need it and we stayed there in July (average summer weather that year). They do not have a lift and the room we had was the 3rd or 4th floor. However, breakfast is included in the price of room (bread, coffee, tea, etc).

I wouldn't stay somewhere based on recommendations of receptionists, they change. When we were there (3 years ago) one receptionist wasn't very friendly, but another one was wonderful, making suggestions, calling us a cab, etc.

noa

Wow, thank you for all your answers, this is really great.
Thank you, WillTravel, I've discovered the photos on Pages Jaunes with your help and it's great. It is also true that the photos are a little bit dark so everything looks a bit sad (I know St Germain and would not recognize it…) but it's a big help anyway.
No, I don't think these hotels have air conditioning. They are (Excelsior and St Andre) one star hotels so this can not be expected, I think. I wonder what makes a hotel a one- or a two-star hotel – is it also that they don't have a lift (like St.Andre) ?

Travelnut, I have only found 1 review on Excelsior on Trip Advisor, which was very negative (the person had to move out because it was »appalling«…), and it is once mentioned in one of the forums, but there only basic data is given (by someone called Travelnutty – is that you ?

For those who know St Andre – I've read plenty of reviews on this hotel and the majority is really enthusiastic (charming, romantic, clean), but there are two or three that say that it is a total mess and really very shabby – I am a bit confused… Can you help me out?

Isabel, you said your quad room was in the front – I specifically asked if it is possible to get one at the back and they said yes… But can anyone tell me what do these back rooms look to ? I was once in a nice hotel somewhere else, had a “back” room in the 3rd and all I could see was the opposite wall about 2m away from my window… I didn’t really care in April as I spent all my day out, but in August we will need some air, I suppose… So is there a courtyard or something in St Andre? Does anybody know ??

I don’t really care much about the receptionist, I speak French so I think we will find our way around even without his/her help…

So. If I decide to be closer to the center (or IN it , it will be Excelsior or St Andre. Excelsior is cheaper but St Andre sounds more charming. Another concern: almost all reviews would recommend St Andre to “couples, romantics, singles… what about two girls, 11 and 12 yrs old ??
And, please, I would be really grateful if someone can tell me about “back rooms” in these two hotels.

Thank you, all.

SuzieC

My room was in the front as well. I enjoyed it. Floor to ceiling windows...
I never saw the back rooms, cannot comment. Do you realize there is no TV at St. Andre? The girls going to mind much?

As to the St. Andre for two girls...do they know or have they read or seen the movies about the Musketeers?
The hotel website or some quidebook suggested that once upon a time this building quartered the Musketeers.

The people at reception when I was there were nice too.

During that same trip, when the budget was foremost in my mind, we also stayed at the Lyon Mulhouse on Beaumarchais Blvd. in the 11th. We had a quad - was really pretty darned nice too...even "posh". With TV and I believe A/C.

The star ratings have to do with amenities.

Guenmai

Isabel...I think ALL receptionists should take calls to guests seriously and not flip them off. I had a major emergency situation. If hotel management can't get its receptionist to do at least that...then I can really do without that hotel! Happy Travels!

isabel

Oh I agree that all receptionists should take calls seriously. I just meant that I wouldn't not stay in a hotel because of something one receptionist did some time ago. Receptionists come and go, that one you had a bad experience with might very well not even be there any more.

I didn't see the rooms in the back but from looking out a window in a stair well I think I got the impression that there wasn't much out back (like you would be looking at a wall). The front quad we stayed in had huge windows, and when you stuck you head out it you even had a view of the top of the Eiffel Tower. If you go to www.pbase.com/annforcier and click on my Paris gallery there is a shot I took out of that window. It's labeled as such.

noa

I'd love a room in the front, with windows as you describe (and a view – I saw your photos, Isabel, they are great!) – but I've read that the street is noisy at night and we would really like to sleep… how did you find it ? It wasn't noisy for you ? What floor were you on ?
I don't care about TV, we are certainly not going there to watch it . The info about the Musketeers is great, I am sure they will love it.
Still waiting for anyone who had a back room at St Andre des Arts or Excelsior…. Please.