We're planning to end a Belgium - Northern France vacation in October with 3 or 4 nights in Paris. Though you'd think there would be great off-season deals to be had, especially in the current customer-starved tourist industry, what I'm finding so far is shocking.

For example, we spent a full week at the Lutecia in 2000, for about $200 US per night. The same hotel now lists 297 Euro for their LEAST EXPENSIVE room - that's about $420 per night, more than double in nine years! And the rates skyrocket from there. We've found similar trends at other hotels.

Can anyone recommend a reasonably nice, reasonably located hotel, at around 150 - 170 Euro for a double? Size doesn't really matter, woud also consider a B&B.

Thanks.

Try Hotel Saint Jacques in the Latin Quarter, thats where we always stay and pay I thnk 125-135 euros a night.

Or Hotel Grands Ecole, they run 125 - 140 euros a night I think. Although they dont start taking reservations for Oct until June 15. I emailed them this week for hte end of Oct and they told me to email again on Monday.

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

http://www.hotel-grandes-ecoles.com/

Hope this helps!
Jamie

Actually, October is rather high season in Paris. I think it's "Fashion Week" time.

It's not elegant, but I love this little hotel for it's central location right next to Notre Dame and the Seine. It used to be called Hotel de Notre Dame, which led to much confusion with other similarly named hotels. It's now Hotel Maitre Albert (for the street it's on).
http://www.hotel-paris-notredame.com

I decided to try a new area for my last trip in April. I usually stay in the 7th but this time chose a hotel in the Montparnasse area. The Hotel Lenox Montparnasse is the hotel I stayed in. I really liked it. I got a "club" room for 10 euro more a night which meant a larger bathroom. The rooms are quite small but the hotel is well located and more affordable for what it offers than other areas of Paris. It is within a block of two different metro lines and the Montparnasse train station is close but not so close you feel like you're near it. There is a street market a couple of days a week a block over too. Finally, I thought the staff at the hotel were fantastic as well. I will go back. i found this hotel on Trip Advisor. Take a look and you'll see many candid photos as well. The cost by the way in April was 125 Euro a night!

can anyone recommend hotel with kitchenette in 4th or 5th?

Thank you. I will check all of these out, and would greatly appreciate more suggestions.

The two hotels I have been staying at in Paris for the past 30 years have not raised their rates by anything like what you mention. The Hotel Duquesne-Eiffel used to be about $120 a night and is now about $170 or so, and the Hotel de France on the Boul. de la Tour Maubourg used to be about $80 and is now about $120. Both are in the 7th. The first is a 3-star, the second a 2-star. I love them both.

The French hotel star system is currently being revamped, so you might see some sudden changes in the number of stars that some of the hotels have in the coming months.

Hi PB,

In Paris, we always stay at the Hotel Bonaparte, 61 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th. From 134E dbl w/bkfst. It is just around the corner from Place St. Sulpice, near 3 metro stops and 4 bus routes. Has AC and an elevator.

The staff speaks English well, and is very helpful. The front desk is staffed 24/7

They can arrange a shuttle pickup to/from CDG for you.

Tel 33 1 43 26 97 37
FAX 33 1 46 33 57 67
[email protected]
www.hotelbonaparte.fr

For more info, enter "Hotel Bonaparte" in the "search the forum" box.

Enjoy your visit.

Are you aware that the exchange rate has changed between 2000 and now? That affects prices a lot, you can't really compare dollars to euro, so euro to euro might have been 200 euro in 2000 as the exchange rate has worsened for the US about 25% from 2000 to now. So a $200 rate in 2000 could have been around 200 euro, so now it's 300 euro (and maybe you went at different times of year which affect rates a lot). October is the peak season for hotel rates in Paris, it isn't off-season. The only time more expensive is around Christmas. So rates can be 25 to 33 pct higher in October than in late July-August, for example.

Hotel Bonaparte is a good idea. Here is another one in your budget and probably around that price, it's a nice 2* hotel in an area you may like, the 7th arrondisement:

http://www.hotelparismuguet.com/

YOU are pretty much talking about 2* hotels in that price range for October rate season.

The Hotel Familia in the 5th arr. is under your budget (and its sister property the Hotel Minerve). I've stayed there and would stay there again. It's not fancy but it's a good bargain in a decent location.

www.hotel-paris-familia.com

The Hotel du Champ de Mars in the 7th arr. is even cheaper and should be well below your budget. It's a fantastic bargain but it's small and gets booked up early.

www.hotelduchampdemars.com

Is Paris "tourist starved" this year?

Hotel Le Clement is in the 6th in a terrific location, just off the Blvd St. Michel and across the street from Bon Marche. Three metro stops are within 5 min walk. The bus runs nearby as well. A double goes for 144E. This is a 2 star hotel, the elevator and room are fairly tiny and breakfast is optional. It is very clean, the staff very nice. If you google, they have a web site.

If you stay there, post back as I have lots of nearby restaurant suggestions.

Some high end hotels claim to be suffering, Flanner. Frankly, I say let them suffer.

We were able to get good prices for 3* hotels in the 9th arrondisement, two years in a row. (Mercure Monty at 75 Euros per night without breakfast, Paris Hotel Marciano at 80 Euros per night with breakfast).

Try these sites:
www.accorhotels.com
www.hrs.de
www.hotelscombined.com

Christina - Certainly I'm aware of what's gone on with the exchange rate, though no matter how you cut it, it's hard to rationalize the kind of increase I referred to. Thanks for your input.

I wasn't aware that October was peak season in Paris, have gone in the spring several times in the past, and thought that was it. Oh well, we've already booked flights, and we're committed.

Cheryll, Aliska, and Will - thanks, I will check them all out.

Ira, Hotel Bonaparte looks good, and they have availability, thank you.

For those wondering what peak season is, it is any season that isn't low season -- and Paris has a grand total of two low months: February and August.

The exchange rate has had an impact, depending on what years you want to compare. The euro started on January 1, 2002 at $1.18 and soon began sinking. It went down to about $.80 within the next year or so and now it is north of $1.35. That could nearly double prices in dollars depending on your point of reference.

Another factor is that many vendors took advantage of the introduction of the euro to jack up their prices. The euro generated general confusion with many people so sellers took the opportunity to raise prices. In Holland the conversion rate was set at about two guilders to one euro. It seemed that some merchants simply kept the same price number and put a euro sign in front of it.

If you haven't been to Paris since 2000 I suggest that you be ready for new prices in cafes and restaurants also.

Check www.booking.com. A quick search there showed over 500 2,3 and 4 star hotels with October availability under the price point you mention. This is just one.

http://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/vill...out=2009-10-15

spaarne - Though I haven't been to Paris since 2002, I've been to Provence as recently as 2006, as well as Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria and a number of other EU countires since then, so I do realize the impact you speak of. Even considering all that, I was still taken aback by the prices I found on my first few searches. And as I mentioned before, I didn't know that October was a hot month.

In any event, the assistance received from many here will help us find what we're looking for. Thanks.