Try Frantour Suffren Hotel. You'll love it.

Enter one more vote for venturing out early each morning to buy a fresh, crispy baguette still warm from the oven, the sweetest strawberries ever, your choice of yogurts and cheeses (they have hundreds of flavors and varieties), French ham and sausages. On our limited budget, we only ate in restaurants for dinner. The rest of the time we "grazed", buying food in open air markets at St. Germain des Pres and Le Marais. The only downside is that the food back home in America now pales in comparison (I think I'll never find such great fruit again)! I'll refrain from commenting on previous conversation, but just let me state that anyone who can't find something wonderful to eat anywhere in Paris isn't looking very hard. It's all right there in front of you. You can always have McDonalds at home. Don't waste the opportunity to try new things - you might find it quite enjoyable! - or at least you'll have a funny story to tell your friends and family.

Christina: Lighten up..I was only suggesting that replies be kept short and keep to the question at hand. Please go back an re-read this thread, I think you'll find it tends to wander from the original subject, i.e. "does anyone know of a two or three star hotel....". For years on our trips to Paris we stayed at the Hotel Madeleine (a no star hotel) One morning we decided we were tired of the same ol' same ol' and looked around for a local place..the prices were ridiculous for the same breakfast included with our room! I've gotten good tips on this forum, including a couple from you, so let's all keep up the good work and stick to the subject, O.K.? <BR>

Hotel Etoile Saint Honore (a Best Western) was reasonably priced and their breakfast buffet included hardboiled eggs, fruit, cereal, bread, croissant, juice, coffee, tea and milk. Unfortunately I can not locate their phone number but you can easily book thru a US travel agent.

You've got it right. Breakfast in Paris sucks (excuse my French). Yes, the bread is great. Yes, the croissants are delicious, but it isn't enough. And those tiny cups of coffee!!! I spent a week in Paris last summer and loved it. But I began to dread breakfast. When we left Paris and went to Amsterdam, I thought I died and went to breakfast heaven. Hearty breads, yogurt, fresh fruit, hot cereal, cold cereal, freshly made omelets - and all the coffee I could consume. I enjoyed this huge breakfast buffet every day of my stay in Amstersam - and I was only staying at a small, six-room hotel! Starting my day like this made me feel like I was staying in the lap of luxury. <BR>

I must say that I personally loved the croissants and coffee for breakfast in Paris. Didn't have tiny cups though, mine was a huge glass of cafe latte. There was a nice cafe just around the corner from my hotel in the Latin Quarter called Stop Cluny that offered choice of 2 croissants or 1 croissant / 1 bun with jam/marmalade, choice of coffee and an OJ. Not bad for approx. eight bucks (was in 94 though). <BR>Re McDonalds etc. I usually go for a mixture of local and fast food (also the local fast food at "First" - a French version of McDs). The reasons : don't always have time for a long lunch, short of money, not terribly hungry. I can understand people thinking it strange if foreigners eat every single meal at one of these places, but a couple of times in an eight week trip isn't overdoing it. <BR>

There isn't a reply on here I didn't find interesting....so, travel forum-police, lay off please!! <BR> <BR>And who is to say what is a right breakfast for any one person? Personally, starting and ending the trip in England, grew to the point where the morning smell of the "full English breakfast" about did me in. But, there was nothing wrong with ordering "JUST toast" or some variation. <BR> <BR> <BR>And who wants to start a day in Paris with a full tummy?????? Isn't the idea to sample and taste and discover.....even if it's only lunch fixings from a local supermarket? To me,that's as worth a visit as any museum -- I wanna know what life is like in Paris TODAY, not 3,4,5,12 centuries ago! <BR> <BR>

ttt

Geez, it happens every time someone mentions the "McD" word. What is the problem? Cannot you people accept that there are people who like McDonald's just as much as people such as yourselves who do not? <BR><BR>Just move on and get over it. <BR><BR>Betty, the Grand Hotel des Balcons offers a large buffet for only 8 euro/pp. It's always raved about in all the guidebooks. The hotel doesn't have a/c though, that's probably the only drawback. But the buffet is the best-haven't stayed there but read many favorable comments. Also they offer a free buffet if it's your birthday.

I'm off to Paris in october and I'm not above going to Mcdonalds for the occasional start to the day. I got off an early morning flight from Fiji once and the breakfast on the plane was so unenjoyable, I didn't eat it and had a McDonalds breakfast at the airport. Can anyone beat that? I also don't like croissants except at Christmas when we have them here in NZ filled with delicious whitebait fritters for breakfast. Now that's really living. Is it not possible to go to a hotelin Paris that serves buffet breakfast even though you are not staying there?

I never thought about that idea of going to another hotel that offers a buffet b'fast. For example, the Grand Hotel des Balcons' buffet is not included in the rate so I wonder if the hotel would allow walk-ins. But if that is allowed there's the possibility of the food running out(?).

We were at Grand Hotel des Balcons in April, and found the buffet breakfast (it was 10 euro pp) was a terrific value. The croissants and bread are there of course, also different coffee cakes or muffins, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit, yogurt, cereal choices, ham, salami, cheeses, etc. and a seemingly endless supply of coffee, tea and cocoa. Oh yes, and two or three different fruit juices. I would think if they were full, they might not take "outsiders" for breakfast...but if it were a slow season it is possible they might. What would it hurt to ask? The worst they can tell you is no!

Breakfast recommendations:<BR><BR>Coffee Americain -- an "American-style" diner, with locations in the 16th and St. Germain. Placemats have pictures of American presidents, with lots of Kennedy paraphernalia on the walls. Very popular and trendy with French teenagers and 20-somethings. Rarely see Americans in there. Good "American" breakfast food, including eggs, sausages, and even pancakes.<BR><BR>Le Flore en Ile -- I might have the name wrong, but there's a cafe at the tip of Ile St Louis (across the street from Brasserie Ile St Louis) that has a very broad, and very good, breakfast menu. Great sidewalk views of Notre Dame. Some tourists, but lots of locals too.<BR><BR>And, a final word about McDo. I lived in the 16th for 2 years, about a block from the McDo on Avenue Victor Hugo. I would occasionally stop there to pick up Happy Meals for my pre-school daughters. Most of the time, especially at lunch, there were lines practically out the door -- no Americans (except me), only French, and especially teenagers from the Lycee down the street. <BR>

Betty: I am absolutely no help as far as the hotels with buffet breakfasts (as I write I'm also listing the hotel tips down right now for my next trips--thank you, Fodorites for concrete tips!), yet I understand completely your two points: first, you enjoy croissants and baguettes, but by the 10th day, it might be nice to have something else; and b)you enjoy having breakfast in your hotel. <BR><BR>I love Paris and I could live on my morning tartine for the rest of my life, but sometimes I hate having to "jump-start" every day outside the hotel. We usually go out for breakfast in Paris for many of the reasons listed by other posters, one of the most important ones being that the kids prefer pains au chocolat, etc. on some days. When we're in Switzerland, we never have to leave the hotel because of the previously mentioned buffets. Everyone in the family eats what he wants, I get to read the paper while the kids debate all their choices, and most importantly, I get to use the bathroom again before we hit the streets for the day. Also, when you use the hotel breakfast, you can get tons of coffee. Sounds like a great excuse to stay put to me.<BR> <BR>So thanks for your question. You got some interesting replies...I've just got to check out Seamus' suggestion because I've never heard of it. I hope other people add to the list!

I got tired very quickly of paying 8 Euro for a croissant and baguette for breakfast, so I made a morning jaunt to the McDonalds across the street. 1.60 Euro for an Egg McMuffin. Better yet, I didn't have to say it in French. They understood Egg McMuffin (was staying in the 12th where there was not much English spoken). I had a less easy time understanding that French fast food is not fast, and I should go wait at a table for quite a while and they would bring it to me. But we managed.

If staying for a week or more, why not rent an apt? I love going to the Monoprix and stocking up on fresh fruit, coffee, juice, eggs or whatever you like.In the morning, by the time the coffee is ready, I can be back from a boulangerie down the block with wonderful pastries and whip up an omlette with fresh herbs in no time. Hate to admit it, but I have been out many mornings with trenchcoat over jammies for the pain au chocolat run! Wonderful way to start your morning in Paris!!

Maybe the small breakfast is a reason the French tend to stay in such great physical shape, at least when compared to nationalities that prefer large breakfasts. <BR><BR>My typical breakfast at home (USA) is coffee and a bread roll, so my French breakfasts have always been more than adequate. <BR><BR>My worst experience with breakfasts was in Madrid. The concept of eating bread in the morning seems to be practically unknown there. Everyday I tried a different restaurant, but pastries were the only foods most of them sold in the morning.

Big breakfast is just not a French thing, very similar to the Italian way.<BR>And then, they usually have rather late dinners, even at home, often not before 08:00 PM. How can you be hungry then in the morning?<BR>

Hotel Concorde St. Lazare (right by St. Lazare metro stop, 4* hotel) had an excellent American-style buffett. Lots of meat, cheese, cereals, yogurt - enough food to keep us full until a nice French dinner.