Cannot decide on hotel for Paris!
 

I know people post about hotel quandries all the time, but I'm really stuck in serious indecision here! I'm traveling by myself to Paris for 10 days--leaving next Friday! This is my third trip to Paris, but my first time alone and I cannot wait! Surprising I've found good availability leaving me overwhelmed...

For the first portion of my trip I'll be staying at Hotel Tiquetonne in the 2nd--shower in the hall and all. After squeezing that budget I want my last weekend to be a little more special! So do I stay on the Right Bank at Hotel des Tuileries or go over to the Left Bank and stay at one of these?

Hotel Left Bank Saint-Germain
Hotel Fleurie
Academie Hotel (had some horrible trip advisor comments, but the recent ones are glowing)

They all seem pretty comperable, but does anyone think one of them has a leg up on "luxury" (I mean, I know it's not the Ritz!) or a slightly better street locale?

So unable to make a decision...oy.

The Paris Hilton on Avenue de Suffren (near the Eiffel Tower) is running weekend specials until March 31. You can get a room for as low as E220 a night. You might like to look into that.

I'd certainly prefer the location of the hotels you mention instead of the Hilton location for what you suggest.

I've only stayed at the Hotel Left Bank St. Germain. Assuming it still has the rough beams, the toile upholstered walls, and the big marble bathrooms -- it would be hard to beat for the price. Sometimes Best Western will offer better rates for it than the hotel direct.

oh, jenny! one of my all time favorite restaurants in paris is on rue tiquetonne. le grapillon at number 32. it's very small, very french, very reasonable. i've had dinner there three times in the last year and have not heard a word of english spoken. it's a husband/wife operation...he's in the back cooking, she's up front doing everything else. great atmosphere...tables are squeeeeeezed so close together, very lively neighborhood place. comfort food here...nothing outrageous...excellent, inexpensive wine list. i hope you have a chance to go there...you'll never read about this restaurant on any english speaking sites. we stumbled upon it quite by accident last year staying in the montorgueil area and now it's a "must dine" experience for every trip. trust me...it's darling!

Great restaurant trip miss daisy!

- dwz

would choose between the Left Bank S.G. or the Fleurie. You probably don't realize that there are two hotels that are similarly named: Hotel de l' Academie located in the 6th district, 3*, very nice but shoebox sized rooms, and a bit expensive vs. the Academie Hotel, a 1*, don't remember where it's located. So when people post comments they get the hotels confused. It's happened with other hotels that have similar names also: Relais Saint Jacques (4*) vs. Hotel St. Jacques (2*), Hotel Jeanne d' Arc vs. Grand Hotel Jeanne d' Arc, Hotel Luxembourg vs. Hotel Luxembourg Parc. It's unfair to the good hotel that receives negative comments that should've been addressed to the bad hotel. One review of the Hotel Luxembourg provided a personal photo from the former guest but the photo is that of the Luxembourg Parc instead.

Oh my I like the sound of toile and beams! It's nice to hear someone confirming what the pictures show! I do like toile...

The Academie I was talking about is the 3* on the border of the 6th and 7th. Shoebox sounds bad, even for Europe!

Miss Daisy I've added that restaurant to my notebook--it sounds wonderful! Thank you so much!!!

So it sounds like the Hotel Left Bank?

Hi, yes, the Hotel d' Academie is lovely but I contacted them earlier this year for an upcoming visit. The rate was allright since it is in St. Germain, but when I asked the size of the superior room, I believe it was, they said it is 6 sq. m. I couldn't believe it's that small, but that confirmed the Trip Advisor comments that were reported.

Francophile, that is equivalent to a room that is about 8 feet x 8 feet (I just ran the numbers), and that includes the bath! Was that a single or a double?

HOLY ____ that is one small room! Yikes.

francophile is right, even if you know which hotel you mean, some folks on Tripadvisor post reviews about the wrong hotel.

I had always thought that hotel was very reasonably priced for its location and caliber, maybe the room size is why (and I never heard much about it). They have real good rates in summer, I think.

Sometimes when hotels quote room sizes, they don't include the bathroom in the size. I have learned that you really need to be specific when asking about room size as to whether you mean with or without bathroom. They might do that becuase the official French hotel star rating system regulates the size of the room not including the bathroom, so they are used to sizing things that way.

IN fact, that appears to violate the star rating standards, so I don't know how they get away with that. I would ask them about the room size again if you want to stay there, as the official standards say a 2* hotel must hve rooms of at least 9 m2 for a double (8 m2 for a single), and a 3* hotel must have rooms at least 10 m2 for a double and 9 m2 for a single.

We've stayed at the Left BAnk St. Germain several times but it's been at least 8 years since the last time. 2 of the rooms were large and one was much smaller, and at the same price. I remember one having a huge closet and the smaller room having only 2 teeeny ones on either side of the bed.
I think it's a great hotel if you can get it for a good price.

I don't know if the room size at the Hotel de l'Academie included the bathroom; I didn't bother to pursue it. But it's the size for a deluxe double room.

Hotel de Fleurie is really nice and well located.
There is a good list of hotels in the sixth arrondissement here: http://www.paristriptips.com/where-t...6e-arr-hotels/

Chasteel

Thanks for the list Chasteel there are a few hotels on that list that I also looked into but they don't have availability. The hotels I listed were the places that had rooms left for my times and of course seemed to be the type of place I want to stay in. I really, really wanted the Verneuil, but they didn't have room for me. Sigh.

Back to my original dilemma:

Academie is out.

Hotel Fleurie quoted a "single room with large bed" for 130 euro a night

Hotel Left Bank S.G. quoted 130 euro for a single or a "double (king size)" breakfast included.

The Best Western site is quoting me 180 for the same room! I don't get that, but there you go.

The free internet in the lobby at the Fleurie was kind of swaying me, with everything else seeming pretty even--that would make it very easy to let my husband know I'm still alive every night. BUT I think I'll take the bigger bed for the same price! Because let's face it, an internet cafe will do nicely for the purposes of saying, "yes dear, still alive."

Nifty. I've always wanted to stay in the 6th and now I am! Seven more days until Paris...

Hotel LeftBank SG - Nice choice.
Do go along to a tiny little restaurant at 16 Rue Gregoire de Tours, called L'Insulaire. Went there for a meal on a Fodorite GTG and found the food very good & cheap. (It is in the very next street to your hotel).
Have a great time!

Hi tod--thanks for that restaurant reccomendation. I always need places by my hotel--and staying in the 6th is new to me! Five more days...I cannot wait!