Charming Paris 3-star b/w 500-700FF
 

I've been looking for a nice Paris hotel that has a lot of charm/character that is between 500 and 700 francs (for a double) that is preferably in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, or 7th arrondisement. <BR><BR>Thanks!

A 3 star at that price is not easy. <BR>Check the prices at the Derby Eiffel (www.DerbyEiffelHotel.com) which has been recommended on this forum. Also, the Regent (email [email protected]) and the Familia, but I don't know the number of stars. All should be listed at <BR>www. paris.org under hotels, or at <BR>www.hotelboulevard.com

At those rates, what you usually get is a two-star hotel. Which I believe is the Familia's rating. I recently stayed at the (two-star) St-Jacques, in the 5th, just down the street from the Familia, and I thought it had plenty of charm and a great location for the price.

I never quite understand the difference in the stars, but the Regent's Hotel is great at any amount of stars. It is a two star, but it is right in your price range. It is near the Luxumbourg Gardens and near to Metro stops. It is very lovely, and the rooms we had on the 4th floor were very large. The bathrooms were brand new. All in all, it was just perfect to us.

Here are a couple of real winners: <BR>Hotel des Grandes Ecoles, on Cardinal Lemoine in the 5th - under 600ff for a double - lots of charm, old townhouses around a courtyard garden, close to the always-entertaining Rue Mouffetard. <BR>And Hotel du Palais Bourbon. Stayed there in Feb. Biggest room we've ever had in Paris. Under 600ff, lovely new bath, pretty decor and furnishings. Don't have the phone 3's here. Email if you'd like more info.

I love this hotel <BR>PALAIS BOURBON: 49, rue Bourgogne. Tel: 0144113070. Fax: 0145552021. Web site: http://www.globe-market-com/ E-mail: [email protected] (32 rms., 25 w/toilet & bath or shower.) 495F/75EUR single; 625F/95EUR double; 740F/113EUR triple; 800F/122EUR quad. Air-conditioned (50% of the rms.). Breakfast (7:15-10am) at 22F pp. (I recommend you take it because it is so cheap.) Visa, MC. English spoken (Thierry), cable TV w/CNN, wonderful old country-style warm 2-bldg. hotel w/simply & individually furnished bright nice-size to large rms., modern large bathrooms, high ceilings, wooden flrs., most of the rooms are large enough for extra twin beds for triple or quads, #2 (king-size bed or 2 twin beds, minibar & a/c) at 625F for a double; #4 (large rm w/king-size bed or 2 twin beds) at 625F; #1 (very large rm. w/king-size bed or 2 twin beds, minibar & faces back) at 625F for a double; #26 (large attic 2 rms. w/double bed, 2 twin beds, a/c, minibar & sitting area) at 800F for a family; 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 19, 21, 24 (attic rm.), 25 (attic rm.) & 27 (attic rm.) are large rms. w/king-size beds or 2 twin beds at 625F for a double; 20 rms. w/minibars & hair driers, soundproofed, great breakfast rms., elevator, 5 flrs. Owned/managed by Mr. Thierry Claudon. Mr. Claudon tries very hard to be reserved but he is wonderful & cuddly like a teddy bear. He doesn’t like rude people on the phone and will tell you he is full if you are not pleasant. That would be a shame because this is a great hotel. Métro: Varenne. <BR>

Margo at helloeurope, you sound suspiciously like a travel agent. So does your e-mail address. All that information, right at your fingertips! <BR>Vrangel, consider this. Travel agents post here with their "recommendations" because their preferred suppliers pay them to direct business their way. Their first duty and loyalty is to their suppliers.

If you visit the website that matches the email address you will see they sell books. At least Margo isn't saying "visit our site....buy our books" -- but the posts are getting repetitive. And it's just another book. What is valuable on this site is the experiences of people not in the travel profession. <BR> <BR>For all I know Margo thinks she's doing a service -- however she has responded to so many posts that it is becoming more and more of an intrusion and looking more and more like the advertising ploy it obviously is. As one poster on another thread put it -- "keep this up Margo, and I won't HAVE to buy your books." <BR> <BR>My comment to Margo is -- yup you got me to visit your website -- but given your over use of this board for questionable purposes I would never buy one of your books. Period. Is this the result you wanted?

To the top.

I believe the rating system for French hotels as far as the difference between say, 2 star and 3 star hotels goes. I read in Frommer's or Fodor's that the primary reason a hotel gets a higher/lower star rating has to do with the number of en suite bathrooms it has in relation to the number of rooms. I would be interested in hearing if anyone else has a more detailed view of the French Hotel Rating system.

Just for the record, I'm actually booked into the Bourbon....I'll let you all know how it went on our return. So far, the Mgr. and his conceirge have been very helpful...even booked reservations for me at the Jules Verne.The hotel seems to be in a nice arrondisse that I wanted to return to someday with my kids. We'll see how it goes....So far so good. -Cher PS I'm not an agent....and you can see by my typing skills that I couldn't possibly write a book!!!!

Re the above mentioned Le Regent Hotel-if it's the one on rue dauphine, I Emailed for availability, filled out the form (w/ credit card)got a Fax today "your credit card will be charged for 5 days stay if you do not confifm by Aug 7"-I've Emailed and fx'd a cancellation

Thanks, Margo. You have been a help to me.

Thyra <BR>re the gov't rating system with stars <BR>I had once copied the following information from an article in the Washington Post: <BR>"The tourism ministry gives one to four stars to most hotels, but stars are based on things like percentage of rooms with full baths, the dimensions of the lobby and the presence of elevators and TVs... But don't forget all the intangibles that aren't factored in, from the noise level to the decor of the rooms to the option of having breakfast in a garden."

Thanks Elaine, I've always wondered about that!

I found the following description of the French hotel rating system on several different hotel booking sites, as well as the offical site for Paris: <BR> <BR>"The classification of hotels depends on the comfort and services offered according to norms fixed by the French government's Bureau of the Tourism Industry. <BR>L**** (4-star/L) -- very high class, de luxe hotel. <BR>**** (4-star) -- high class, comfortable hotel. <BR>*** (3-star) -- very comfortable hotel. <BR>** (2-star) -- comfortable hotel. <BR>* (1-star) and without star -- simple hotel with basic comforts. <BR> <BR>The French Board of Tourism grants star-ratings based on specific criteria, one of them is size. Listed below are the minimum sizes for rooms of each class. Keep in mind that these are the minima, so the rooms may indeed be larger-but they will most certainly not be smaller. NC (non-classed) -- this category has no minimum. <BR>1-star <BR>single 7 m2 - double 8 m2 <BR>2-star <BR>single 8 m2 - double 9 m2 <BR>3-star <BR>single 9 m2 - double 10 m2 <BR>4-star <BR>single 10 m2 - double 11 m2" <BR> <BR>I also read somewhere that number of stars effects the amount of property tax the hotel owner must pay, so some hotels prefer to remain ranked at 2-star ratings rather than be upgraded to 3-star. Think I read that amenities (or lack thereof) such as elevators, restaurants, bars, etc. also affect a hotel's rating. <BR>

I think everyone has lost sight of the original question. In answer to that question, let me recommend the Hotel Champ du Mars in the 7th.http://www.adx.fr/hotel-du-champ-de-mars/ Done that been there - and would do it dozens of times more and the price couldn't be better. Great location, hotel etc.

The hotel I referred to was Regent's Hotel on Rue Madame.