Comments on Prais hotel or area Hotel Devillas
 

someone here just suggeted this hotel. i've googled on it and can't find any customer comments anywhere.
it is on boulevard saint marcel in the 5th district. i have been to europe but not to paris and i'm planning our first trip. if you don't know the hotel,do you know the neighborhood? the hotel website says the metro stops are saint marcel or gare d'austerlitz. the rer stops at gare d'austerlitz too.
the website is www.hoteldevillas.com

A forum search reveals these posts, which should entertain you while you wait ... :)

Author: Christina <threadselect.jsp?screen_name=Christina&fid =2>
Date: 01/31/2005, 02:24 pm
Message: It is a little out of the way, but I know the area and have seen the hotel, and it's not a bad neighborhood. I don't know if the hotel is as nice as it looks, it looks fine from the outside, at least.

It is very convenient for public transportation as it's virtually right in front of a bus stop (line 91) which goes over to the Bastille area or the other way to Montparnasse. Also, it's right near a metro stop, St Marcel. There is actually a lively small restaurant street very nearby, so you could easily dine in a different place every night and do fine -- they are a variety of cuisines, very reasonable prices. That is rue des Wallons. There is a cute small bistro on the corner of that street and rue Panhard called L'Oliver which has live music by young musicians (I think they are often music students) and dinner-concerts. This is unusual as it is classical pieces. The live music is usually Wed-Sat nights at 8:30, so drop by there to see the schedule if you stay over there and are interested. The owner is very friendly. There are several other good restaurants on that street, I remember a Caribbean one.

Author: Underhill <threadselect.jsp?screen_name=Underhill&fid =2>
Date: 05/31/2004, 03:15 pm
Message: I read a review of the Hotel DeVillas on the bonjourparis.com web site. The reviewer is pretty fussy about hotels and gave the DeVillas very high marks, especially given its rates. Not many 2* hotels have a/c, let alone an elevator; so it sounds like a very good buy. I imagine it's well known to Europeans but not to Americans.
http://www.bonjourparis.com/publicat...articleId=1307

From this article:
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/desti...heretostay.htm
Not a two-star at all — Nestled in the non-touristy 5th arrondissement in south Paris, two blocks from the Jardin des Plantes and the Seine, is the family-run, recently renovated Hôtel Devillas. The two-star, 40-room hotel is elegantly designed, immaculately clean and offers excellent service and charm at prices that can't be beat. The 8-euro breakfast is a feast of fresh croissants, pastries, yogurt, cereal and orange juice. There's even an elevator, another unusual feature for a two-star. Wi-Fi is available in every room. Prices range from 79 euros to 115 euros. 4 boulevard Saint Marcel, 75005; métro: St.-Marcel; 33 1 43 31 37 50; www.hoteldevillas.com

thank you so much for finding those comments, i really had tried searching for comments here and i didn't come up with anything. when i googled the hotel it gave me the same bonjour paris article you mention, but you have to be a paying member to read it.
do you know what Christina meant by "out of the way"? i have a map of paris already, but don't have a sense of distances or traveling by subway or bus yet. thank you

To me that means you will probably need to use the bus /metro system initially each day, to reach the customary tourist sights, as opposed to walking 5 minutes. But if you think about it, you will end up doing that anyway, b/c the sights are spread out and no one hotel is close to all of them. The closer to the core you get, the higher-priced the rooms will be for the same (perceived) quality. Many visitors think that anything south of Jardin de Luxembourg is "too far out". I'm not one of them...

But I am re-reading that it is your first trip to Paris, and I can understand that many want to experience the feeling of walking out of the hotel and seeing the Eiffel or Notre Dame just around the corner...

thanks for being patient with a paris newbie

when i was in italy, the area around train stations (in rome, for example) didn't seem so appealing to me. the area around the gare d'austerlitz is okay? i see the nearby jardin des plantes and the seine, but it seems a part of the seine that is not so much across from major sights?

i have a subway map and can see the names of some stops, but i can't tell how long it might take to get from saint marcel to the louvre or saint germain, for example, or if there is a most convenient transfer point
thank you

I just mean it's farther out from things most tourists want to do that many would consider it "out of the way". Also, the area it is in is basically just a middle working class area and not far from the train station and some large govt. buildings, and may not be exactly what people envision as their stay in Paris. I just find that part of Paris somewhat drab, but there's nothing terrible about it. It's not right next to the train station, not close enough for me to worry about that atmosphere. The hospital complex which is huge is more of a closer presence than the gare (that is the hospital where Princess Diana died, it's quite a major Parisian hospital).

However, it actual terms of time on the metro, nothing within Paris proper is that far out that you will spend a lot of time commuting. That is just on the edge of the 5th, so it's much better than staying on the far edges.

You can probably assume about five minutes between each metro stop on timing, although a few very close together might be a little less. So, to get to the Louvre from St Marcel is six stops -- that's 30 minutes and sounds like a lot, but I bet it might be close to that given you have to transfer at Bastille. St Germain is also about six stops and a transfer at Gare d'Austerlitz. I'd guess probably 20-30 minutes for each route once you are actually at the metro station. The bus that goes by goes over to Bastille and is convenient for that.

thank you christina, everyone has been kind but i was especially hoping you would respond and add even more to what you wrote before (above)
i don't think i want to be 30 minutes from the center and still not be in a really attractive area. Budget is an issue so i think we will go with a two star. As i get familiar with the map, would the 14th, even though it is more to the south, be just as convenient but maybe less drab?

It's hard to say, I hate making such broad generalizations -- parts of the 14th are about the same atmosphere, and some would be better. It really kind of depends where you would be. I would find the 14th generally more convenient and enjoyable, probably (I stay there myself near bd Montparnasse).

The 14th isn't necesssarily farther south, either -- that hotel is right on the border of the 5th and 13th, and the 14th borders right on the 6th, so it's not that different. Well, I guess it is more directly south than SE, but that is actually closer and more convenient than many things you will probably want to do, if you look at a map. I don't think the metro distance is going to be that different, actually, probably about the same, so don't choose on that point. The only way to really get more dead center and within a few minutes of those things is to actually stay right near Odeon or St Germain metro, that general area. I often stay near Raspail metro in the 14th, and I'm sure that takes about 15-20 minutes to get to Odeon metro, and more to get to the Louvre.

What are you thinking of as the center? Notre Dame and the Louvre? Because I consider all of these points fairly central Paris myself, I just wouldn't want to stay on the actual edges of the city. What hotel are you considering in the 14th? Might make a difference.

You know, I don't want you to get the idea these points are really far away -- they are both probably only about a mile from the center. It's just that with the waiting, starting/stopping, getting in and out of the metro station and transfers, there are very few places you are going to get on it in only 10 minutes.

good morning

in thinking about i realize that 30 minute subway trip isn't too bad, i guess i'm thinking more about being able to stroll through an interesting and attractive part of town on our way to or from somewhere else i've seen the previous discussions here about not every hotel being literally in the center
i think i got put off by the word drab to describe the neighborhood
if the 14th isn't much closer or better and we are still looking for a bargain, maybe we'll go with the 4th or the 5th, but no so far east in the 5th
we're hoping to spend not more than $150 US per night for a double, and we want an elevator and like everyone else we want the hotel and the area to be "nice"

Hi JM,

Looks like a very nice place. Good rates, too.

Go to http://www.ratp.info/informer/anglais/index.php
for directions and travel times from the hotel to anywhere.

When you enter the hotel's address be sure to put a comma and Paris.

((I))

Aha, at last a customer review has surfaced on Hotel Devillas (on Tripadvisor)...

"...Hotel Devillas is located in the 5th, very close to Gare de Austerlitz, the Seine, walking distance to the Notre Dame and Marche Mouteffard. The hotel staff is friendly, the room was very clean and comfortable. Non-smoking rooms are available, there is an elevator, Wi-fi access and internet access in the lobby. The hardwood floors and recently re-done bathrooms are a nice touch. You won't find anything fancy, but this is an inexpensive hotel with easy access to the Metro, Air France bus to CDG and a comfortable place to stay..."