<BR>Just got an email from Grandes Ecoles telling me they're fully booked for the days i require, and I only require 2 nights!! The layout of the Paris neighbourhoods confuse me, frankly, and from what i read on this forum, Grandes Ecoles, Hotel Grand des Balcons and Muguet are best bets. I may be wrong. Can anyone tell me which other hotels around the des Balcons area that are charming, clean and don't cost more than FF700??! HELP!!<BR>

Try Hotel du Globe tel 1 43 26 46 50 or<BR>see the March issue of Traveler.

I don't mean to sound flippant, but if the Grandes Ecoles is booked, you can be sure that there is a very high percentage chance that similar hotels are booked. You may be in the position that you take the best available.<BR>The hotel guide I like is this one:<BR>http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/75paccue.htm<BR>The Grandes Ecoles is in the 5th Arrondissement, as are quite a few others. But that is a popular area and you selected a very popular hotel.<BR><BR>If the layout of the Paris Arrondissements confuses you, then I suggest extra funds for taxi fare.<BR><BR>Paris is full of good, small hotels. Just because one has not gotten a major play on this board does not mean that it is not a good place to stay.<BR><BR>The one I stay at is very good for my tastes and it is almost never mentioned on this board. <BR>

I made hotel reservations over six months in advance and even then I got into my 8th choice. I have a friend who is leaving for Paris in mid-May and she's tried the Balcons and others (unavailable) and apparently isn't worried about finding three star accomodations at two star prices. I'll let you know what she finds. I personally find it stressful to wait until the last minute. But, everyone has their own style.

Try (in the 5th) - Hotel du College de France, Hotel Familia, Hotel des Trois Colleges. In the 7th (close to the 6th) Hotel Bersoly's - Hotel Le Clement (6th). Read or buy Fodor's Rivages - Hotels of Character and Charm in Paris. Do a search on this forum for all of the above.

I hate to gloat..but.. I waited months for the "correct" month to book Ecoles.<BR>I was successful! I always book months in advance and waiting for this hotel was a good learning experience. Good luck Annie with finding a hotel, some one here will reccomend a beauty for you.

Annie bonjour! Don't panic and do some serious search. With the following sites, you might find some places. You can narrow your search by typing in date needed, area, costs, métro stops, etc.<BR>I guess, all the places that are mentioned here over and over again, are usually booked months ahead. They figure not only on the top lists of Americans! There are tons of other "secret" places around (try Montparnasse area or in the 6th around Le Bon Marché). This is very central as well.<BR><BR>Try these:<BR><BR>paris-touristoffice.com<BR>paris.org<BR>parisavenue.com< BR>hotelboulevard.com<BR>bestwestern.com<BR><BR>Bo nne chance!<BR><BR><BR>

You don't say when you are trying to get this hotel for, but if it is in the near future, I agree that you may spend a lot of time if you keep trying the most-frequently mentioned hotels on this board or in guidebooks. YOu may not want to get the book, but Cheap Sleeps in Paris has probably several dozen hotels in your prices range on the Left Bank. I think the ones mentioned above by James are good selections, there are not a lot of real cheap hotels like Balcons in the 6th, I'll tell you that. Hotels Recamier, Regents (on rue Madame), hotel du Lys, Peryve, and Hotel Du Globe are possibilities in St-Germain, though. Hotel Champ de Mars in the 7th right near Muguet is liked by many for similar reasons; there are a lot of reasonably priced hotels in that area, also, it is cheaper than St-Germain. I think the Cluny Sorbonne and Cujas Pantheon and are okay from what I've heard--they are budget hotels around the Sorbonne, also the Minerve. The Parc St-Severin has very good rates in the Latin Qtr, it's a 3-star and rated well where I've seen it mentioned. There are some other hotels I might name farther out or not in Latin Qtr/St Germain, but if you are confused by these areas and looking at a map, I would think you had best stay very near the center and St-Michel, I don't know.<BR>Here is another link that has some budget hotels, a few of the ones I mentioned-- http://www.parishotels.com If you are leaving very soon, you'd better hustle, I just spent several weeks trying to find a vacancy in Provence for this July, it was not easy, and there is a lot of time in-between emails and faxes.

Try Hotel La Motte Picquet. It's near Rue Cler [on the corner] in the 7eme and doesn't fill up as fast as the forum "faves." We've stayed there twice and been very satisfied. Do a search for motte picquet on this forum and you'll get my more extensive comments.