Dukey

I realize that feelings about hotels run strong here and I have no desire to start either a shouting match but would appreciate input.

We have bounced all over Paris during several visits. We have stayed in La Defense (on an "organized" tour), at the Pavilon de la Reine in the Marais, at some forgotten hotel somewhere "out there" (but it was near a Metro at least!), and most recently at the Victoria Palace.

We liked the Victoria Palace since it was close to metro stops but I thought the immediate neighborhood was a little dreary.

For next year we are looking at staying near, or on, Blvd St. Germain and I am strongly considering the Madison. It looks good to me because it is near Metro stops and it seems to be "in a neighborhood" that is lively. A/C is a must since we will be there in July. The hotel has apparently been renovated in the not-too-distant past and the TA reviews seem pretty positive.

We can afford $300-$500 a night.

Am I overlooking anything?

Thanks for any comments or questions.

basingstoke1

We have enjoyed the Hotel du Danube since we first stayed there on our honeymoon 37 years ago. Have been back several times since and still think it is what a romantic boutique hotel should be like. It is located at 58 Rue Jacob on the left bank just a short walk from Pont Neuf. Price lately seems to average about 160-175 Euro. Check their website thru google.

barbmc

Try the following hotel:

Best Western Premier Au Manoir Saint Germain De Pres,153 Boulevard Saint Germain, Paris 75006, France

We stayed there last July for 5 nights and it was great. Just about a block down from the Madison. Cute "French" style. Everyone was very nice and helpful. Room was ready by 10:30 a.m. It is right across from the Cafe de Flores. Wonderful

Dukey

Basingstoke1:

thanks very much for that recommendation. Unfortunately, since the du Danube is not air conditioned I cannot consider it during July; otherwise i agree it looks quite nice and reasonable.

Barb: yes, I looked at the Au Manoir and I understand it is very close to the Madison. I was somewhat concerned about the one TA review which mentioned "dark" (either rooms or halls or both)...would you care to comment further? I am in no way implying you don't have good judgement; as you know it is sometimes hard to discern things when reading reviews by people you know nothing about.

francophile03

I stayed at the Danube in 2004. My experience was definitely not what a Parisian (nor any) hotel should be like: unrenovated rooms and bathroom and worse were the very unfriendly clerks. Location and rate were excellent and that was it in my opnion. My aunt and I were not the only ones to be treated this way by the staff and it was good we only stayed two nights instead of four as was originally planned. We broke up our stay for two nights there and two nights at the Verneuil around the corner. So glad we did that.

What about Hotel Luxembourg Parc? It's near to the gardens but within walking distance of the Blvd. St. Germain.

barbmc

Dukey
I thought the Au Manior was just fine. In my opinion, the darkness another poster talked about is that it has "french" patterned wallpaper. I thought this was quaint and french-boutique like... others might think it gaudy. It was dark in a little area where the room to our door was....but we found a light switch and that helped that. Our room was facing the Blvd St. Germaine and was very quiet even though it is a busy street...during the day the room was bright.

The reception people were very helpful. I saw one report where a poster said one of the women was rude...that probably was because that poster was rude or demanding...we didn't have any of that. Very conventient location. Breakfast is included.

Dukey

Francophile: thanks for your comments. I had looked at the Luxembourg parc and although it looks wonderful I think we would rather be closer to the Blvd (although I realize it is only a couple of blocks walk) but I won;t yet rule it out completely (and especillay thanks for your comments about du Danube)

Barb:

thanks for clarifying your own experience at the Au Manoir and your helpful opinion as to the TA reviews...much appreciated.

Maribel

Dukey,
We've stayed at the Madison several times, and we know the Victoria Palace (have be given an extensive tour by the marketing director), as it's a personal favorite of a travel agent friend who places many of her upper-end clients there.

I think the Madison would be closer in feel, in creature comforts and classic decor to the
VP, and as you say, the location is far, far nicer , right across the street for the Eglise St. Germain.
We no longer stay at the Madison because our favorite ample room, 36, overlooking the square, has gone up to 320 euros with breakfast, which is now beyond our usual budget. Other coveted deluxe rooms facing the square are #25 and #22-#24 which share a walk out balcony. But it is a favorite of those on the forum of www.bonjourparis.com

We've also loved the more designer hip Esprit Saint- Germain (like the Montalambert-no chintz here), and it has great concierge service, and a lovely lounge with fireplace to have complimentary coffee/cookies in the a.m. or comp. champagne and snacks in the evening. You're offered a beverage the minute you enter the door. The breakfast room is also an elegant upstairs lounge and equally inviting, and the rooms are blisfully quiet, decorated in soft grays, browns, creams, with tiny twinkly lights above the bed. We stayed last July on business specificaly to check it for a customer, and in quality it is equal certainly to the Madison and VP, and the location is again wonderful, just a 1/2 block from St. Sulpice amidst boutique heaven, around the corner from Gerard Mulot and just 2 blocks from the Boulevard St. Germain. It has a red distinction for charm in the '06 red Michelin. But superior rooms cost 350 while the much more compact rooms run 310. I would book a superior. The very spacious deluxe rooms are beyond your budget at 425 euros.
www.espritsaintgermain.com

We've also stayed at the far more budget minded Danube but only in winter-my husband called it budget antique boutique. We felt there was no comparison in comfort level between the Danube and Madison. The Madison offers a far more luxurious experience, we think.

The other delightful luxury boutique hotel in the St. Germain-St. Sulpice area is the family run Hotel de l'Abbaye, housed in an 18th century mansion, and tucked down a pretty courtyard, quiet and cozy and very inviting, which chintz decorated rooms, a lounge with fireplace and garden for breakfast.
The large doubles on the lower floors facing the interior courtyard run 305, which includes breakfast.
www.Hotel-Abbaye.com

Hope this helps.

travelaxe

hi
try having a look at the following link to check out hotels. they carry info about the hotel and its location:
http://destinia.com/hotels/hotels--i...urope/48942/en
hope it helps

Dukey

Maribel:

Yes, your comments are very much appreciated and just the sorts of particulars which will help me decide. Thank you very much for posting. BTW, I have used your guides for Barcelona and Madrid in the past and they were absolutely wonderful!

Rich

We have stayed at the Hotel de Fleurie several times. It's a half block off St. Germain at the Odeon Metro.

Nice rooms . . helpfull staff and good location.

http://www.hotel-de-fleurie.tm.fr

Pausanias

We stayed in the Madison this past December and were very satisfied. Here's an excerpt from the trip report:

"We stayed at the Hotel Madison in St Germain, just across from the church, which our room overlooked. We had booked a twin room, which are said to be larger, and asked for a cot for our son. It was nicely sized, prettily furnished and equipped with the usual luxuries, such as a TV that was never turned on, and a mini bar which was never opened. Nice, modern, spacious bath with a functioning shower and shower curtain. Dry floors!

Breakfast was buffet. Eggs and bacon are offered along with the usual assortment of cereals, breads, cheeses and cold cuts. The clientele was European and American, perhaps with the latter predominating. The staff was friendly and accommodating, readily making dinner reservations and calling taxis, and politely permitting me to mangle their lovely language."

I think we were in Room 36.

As to your particular questions -- the Metro is across the street -- and down the block in several directions. The neighborhood is full of shops and restaurants, and you can easily walk to Notre Dame, the Louvre etc.

We had our best meal on this short trip a short walk from the hotel at La Bastide Odeon, where, (to quote my trip report again) "whether you choose the roasted sea bream, or the guinea hen, or the scallops, or even the wild rabbit in pastry starter, you cannot go wrong. With a nice Sancerre, the bill for three came to 160€."

Maribel

Dukey,
I'm very, very happy that my guides were useful to you, and thank you very much for your kind feedback.

Here's an excerpt from one of my posts re the Madison:
"We love the classy Madison with its even more "perfect" (for us, not everyone) location set back from the blvd. but directly facing the Place St. Germain. At the Madison we were given great service from the amusing and in-perpetual-motion bellmap/concierge Alain and Christian, his assistant, who drove us to the airport. We had a beautifully appointed and very large room with lovely, high quality antiques, high ceilings and fine fabrics, gorgeous Italian tiled bath with double sinks and oodles of lux toiletries in a ceramic shell pedestal, tons of storage space, wine glasses and included in the rate, a very ample American style buffet breakfast (eggs, hams, bacon, pastries, fruit) served in the pretty and comfortable downstairs breakfast room (well spaced tables, comfy chairs). But the deluxe room we loved, #36, in blue and mauve is now well out of our price range."

But at the Madison we did not have bath robes. At the Esprit Saint Germain we did, but we had to manage with far less space in our "classic" room (always book a superior here).

My European Traveller issue April, '06 says of the d'Abbaye:
"The full light marble baths are in excellent condition with European hand-held shower fixtures. Typical of classic French hotels, there are no shower curtians."
Note:
At the Madison and Esprit as at the VP, there are shower curtains or glass.

ET also says about l'Abbaye:
"The top floor rooms are the least popular because they have low, angled ceilings that impact room space and views. The hotel's 4 duplex suites are not recommended because of their top floor locations and cramped terraces. Guests looking for extra space should consider the charming larger rooms on the lower floors."
And I know the VP rooms are quite spacious by Parisian standards because the mark. dir. showed us first and joked about his "worst room", which was the size of our "classic room" at the Esprit. He was very proud that the "worst room" was of a "normal" Parisian size.

Hope this helps you a bit more to decide.

Weekender

I stayed recently at the Hotel de l'Abbaye in a deluxe double. Room was very spacious with walk-in closet. Bathroom was beautiful. Completely redone totally in marble with bathtub and separate shower with glass doors. This is a wonderful hotel and can't recommend it enough.

Underhill

The Madison is our long-time favorite. You can read my review of our stay in September 2004 at tripadvisor.com.

Christina

For what you are looking for, and your budget, I think you might also consider the Hotel Relais Saint Germain at carrefour de l'Odeon. It is a 4* boutique hotel which I think a lot of folks like (I haven't stayed there, but I remember some posts on here about it).

http://www.hotel-paris-relais-saint-germain.com/

They have doubles around 275 euro, but the good news is they have discounts in the summer, including in July.

basingstoke1

Francophile03

I think we had this conversation some months ago. I guess it is a case of different visits, rooms, staff on duty and preferences. The lack of air conditioning in July is certainly a negative. Last I was there was for the World Cup in France, so your experience is much newer than mine.

GirlTravel

How about L'HOTEL-on the Rue des Beaux Arts? Lovely rooms with terraces, but those are quite a bit more expensive. Double rooms overlooking the garden may be within your price range. Hermes toiletries in the bathrooms. L'Hotel even has thermal baths! However, there are some negative reviews on Tripadvisor.

www.l-hotel.com

Also, you might want to look at the HOTEL DUC DE SAINT SIMON, which is just off St. Germain, on the rue St. Simon, by the Rue du Bac, a lovely, picturesque location. There are rooms with terraces here; those ending in the number 7 give onto the garden. I believe there is also air conditioning at this hotel, but maybe not all rooms. The rates start at around US250.00. Metro: Rue du Bac. (I've not found a website for this hotel, only commercial travel sites).

oberost

My wife and I have stayed at the Hotel Pas des Calais twice and have been very satisfied. Just steps off blvd St. Germaine and near famous restuarants and great shopping.

Dukey

I am very appreciative to everyone for their comments and suggestions. It turns out to be kind of an embarrassment of riches since I can see that besides the Madison there are certainly at least a couple of other establishments I need to at least consider.

I try to read between the lines in terms of the TripAdvisor reviews although sometimes that isn't exactly easy.

I figure I've got a little time to decide but I am one of those who likes to nail down reservations early and then move on to other things. Unfortunately, I sometimes have second thoughts when I end up reading things both good and bad about a place after I've supposedly "decided" but I guess that's one of the things that makes planning more "interesting."

Warmest regards to all of you.