After looking in different threads and Tripadvisor I have come up with these two choices for my May 6 to May 15 trip to Paris. I want to stay in the Marais.

Castex- does not seem to be in as pretty part of Marais. I am getting a 120E rate for a double which is a disconted rate. Room seems a bit plain. It also has air which could be helpful in May.

de la Bretonnerie-looks like great location. The photos on the internet site look very upscale. 110E for a standard double but I have read that the rooms are very small even by Paris standards. There is no Air and I have read that the rooms can smell like smoke.

Has anyone actually seen either of these two properties?

I stayed at the Castex 13 years ago, so I can't speak to the current state of the rooms. However, I can say that while I found the location auite convenient and perfectly acceptable, it would be stretching it to call it the Marais. If you want a pretty and atmospheric Maria location, this isn't it.

"quite" convenient (not "auite," whatever that might be!) I really can't type.

I stayed at La Bretonnerie two years ago and while the room was small it wasn't tiny (and it was the lowest rate). The location was great, lots of restaurants, cafes, and bakeries around. The area is lively at night, and there was quite a bit of street noise, esp. on Friday and Saturday, if that is an issue for you, make sure you get a room that does not face the street. I loved this area. Good Metro connections although we walked 90% of the time.

Having stayed twice, I would recommend getting a "charming room", if available, at the Bretonnerie. Rooms are good sized and very nicely decorated with fabric on everything, including the walls. Great location, too.

Weekender: the charming rooms jump from 110 to 145E. A big difference for my length of stay. Also it does not have air and although May 15 usually is cool I would be concerned if the room was too warm,

...the Castex is closertothe Bastille,but I wouldnot consider this a less desirable are than the Bretonnerie. In fact the street is quiet but easy walk to everything. I have not stayed in the Castex but have walked by ti many times. It has been tarted upin the last 5-6 years. Have you considered the Caron de Beaumarche?This is in the same price range and would be my choice.

SurfSide, we stayed at the Castex in late May of this year. It was a comfortable stay: the hotel is spotless and the bathroom appeared to be recently redone. On the downside, the room was the smallest we have yet encountered in France.

We stayed in room 102, which overlooks rue Castex. The street is quiet, save for a garbage truck that creeps by every morning between 6 and 7. I think our room was air conditioned, but I doubt that will be much of an issue in May; it certainly wasn't for us while we were in Paris. Daytime temperatures scarcely climbed over 20 C.

We loved the area; there are numerous cafés within a block of the hotel, the Bastille metro stop is a short distance away, and we also found a couple of very good restaurants nearby.

Our rate was €140 a night.

Anselm

Bunny:
I looked at the Caron de Beaumarchais on line and the best price they can quote me is 152 Euros a night for a front, larger room. The interior looks fantastic but perhaps a bit stuffy. Maybe I'm worrying too much about a few dollars! Is the location better than the Castex?

..I dont't think a huge difference in the location. The C de B is right off the rue du Rivoli. There is a lot of street traffic there at night so if I walked "home" I would feel very comfortable even late at night. The castex is in a safe neighborhood but I might look over my shoulder if I were walking home after dinner by myself but otherwise both in greatlocations. I think the $ the same for equivalent rooms as I understand the Castex rooms are smallish and probably the size of the courtyard rooms at the CdB..I really don't think you can go wrong with either.