I have a reservation here for 4 nights next month in the room right next to the elevator on the 1st floor. Has anyone been there and can report on how noisy this may be?

We love this small little hotel, however, I cannot tell you about your room location and noise from the elevator. We prefer the rooms on the front side as they seem a little larger. The trade off is, of course, street noise. The cafe is open late, delivereies to the Rue Cler and garbage men arrive early. <BR><BR>My boss stayed there last month and it has been his favorite as well. He did say that it is starting to look a little worn as it has been 8 years since they redecorated, however, it is very clean. <BR><BR>Some of the rooms are also smaller. My boss has been very unhappy when given one and asked to be changed. Sometimes difficult if they are booked.

This is a great-find little hotel that simply hasn't been able to keep pace with the tourists since Rick Steves descended on it about 4 years ago. It's such a cute place, in such a divine location, but it needs a face lift and it doesn't have time for one, thanks to Rick. You might get a great room or you might not ...it depends..on total whim,.<BR><BR><BR>There are other great hotels in the neighborhood Rick doesn't know about because he doesn't do secondary research. The H&ocirc;tel de France at 102 Boulevard de la Tour Mauborg will put you up for about 80 euros in a double in a very clean - yes, probably small, room - with one of the best mattresses in Europe. The staff are very helpful, the location can't beat, and they even have an umbrella stand full of oversized umbrellas for those of you taking off into a misty Paris morning. I can pretty much guarantee, given its location, that a room at the H&ocirc;tel de France on the inside corridor would be far quieter than any room at the Champs de Mars. I cannot vouch for the charm ratio, but will say that I have stayed at the H&ocirc;tel de France on a dozen occasions and have always been happy that I did.

Hi, Julie. I stayed in this room with my niece in 1996. Assuming it has not changed since then, the problem is not noise but the size of the room. It is without a doubt the smallest room I have ever stayed in. There was barely room to walk around the beds (twin beds but right next to each other)on any side. There is a tiny courtyard between the corridor and the room. It might be OK if you are alone but is too small, IMO, for two people. I have often wished that I had asked for another room.

Julie, how is that you know which room you are going to be staying in? Usually this is information you don't know until you arrive.

Did you request one of the rooms with the courtyard? The rooms off the courtyard are the ones you are refering to. When we reserved we had also requested one of these rooms but upon arrival last month were given a different room upstairs. We actually liked the room we were given better because it was bigger. The trade off was that it faced the street and like others have said could be noisy until about 2 AM due to the cafe across the street. However we stayed out late ourselves and usually had drunk enough wine that even if we were light sleepers we'd be able to sleep through the noise.<BR><BR>

When I booked, Stephane said this was the last double available and that it might be noisy; thanks for the invaluable info - i will now rebook somewhere else and cancel at champ du mars. I'd stay but for the posting about it being the smallest room they'd ever stayed in (my husband and i aren't big people, but sounds too close for comfort.) THANK YOU!!!

ttt

Julie, St Cirq has recommended Hotel de France (Invalides) faithfully in the past. It is very close to the rue Cler area, without hovering right over it. I stopped by the Hotel la Motte-Picquet on avenue of same name and got a brochure. Haven't stayed there yet, but these 2 are my next choices. You'd best reserve by phone/fax with La Motte-Picquet, but you can see it on http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/h7...ttepicquet.htm (Twin $81)<BR><BR>You can see Hotel de France (there's more than one, this one is in the 7th) at www.parishotels.com by searching for it by name (twin $84)<BR><BR>Good luck in your new search!

Julie, if you choose the Hotel deFrance, you might want to stop into the Cafe de la Tour Mauborg, which sits on a corner one block from the Invalides (Rue Grenelle &amp; Mauborg?). We had omelettes in there the night we arrived and they were great! Their house Kir set a standard no other restaurant we visited was able to match (and we dined at some excellent restaurants). We stayed on Rue Jacob, but walked to this cafe several times during the week because we could always count on friendly service, reasonable prices and, yes, great omelettes

Thanks for the advice, guys! I actually left Nov 15th and returned the 24th. Stayed for the 2nd time at the Grand Hotel Leveque which I still really like. I think next time I'd prefer to be a bit more centrally located, however, but I love Rue Cler. I was disillusioned to eat at the Auberge de Champ de Mars with 10 other tables of ALL AMERICANS. We didn't eat at any other restarants recommended by Rick Steves the rest of the trip. I mean the food was fine and all but it just didnt' feel right. We could have been in Ohio.

That's what Rick does to a place. However we ate there last month (and also a year ago)--had good meals both times. It &quot;felt&quot; fine to us. The owners are a hard working couple--he cooks, she waits. It doesn't get much more French than that. I think the RS rec had come this year--don't remember it from last.