The apartment we rented for our upcoming trip wasn't available for the 1st 2 days of our time in Paris, so we've booked a room at the Hotel des Grandes Ecoles. I saw recent feedback on this hotel on other sites, but nothing recently on this site. Am wondering if anyone has any recent experience with it and any recommendations for restaurants, bistros in the area? Thanks.

Try tripadvisor.

I stayed at Hotel les Dames du Pantheon a couple of weeks ago. Had a great dinner at Au Bon Coin, about a 10-15 minute walk from your hotel. And I have enjoyed Terroir Parisien (more upscale, more modern) as well, both the one in the 5th and the new one at the Bourse.

Closer to you, I have read that Les Pipos is a nice trad bistro; it is right behind St Etienne-du-Mont. I wanted to try it but didn't have the time.

Sorry, didn't realize you meant this site.

Within an easy walk is one of my favorites, Le Cosi at 9, rue Cujas which over several years has been consistently delicious, moderately priced and with good service in an easy ambiance www.le-cosi.com/

Check out Rotisserie du Beaujolais and Chez Rene in the 5th.

It's just a hotel for a couple nights, it isn't going to be so terrible you can't stand it, so it doesn't really matter that much. I never care if I'm just in a hotel for a day or so before/after an apt. rental, whatever is closest and 2-3*, I book without worrying that much. That place is fine, I'm sure it couldn't have changed that much from the last reviews you read.

There are many places to eat around there, you can just look around and find something easily. I've liked Le Volcan on rue Mouffetard at the corner of rue Thouin. I also like Chez Lena et Mimile at 32 rue Tournefort, but that's a bit farther south and you can find plenty closer to your hotel (which is just north of place Contrescarpe). le Petit Prince at 12, rue Lanneau is supposed to be good, but I haven't eaten there yet.

I have not stayed here, but I have heard lots of good things about it, I was never able to get reservations far enough ahead to suit me and now we mostly use apartments. But I would be willing to bet on it.

This is the famous hotel with the goofy
Laura-Ashley-meets-Nancy-Mitford wallpaper!

It usually gets good reviews here.

I was going to stay in 2008 but it was fully booked.

Good area.

Lots of shops and restaurants close by. And the great Institute of the Arab World.

Don't get drunk and fall down the steps at Maubert Mutuality Metro like I
did.

I long to walk the streets of Paris and accidently run into Catherine Deneuve!


Thin, stops at Deyrolle

Thanks all for the good restaurant suggestions -- we're usually pretty bushed from all our daytime activity when we travel so it's good to have a few suggestions for dining close to our hotel. I like that several of the restaurants suggested have tables that aren't all crammed together.

I had been frustrated by the hotels closer to our apartment on Rue St. Dominique, which were either over our budget or, if on budget, the photos travelers posted were so different from the hotel posted photos, that I just couldn't commit to them. I tend to put a bit of pressure on myself since I do 95% of the planning on our trips.