pdv28

I am wondering if anybody has actually stayed at the Hotel du Lys (6th)? I have found technical info, but nothing about how the rooms are. Are the room quaint and charming or dungy and dumpy? <BR> <BR> Would love to hear anything about location, rooms, bathrooms, your fav room suggestion for under 430ff, views, etc... <BR> <BR>Thank you for sharing! <BR>Patricia

Lesli

I'll be staying there for a few days next month, and would be happy to report back when I return. My research indicates that the Du Lys is a bit quirky, but charming. The location is excellent, and the street it's on is small enough that it should be comparatively quiet. For specific room info, check "Cheap Sleeps in Paris," I'm fairly sure it's in there. I also came across a book about hotels of charm in Paris which had a small photo - pale pink/blue paisley wallpaper and coordinating bedding. <BR> <BR>You can find some descriptions on-line on Timeout Paris and Frommer's. (And I assume you've already found the previous guest comments on www.paris.org) You can see a photo of the exterior (of any business in Paris!) and "walk" up and down the street by typing the address into the Pages Jaune website: http://www.pageszoom.com/rc.cgi?lang=en A great way to check out your "neighborhood".

pdv28

Lesli, <BR> <BR> I would appreciate very much if you would post about the Hotel and I know that I (and others on this post) would like to hear what your trip was like. <BR> <BR> I do have both of those books, but still can't find much about the actual rooms. I guess for the price, it shouldn't really matter! <BR> <BR> By the way, I faxed the hotel who said they can't guarantee any specific room, but will do their best to get the room that I want. I had inquired about an attic/sloped room. Do you know if they even have them? <BR> <BR>Thanks for your help! <BR>Patricia

Drroyboy

I have stayed at the du Lys many times over the course of many years. I love the location. Rooms are all different and vary from terrible (the one at the back of the foyer) to very interesting (maybe all of those which open on the street). There is no elevator and the stairs are difficult - especially with bags. Breakfast is included and OK. Management could be much more helpful. <BR>For example, I have been told more than once that you cannot reserve a specific room in advance. And more than once I've been told that I would have to change rooms because my room had been reserved for a long time????? Rooms can be very small. I return because the location is perfect for me and it is a decent place, interesting and quite reasonably priced for Paris. I don't think you will find it dungy? or dumpy.

pdv28

Do you know if there is a view in most rooms? Also, would they have an attic room? <BR> <BR>Thanks much for your help! <BR>Patricia

pdv28

Has anyone else stayed at this hotel? I would be wondering more about what the rooms look like, are they nice? Are there any views? What about bathrooms? There must be something special about it besides location?! <BR> <BR>Thanks again! <BR>Patricia <BR>Patricia

Lesli

Patricia - <BR> <BR>I know booking a hotel in Paris is a bit overwhelming, but please try to relax a bit! The Hotel du Lys is in many guide books, and is usually described as charming, so although that's subjective, it cannot be a complete dump. If you use the Pages Jaune (Yellow Pages) site I gave you above, you will see that the hotel is on a fairly narrow street, which means views are unlikely. I have heard that those facing front are brighter than those in the rear. But since the hotel will not guarantee which room they're booking for you, you can only request your preference and hope for the best anyway. The "attic rooms" which you are so interested in would mostly be in a hotel with a mansard roof, and I cannot tell from the angle in the photos whether the du Lys has this type of construction or not. Have you tried asking? The people I spoke to at the hotel all spoke English and were quite friendly. <BR> <BR>There are plenty of other hotels which you can see lots of pictures of, so if you are really nervous about it, perhaps you'd be more comfortable booking one of those. Be aware that if you're booking a single room anywhere, it's likely to be not only smaller, but less beautifully decorated than the doubles. But how much time will you be in your room anyway? Enjoy Paris!

Christina

The hotel would not be dumpy or dungy and described positively and recommended in so many guidebooks. Cheap Sleeps in Paris in particular is fairly honest and descriptive (unlike Fodors, Eyewitness, etc) and there would be some hint if it were really terrible. Here is a quote about it that I saved from an article in the French magazine "Elle" from 1998 (loosely and quickly translated): "high ceiling, beams, the charm of a 17th cen. mansion. Most of the rooms are wallpapered with flower prints. Two of them look onto flowered terraces. Recommended rooms: 17 Provencale decor and 18, particularly cozy." I have another article from a Parisian travel newsletter that says the entire hotel was renovated by end of 1997, including new granite sinks/renovated bathrooms. This article said the staff was particularly friendly (guess guy above doesn't think so) and that this hotel is the best value in a list of oft-recommended budget hotels which included Esmeralda, Grands Ecoles, and H. du Globe. It also said no. 17 has twin beds, so you can forget that, I guess. It's a small hotel, though, only about 22 rooms. I have seen photos of it and it looks okay for that price but not quite as charming as it sounds to me (but I dislike fussy stuff). I doubt if it has an attic room, as few hotels do. You don't say when you're going but if it's in spring or summer you probably would not want one as they can be very hot and stuffy (having had the misfortune of having one once). I do know a few hotels that I think have garret rooms, you might use that term. In French, you should inquire about "mansardes", I think that is the usual term for a garret room-- maybe chambre a grenier, but I don't think they really use that word, grenier, for attic rooms like these, that's like a farmhouse attic--but they would probably understand that). But the problem is you don't want to spend much at all, so you will be lucky to find a moderately good hotel at that price IMO. I think you would be more likely to find that architectural style in the Marais (although most hotels just don't use that top floor for guest rooms even when they have one). Three hotels that I think have garret rooms are the Hotel Clement in the 6th (but that alone does not make a hotel charming, I haven't heard H Clement called charming, it's fairly plain modern in decor) and the Grand Hotel Malher and the Hotel de la Bretonnerie in the Marais. The first two are 2-star and the last a 3-star, I think. I have read good reviews and recommendations on the last two, I would choose the Bretonnerie myself. However, I doubt if you will get a room for your price, which is extremely low, more likely a room will be 550-650F (why 430F exactly, that's an odd number, just curious--you mean you would rule out 450F? you are really limiting yourself by that figure) I think the Lenox Montparnasse also has a room like that but it's a suite and more expensive.

pdv28

Christina, <BR> <BR> The reason I inquired about fav rooms (in this particular hotel) under 430ff is because I have the option of having one at that rate. I was hoping to find nicer rooms here for under this price. That is not my (end-all) budget price. <BR> <BR> I have inquired about the mansard rooms at Hotel 3 Colleges, and, like you say, they are much more expensive. I guess it isn't possible to find for under about 500ff? <BR> <BR> I do have "Cheap Sleeps" but I don't think that necessarily means that there aren't any dumpy rooms in above hotel. It is all based on opinion. I've read to stay away from the back rooms, etc... usually most hotels have their good and bad rooms, and I was inquiring to hear any experiences people have had here. <BR> <BR>Thanks for your help! <BR>Patricia