Hotel Sainte Beuve
 

We've booked Hotel Saint Beuve for 3 nights. We took a small room but got a great price. Its in the 6e. Anyone have any comments? We're going in May.

I have stayed there once, last March, and I loved it. I had a small, interior room but it was still fine as Paris is the last place I would want to spend time in a hotel room. The staff is very helpful, and it is only a few blocks from Luxembourg Garden, a great place to run. <BR><BR>You have access wtihin one to three blocks of three or four metro stops, and you have many restaurants, shops and movie theaters within the area. I would stay there again in the proverbial heartbeat, especially if the price is good.

Thanks. I'm so relieved to hear that. It looked great on the website but they can be very deceiving. <BR>Any advice on London hotels by chance?

landj, I'm thinking of the Saint Beuve for my next trip to Paris (which will be sometime after May), so I'd be grateful if you'd post a report when you get back. May I ask how you got the great price: was it directly through the hotel?<BR><BR>What's your budget for London hotels? I stayed at the Basil Street last August and liked it very much, but they were having a sale then, so it's probably a lot more expensive now.

Re: London Hotels, I am the only one on this board, apparently, who likes K-West, a four-star hotel that I pay no more than $130 for, and it has a gym, which is very important to me. <BR><BR>For good rates, check out london.hotes. This site also takes you to other cities for good rates. You pay up front though, so your plans must be set. <BR><BR>Also, with sites like these, I find you have to spend a lot of time on the internet, checking location, hotel sites and other factors.<BR><BR>Good luck.

I got the rate through the hotel. I think we took the least expensive room in the hotel. I think the hotel is a 4 star, but in any event, we're paying less than other hotels I was looking at. We were also thinking about the Axiel Beaubourg but decided on this one.

landj:<BR>The Sainte-Beuve is a nice hotel in a charming area. It's on a pretty quiet street with lovely shops and you can either use m&eacute;tro stop Vavin or Notre-Dame-des-Champs which are on two different lines. Very convenient. Besides, a lot of buses run through Blvd. Montparnasse and Blvd. Raspail.<BR>I always stay in that area and hardly ever use the m&eacute;tro.<BR>Besides, that very part of Paris known as Montparnasse is not as touristy as some others. It's busy on the Blvd. Montparnasse where the famous brasseries are located and around the Tower.<BR>Avoid to transfer at the Montparnasse metro stop. It's huge and can be confusing. I prefer to get off and walk back on Blvd. Montparnasse, when I happen to use the m&eacute;tro.<BR>The area is great for shopping and has a lot of very charming bistrots like Le Cam&eacute;l&eacute;on on 6, Rue de Chevreuse and some others on Rue Vavin. I also like the Brasserie Fernand on 127, Blvd. Montparnasse. Very good value and friendly staff.<BR>Personally, I love the side walk terrace of the Caf&eacute; Le Vavin. It's like being in a small town rather than in busy Paris. When heading for the northern part of the 6th arr. (Saint-Germain/Quartier Latin), I always walk through the Luxembourg Gardens.<BR>You'll love the hotel and the neighbourhood.

My wife and I stayed there and both thought it was a really nice place. I agree with all of the above contributions. Would definitely stay there again.

Thanks everybody. Ursula, I will take you up on your suggestions. Thanks.

Rooms at the Saint Beuve were tiny but very atmospheric. The innkeepers were charming. The couscous restaurant a couple of doors down was terrific. This is a very tasteful little hotel, and a good value. We loved the location, quiet street yet close to everything.

Lois,<BR>You must have been at 'La Table de Fes'. It has been on my list for ages, as I love Morrocan food.<BR>I should really try it, right? But, there are just too many good places in that neighbourhood.

The Saint Beuve is nearby the Luxembourg Gardens.

Approximately how many minutes average does it take to walk down to Blvd. St. Germain?

10-20, depending on your pace.

According to how old you are, also! We stayed at Saint Beuve a couple years ago and, although it was in a nice neighborhood, it was quite a walk. So last time we stayed at Hotel Pas des Calais which is down a side street from Blvd. St. Germain and its attractions.

Ursula, I agree with Lois that La Table de Fes is a very good Moroccan restaurant. I try to eat there every year and have learned that the portions are enormous, so I no longer order appetizers, etc. Madame seems to run it with only one person in the kitchen, and she herself is very chatty (in French) and will sit at your table to discuss world events if you ask her. Definitely go next time.

Another resto that gets good reviews on the same street as the Saint-Beuve is Le Timbre. It's called the Postage Stamp because of its size, so reserve ahead.

I agree about Le Camel&eacute;on and would add Wadja to your list of good bistros in the area.

Can anyone clarify: Online we see a junior suite for 230 euros (multiple travel sites), but when we contact the hotel they say the junior suite is 272 euros and for 230 euros is actually a deluxe room. Is this a bait and switch?

I don't know why those sites show you the jr. suite as being only 230 euro because the Sainte Beuve site clearly states that is the cost for a Deluxe room as they advised you. It's not a bait &amp; switch; this hotel is known for top-notch service and would not do such a thing to ruin their reputation. There is specific category type room as a jr. suite anyway. They offer a Ste. Beuve room at 272 euro and a connected room set-up at 325 euro other than the deluxe and standard categories. So obviously the sites you checked are not accurate and are possibly trying to get business by falsely representing the hotel's rooms.

My wife and I stayed there and loved it! It's in a nice location, near the Metro, and around the corner from some nice restaruants. You can comfortably walk to Saint Jermaine des Pres also. The people at the desk are very friendly and very helpful. They wrote us a note (in french) for the bus driver so we would be sure we got where we were headed!

Thanks Francophile03,

Your comments are very helpful:
Let me clarify: It is not the hotel that has incorrect information and it is for this reason I prefer to book directly with the hotel: Expedia, Travelocity, Cheaptickets etc all price the Junior Suite at 230 euros so unless you double checked directly with the hotel, you would be in for a surprise. I would expect this has caused problems for the hotel in the past. I look forward to my stay in the hotel (booked through the hotel) and will mention my findings when I get there.