Barb

I did a text search on this hotel, but there were only a couple of comments. It looks pretty good from the webpage and the price is right. The location seems pretty good too. I am going solo and would like to be within walking distance to most things and restaurants/bistros and be able to walk home after dinner. Any comments on this hotel? Also, the Hotel Saint Andre des Arts?

kanoneli

Dear Barb, My husband and I stayed at l'Hotel Sevres Azur about 20 years ago! I hate to tell you but we stayed there only 1 night and then moved to the Waldorf. Hotel Sevres Azur was a very basic accomodation. If you want "charm" I would say try something else. The Waldorf was delightful (both are in Montparnasse, I believe) but I'm not sure if it's still there. I'd suggest you research this message board and you'll get some links and ideas for some nice and cheap places. I'll put up some web sites a little later that show some options... also, i have a book that shows a variety of types of places called "Special places to Stay", the paris hotels version. I'll write more later after I feed my brood here!

kanoneli

Here are a few others that seem to be in the price range of Hotel Saint Andre des Arts. (Never been to any of them but they look nice in this book!) <BR>The first 3 are in St. Germain/ Orsay area.<BR><BR>Grand Hotel des Balcons<BR>www.balcons.com<BR><BR>Welcome Hotel<BR>www.welcomehotel-paris.com<BR><BR>Hotel de l'Academie<BR>www.academiehotel.com<BR><BR>There 's also a place called Hotel de Nesle. They call it a &quot;Backpacker's extraordinaire hostel.&quot; It has 10 rooms with shower and wc. No website but the Tel # is(0) 1 43 54 62 41<BR>The address is 7 rue de nesle. <BR>It looks lovely from the picture!<BR><BR>Here's a few from Latin Quarter:<BR>Hotel du college de France<BR>www.hotel-collegedefrance.com<BR><BR>Hotel de la Sorbonne<BR>www.ini.fr/sorbonne.htm<BR><BR>Hope that helps... I have more if you're interested!<BR><BR><BR><BR>

Barb

Kononeli, thanks so much for all your suggestions. I will definitely look into those hotels. I just got an email from Sevres Azur - 75 euro for a single with lg. bed, shower, satellite tv, direct phone, hair dryer and 7 euro for breakfast. But, I'm going to keep on looking.

Barb

I just found another possibility - Hotel Cujas Pantheon. Anyone know this hotel? It's 67 euro for a single.

Christina

Hotel de Nesle has a website, it's simply www.hoteldenesle.com<BR><BR>I haven't stayed at any of those, but at some level, basic Parisian 2* hotels aren't usually that different, and I wouldn't expect a 1* like St-Andre to be superior to most 2*s. I think I've read a couple comments on the Sevres Azur being okay (probably what you did) on here, but not that many people stay there so you won't find a lot. There are 3 positive comments on www.paris.org/hotels. I wouldn't decide based on what it was like 20 years ago, myself.<BR><BR>The Hotel de l'Academie isn't in this same range, it's an AC 3* hotel, probably double the others' rate. <BR><BR>I haven't heard any great things about Welcome at all. I think it is really basic with very small rooms and a very noisy location at the corner of bd St-Germain and something (maybe rue de Seine). If you want a budget hotel in St-Germain, I think Balcons is a good idea, also check out Regent's hotel on rue Madame (not the more expensive one), and there are a couple others recommended sometimes, maybe the Eugenie?

kanoneli

Christina's right...20 yrs ago is a long time.. and I was with my soon to be fiance so we were looking for something really special... and cheap! Hotel sevres Azur may be perfectly fine and very nice now. The location is great and that's one of the most important things! I was just suggesting some other posibilities in the same price range.

Barb

Thanks Christina. I have to say, the Hotel Nesle is certainly the most &quot;interesting hotel I've looked at so far. Loved the &quot;Melanie&quot; room. Has anyone stayed here? Location looks great.

kanoneli

Barb, If you want me to type up the review of Hotel de Nesle that I have in my book &quot;Special Places to Stay&quot; by Alistair Sawday, let me know.

Travelnut

I was thinking Hotel de Nesle was the one that didn't offer advance reservations... if not, what is that hotel..?

Ursula

Re: Hotel de Nesle.<BR>On their web site is says, they only take reservations by phone!<BR>BTW, my opinion about it: Interesting place, had a look at it, but would never want to stay there. Just too basic, on the other hand very narrow quiet street, wich is a plus in the busy 6th arr.<BR>Web site looks better than the place.

Barb

Kanoneli: Yes, I would like to see the review. I'm really tempted by this one. I don't think it has an elevator tho. Don't really want to lug suitcases up 5 flights. But man, that location does look great.

kanoneli

Okay Barb, here we go...remember, I've never been to this place, but here's the review! (My &quot; &quot; are where the author uses italics!)<BR>Backpacker's Extraordinaire and NOT a hotel for clean towels daily, great storage nad silence by 10:30 P.M. There is none other like it and no other owner like Mme. Renee, the lovable matron who, with her son David, rules her young visitors with &quot;bonhomie&quot;. Old furniture and dried flowers give the salon a carefree atmosphere-a collectoin of old Larousses adds a seroius touch.And on the first floor- an astonishing garden: roses, apricot trees and pond; half the rooms give on to it, many of them carrying David's bright colonial frescoes. Try &quot;Afrique&quot; for French explorers and mosquito netted bed, &quot;Sahara&quot; for a private patio and hamman, or &quot;Ancienne&quot; for old photographs and lace. All individually furnished with &quot;brocante&quot; and pretty mirrors, soft modern colours and great charm. Rooms are spotlessly clean with good mattresses. BUT, even if the price suits and the old beams please, the facilities may be too scant for your comfort; virtually no storage, one shower(magnificent in dark green marble with romantic broken column) for 10 rooms (* see my note later in this or next post) and NO booking: ring or come in the morning for the evening...and enjoy the warm friendliness. &quot;Sharing possible&quot; <BR><BR>I'll post the next one with the details listed in this review.

kanoneli

To continue: Hotel de Nesle<BR>OWNERS: Mme.Busillet and David Busillet<BR>ROOMS10 with shower &amp; wc,<BR>10 with basin, sharing 1 shower and 4 wcs. <BR>PRICE: singles and doubles 49.55-99.09 euros (book was published January 2001)<BR>BREAKFAST: Not available MEALS: NO<BR>METRO: Odeon RER: St.Michel-Notre Dame<BR>BUS ROUTES: 58 63 70 86 87 96<BR>CAR PARK: Rue Mazarine<BR><BR>An added note at the bottom of page:<BR>The Tower of Nesle was (is ) famous for housing princesses who seduced and 'used' handsome young men then threw them into the river to conceal their own depravities. (Don't know if this place is actually the tower) <BR><BR>Finally: <BR>Hotel du Nesle 7 rue de Nesle 75006 Paris<BR>TEL: (0)1 43 54 62 41<BR>FAX: (0)1 43 54 31 88<BR><BR>There are 2 small pictures in book: The garden and it looks lovely. There's also a bedroom which has an egyptian mural across the top half of the 2 walls shown. There's what looks like mosaic tile extending up the bottom half of those walls. It has a single bed with a homey type of chenelle bedspread and there's what looks like a medievil style lamp hanging from a beamed ceiling. (Eclectic comes to mind and very interesting in a quirky and pleasant kind of way... The perspective in the photo seems to show that it's not cramped, although who knows what it looks like when you see the rest of the room! <BR>Did not see anything about a lift.<BR>Not sure if you can reserve ahead... if it looks good to you, I'd say call and ask. Good Luck! <BR>

Barb

Wow, thanks for all that info - you have been so helpful. I'm just not sure if this is right for me. I love quirky, but I think this might be a little over the top and I will be in that room for 7 nights. I got an email this morning from Hotel Sevres Azur and I can have a room with large bed, shower, in-room safe, internet access, hair dryer, elevator and a balcony for 75 Euro. I just don't think I do much better than that and you did say the location was good? Are there restaurants nearby? Markets? Again, thanks so much for your help - that's what's so great about the board.

kanoneli

Dear Barb, I just pulled up Hotel Sevres azur and it really looks beautiful! I'm wondering if it's the same hotel that we stayed in so long ago! I'm pretty sure it is although they've done some major rennovations in the last 20 years! Amazing how thin gs can change with just a blink of the eye!<BR><BR>Anyway, as I recall, the location is great and you're just right between the St. Germain/Latin Quarter area and Montparnasse. Montparnasse is a major metro station as well as train station for your day trips. You are going to love it!<BR><BR>The only other thing I remember about it is that we seemed to get turned around when we'd try to return to the hotel the 2 days we were there, so study your map and location! Have fun!

Barb

Thanks again - it's good to hear the area is nice. This is my first time to Paris and it's so hard to judge distances from looking at a map. It was the same thing the first time I went to Rome and once I got there, I found I could walk to just everything from my hotel. I love to walk, so I'm hoping to walk everywhere.

Barb

Well, I really do have it narrowed down between two hotels now. Hotel Sevres Azur and Hotel St. Jacques. St. Jacques emailed me this morning with a single room, tub or shower, 1 floor to walk up (thought they had an elevator??) for 71.50. St. Jacques has lots of good comments - I wonder if it's location is better than Sevres. Any comments?

Barb

I finally decided on Hotel Saint Jacques. Thanks so much to everyone who responded to me. Now I can concentrate on planning the rest of my stay in Paris and then on to the south of France.