Hotels in the center of Paris
 

Hello -
Me and my boyfriend are searching for a romantic, centrally-located Paris hotel. We do not need any extra perks, but would like a charming, spacious, CLEAN room with a private bath/shower. Possibly with a terrace or balcony and a nice view. Quiet.
We could spend 120 - 160 Euro/night. I love the Marais area but I'm afraid that it is a little far from other city sites - we would like to use public transportation as little as possible.
Any suggestions on hotels/best areas?
Thank you.

the Hotel Quai Voltaire is right on the Seine across from the Louvre. The rooms have tremendous views of the river and located just a block or so from the Musei D'Orsay. The rates are very reasonable and the rooms themselves are somewhat small and not particularly luxurious (although have all you can expect from a reasonably priced European hotel). But the biggest draw is definitely the view from the room. The rooms do have a private bathroom.

From what you describe I'd recommend the Hotel Brighton in the 1st district-close to the Louvre and Seine. They have a deluxe double Tuileries view room going for 160 euros (not inclusive of b'fast). This would be a renovated room facing the Tuileries gardens. I believe it has a balcony too. It's not quiet as it faces the street but I understand it has a double door to the balcony.

Hotel de Notre Dame is very well located & clean but the rooms are not particularly spacious. Here's the URL to read reviews on tripadvisor

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...de_France.html

As you can see from the above posts I don;t think you're going to get everything you want in that price range. It seems to me you're going to have to compromise on spacious to get charming and a good price. Also - its very hard to get a balcony or terrace in a quiet location - almost all of them overlook the street which will involve a certain amount of noise. (I do remember reading an article a couple of years ago about a hotel in the 5th - 3* I beleive - that had interior balconies around a courtyard with fountain/trees etc but don;t have the name. You might want to search the travel magazine web sites for articles on Paris hotels to find it - I get several so I don;t know which one it was in. Perhaps if you ask for that specifically someone else here will know the name.)

Marais out? I can't beleive it. Close to the Pompidou and to the Bastille area, and only a short walk across the river to reach Notre Dame etc. And great restaurants for any category are just at your doorstep. Stick to Marais!
My very very favorite hotel is Hotel Vausges, located ten yards outside one of the famous square's arcade entances. Very romantic, high (HIGH!) value for money. Some rooms may be big, most however are small, but very nice. Balcony - I doubt it, but ask for a room facing the street (a very quiet and nice one) and you at least will have a French Balcony.
Have a nice trip!
Bjorn, Oslo

Hi
do a search here, or at tripadvisor.com or elsewhere, on the Louvre Montana, currently part of the Emeraude ('emerald') chain. I haven't stayed there in a while and don't know current prices, but they have one of Paris's most charming elevators, and moderately spacious rooms. No balconies that I recall, but I could be wrong. Nice quiet street (12, rue St Roch), yet 5 minute walk to metro stop. This is in the 1st, and very central, walking distance to Opera, Louvre, Place Vendome, Palais Royal, Concorde, and doable to the Arc de Triomphe.

I didn't think about that but a "nice view" can mean a view of a courtyard or garden too. If that's what you want then you will be in a quiet location. However, a courtyard view sometimes is not of anything special. It could be of the interior hotel building.
It is true that a "nice view" from the street side will cost you peacefulness.
There is a 3* hotel comprising of 3 buildings around a garden. I'm not sure if they have balconies and terraces though. It's Hotel des Grands Ecoles in the 5th district.
True too is that if you want a balcony or terrace it'll cost you more than 160 euros night usually.

Can't understand why you'd decide the Marais is suddenly not central enough.

As Bjorn states, you'd be within easy reach of Pompidou, Louvre, many small museums, Notre Dame, Ste. Chappelle, great restaurants, shops, and clubs. I think the hotel Bjorn is referring to may actually be the Hotel de Place des Vosges. . .

You can definitely find the accoutrements you'd like in your price range in the lower part of the 6eme or in the 17eme, but then you'd be evev less centrally located than the Marais.

I agree that the Marais area is not far from the sights at all. It's as close to the Seine as the 5th and 6th districts are. It was not far for us to walk over to the Marais and back from St. Germain.

A really nice hotel I hear is Hotel de la Place des Vosges. I don't think they offer any balcony and terrace views but their renovated rooms are pretty reasonable. They're going for a rack rate of 202 euros but ask them for the "discovery rate" and they'll quote you the same room at 140 euros but only 'til December 2004.

Yeas of course. Sorry for all my typos. Hotel de Place des Vosges it is.
B

We have stayed at the Brighton many times. The "balcony" referred to is a ledge about 18 inches wide. You can stand on it but not sit. They have done extensive renovations and so I'm sure the rates have gone up.

Just returned from a wonderful stay at the Hotel Verneuil - we loved the location - walking distance to the Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay, the Seine, St Germain, with several Metro stops nearby. Fresh flowers in the salon, charming rooms very clean, well apointed marble bathrooms. Lovely staff. Ask for a room facing the quiet rue Verneuil which will be sunny. The thing you can forget is "spacious." If you want spacious, consider Hotel Langlois, but then you will need to give up the central location.

I stayed at the Verneuil in February. For sure space is tight-at least in the standard rooms. What you mention is so true more often than not. Hotels with spacious rooms sometimes are in less desirable locations while those in great areas have tight space.

this may suit you if you like to walk and use the metro. we always stay at hotel etoile de maillot. it is close to the arc de triomphe in a residential area close to the embassies and a nice walk to the champs elysee. it has a bed and breakfast type feel and the argentine metro stop is just around the corner. the neighborhood is residential and has the butcher, baker, cobbler, etc. the room we have always received is fairly large by paris standards and the staff is very nice. we paid about 150euro I believe two years ago.

A few years back I thought it would be nice to be near the Arc de Triomphe not realizing that the metro would be necessary. I mean it is possible to walk but it's pretty far to the left bank. We did a walk to the Eiffel Tower on our first day and it was a long walk. We stayed near the Etoile on rue Tilsitt (Hotel Tilsitt Etoile). It's a great area for the Arc and the Champs Elysees.
I discovered the left bank after that and prefer to be there or closeby. The area around the Arc and Champs Elysees is just too busy and bustling whereas St. Germain is quieter.

I second Hotel des Grande Ecoles. The rooms are large and pretty. Make sure that you ask for one in the garden building (not the main building) facing the garden. You can walk almost everywhere. I have stayed here many times and never been disappointed. It is necessary to reserve as far ahead as is permitted.

I'm trying to find photos of the roomss in Hotel Duc de St Simon. Only see a picture of the outside.. anyone know where to look.. only see they have emaill, havent seen a website.

Here's the web site--but be warned that some of the rooms are quite small, although the hotel itself is charming.

http://www.hotelducdesaintsimon.com/