RichardJ

I have read through every post regarding St. Germain de Pres hotels and can't seem to settle on the perfect one. We are extremely noise sensitive and cannot believe that double pane glass is enough to insulate a hotel room from street noise (such as the Madison) We have stayed at Le Danube and Le Marronnier on Rue Jacob--the street is relatively quiet but the rooms were very disappointing. Hotel de L'Abbaye was ok but didn't like the location and our room was off of the reception and we heard each guest entering and departing the hotel. Ste. Beuve has been highly recommended but prefer the area around Rue de Buci. We have stayed 5 times at the Left Bank St. Germain on the back side, overlooking the courtyard and view of Notre Dame. We feel comfortable at that hotel but the last time it seems rather tired and worn. Plus some of the rooms are very tiny and if our luck changes, we could be stuck in a matchbox. The new Esprit Saint Germain looks great but out of our price range (350E for the least expensive room) The Relais St. Germain des pres states it has sound proofing but I have read it's in need of renovation. The Aubusson looks rather plain and the standard rooms are on the streetside. The Angleterre has been under renovation but the comments are quiet inconsistent. The Millesime seems well located but most people complain the rooms are rather small. We would prefer to spend about $300 US per night but willing to pay more for charm, quiet and location. Should I reconsider any of the hotels I mentioned?

ira

Hi R,

Please break your posting into paragraphs. It is very hard to follow stream of consciousness.

I told this to James Joyce, but he didn't listen.

We always stay at the Hotel Bonaparte, 61 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th. Starting about 124E dbl w/bkfst.

With the windows closed, we do not hear street noise.

Tel 33 1 43 26 97 37
FAX 33 1 46 33 57 67
www.hotelbonaparte.fr

For more info, enter "Hotel Bonaparte" in the "search this forum" box.

Photos are at http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...&y=-l95uyr

noprob

I second Ira's recommendation for Hotel Bonaparte. We stayed there (on Ira's recommendation) and the rooms were very quiet indeed. Lovely staff and quite charming. We can't wait to return!

ira

Pleased that you liked the Bonaparte, NO.

cchottel

Have you looked at the Hotel Villa d'Estrees. I knew a couple who stayed there and loved it. Their website looks wonderful.

annieladd

Hey, Ira! We're going back to France this year (yeah!) I love all your posts, and am thinking about staying at Bonaparte for the short time we'll be in Paris. But, how are the bathrooms? I need good shower, with plenty of hot water, and more importantly a door on the shower (or curtain). What's the bathroom scene like at Bonaparte???

annieladd

Mimar

Would you consider the 5th? I can't think any hotel's quieter than a room at the back of the courtyard of the Hotel des Grandes Ecoles. Unless the twittering of birds in the garden disturbs you.

Christina

I feel your pain, Richard, as I have very noise sensitive and really want quiet in a hotel above almost anything. The problem with the undesirable rooms is just the luck of the draw, I think, there isn't too much you can do about that unless you stay in a hotel regularly and are very specific about which rooms and location in the hotel you want, and you find a hotel that actually will guarantee you such a room. My favorite hotel in Paris does that for me, and I know the best rooms in that hotel by now, but it's always a gamble in any new hotel.

My experience is that when a hotel says it has soundproofing on its website, that usually just means double-paned glass, nothing more. Really, there isn't anything else you can do about street noise, as even if they had some extra special thick walls, that won't protect from street noise through the windows.

I think part of the issue here is that you really want to stay in a very busy, highly congested, popular central part of Paris with narrow streets and lots of street and other traffic, but want quiet. Those things just don't go too well together, unfortunately.

arriba

Have you looked into L'Hotel on rue de Beaux Arts? Probably more quiet than around the Buci area but not far from there.

Dave_in_Paris

Nothing is perfect, and nothing demonstrates the point quite as well as Paris hotels. Mulling your search, and your budget, the Hotel Marroniers occurred to me. Have not stayed there, but I suspect from the location, set back from the street, off Boulevard St. germain, that it's quiet. Here's the Trip Advisor link.

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

Good luck.

luveurop

When I stayed at the Millesime the room was perfectly fine. But then I've never stayed in a Parisian hotel room that I thought was too small. Good luck so far I guess.

Dave_in_Paris

By the way, the Aubusson does have a standard room on the first floor of the "pavillion" in the back, well off the street. No. 112 if my memory is working. It's quiet and cute, and the Aubusson is a great hotel. But the room is small. I don't think street noise would be a problem in any room of that hotel. The street side windows in another Aubusson room were double glazed windows BEHIND another window. But you would want to avoid a first-floor room above the bar-cafe, which has jazz several nights of the week. And so it goes ....

ira

Hi annieladd

>...more importantly a door on the shower (or curtain). What's the bathroom scene like at Bonaparte???<

There is plenty of hot water, except once when the boiler was down for 3-5 hrs. (Once in 20 yrs is acceptable, I guess.)

The bathrooms are large, well lighted and fully equipped, except that they have removed the bidets.

Call them about shower curtains. They might have installed some since we were last there.

RichardJ

Christina--now I am really curious. Would you mind sharing the name of your favorite hotel?

Yes, we have stayed at the Marronnier. The bed was so bad that I had to take it off of the frame and sleep on the floor. I would rather spend more for better beds but I do agree that the location is quiet.

I read through all of the reviews on Trip Advisor for Villa D'estrees. It sounded close to ideal until I read that the hotel is located near an Irish Pub. Another reviewer said they were disburbed each night by someone nearby loading and unloading.

L'Hotel sounds intriguing but the standard rooms are on the street and only with double beds.


Ira, I will definitely check out the Bonaparte if that pleases you. Recommedations are so much safer than relying on a website. I generally stay away from 2 star--are the beds firm?

Thanks to everyone for your ideas. As someone said, we want a quiet hotel in the most congested area--not a very compatible request but I am sure it does exist.

marcy_

RichardJ,
I swear we didn't hear any street noise at the Madison!

Luisah

<<I told this to James Joyce, but he didn't listen.>>

Thanks for my LOL of the day.

mamc

Have you checked the Hotel des Saints Peres? It is on the Rue des Saints Peres, a half block off Blvd. SG, about 2 blocks west of the Iglise de St Germaine des Pres. We have stayed several times and it is pleasant and quiet, owing in part to all (or most) of the rooms overlooking a central courtyard and not facing the street. The rooms and baths are larger than many 3* and the price is under $300 per room. We love the hotel and stay there each time we are in Paris.

ira

Hi R,

>I will definitely check out the Bonaparte ...are the beds firm?

We have a "firm" matress at home. The ones at the Bonaparte are about the same.

We have had no problems.

Be aware that the star ratings have nothing to do with whether a place is good or bad. They are simply a checklist od "amenities".

Do you need a conference room?

Underhill

We also have never been bothered by street noise at the Madison, even with rooms on the blvd. St-Germain. The double-glazing and thick curtains are very effective, and soundproofing between rooms is excellent. If you were to take a room further back I'd be very surprised if there was any noise from the outside at all.

RichardJ

There are quite a few troublesome comments on Tripadvisor about the Madison. Seems that the rooms in the back face an ugly wall.

Has anyone heard for Relais Saint Sulpice? Sounds like all of the rooms are on a courtyard--the deluxe is 225E. Seems that it makes more sense to get the best in a modest rather than the other way around.

Hotel des Saints Peres is in a quiet area as I have passed by it many times but never ventured inside. Glad to hear it's highly regarded.

I now have a growing list of possibilities.