"What would you think about staying on the Iles St. Claire? This is the island in the Seine that does not have Notre Dame. Would it be easy to get around from there? Is it a long walk to get to the mainland?"

This is a question from a friend planning a Paris honeymoon. Any tips for hotels on any of the islands of the Seine? Seems romantic to me, but I have no experience here. Your help is appreciated.

I'll put the price range around ~200 euro for a double.

Ile St Louis? Never heard of Iles St Claire at least not by Notre Dame.

Am interested to see wheree these islands are from paris experts.

Maybe the Ile Saint Louis has been renamed, as it is the capital of lesbian tourists to Paris.

'not that there's anything wrong with that'

On the Ille Saint Louis, we saw these two three-star hotels, side-by-side and owned by the same company:
http://www.paris-hotel-lutece.com/

They looked charming, and we really liked the little island location which is just a short bridge away from Parisian sites. Perfect for a honeymoon. Both are within the budget.

A good restaurant we found nearby is Le Caveau de L'Isle, http://www.lecaveaudelisle.com/uk/. We had a very nice and reasonably-priced restaurant there.
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"as it is the capital of lesbian tourists to Paris"-- seriously?? We are a family of four, and we loved this little island location. To say such a thing about it is an irresponsible slur. Don't be deterred from visiting by such garbage.
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assuming you do mean Ile St Louis - it is basically right in the middle of Paris. There is a short bridge to Ile de la Cite (the "island w/ Notre Dame&quot and short bridges to both the left and right banks.

It would be a great place to stay.

There are probably HUNDREDS of posts about Paris hotels already here. Here's one thread on the Ile St. Louis hotels.
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34637036

You can also do searches here for romantic hotels in Paris etc. Here's one (but a few years old) titled best Paris room for under 200E
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34688549

Btw, it would help to know what time of year your friends are going since many hotels don't have a/c.

Why is it any more of a slur to say that the Ile St. Louis is a center for lesbian life in Paris than to say that the Marais is an area to which gays tend to congregate? I'm not sure the former is true, but being inaccurate is less of a sin than being very non PC, IMO.

In Central Paris...Ile St Louis would be the one (vs. Ile de la Cite for Notre Dame location). I go there EVERY trip I make to Paris because I really like the location, the shops, the restaurants,etc.

One of my favorite restaurants was Reine Blanche, which is under new management since I last went so can't comment. I went to Brasserie de L'Ile St Louis in November and had a very nice lunch sitting outside, looking at pweople, the Pantheon,etc...I've also eaten at Le Caveau, good food (sit in beamed basement for extra atmosphere. And there is of ocurse the Berthillon ice cream, the chocolat shop on main street,etc...

I have also stayed at the Hotel St Louis en Ile and the Deux Iles. I would easily recommend Deux Iles and I have seen the Lutece. My one comment based on my experience is that the elevator and rooms may be small, some may have old timbers,etc..

Location wise, you are 5 mins from Notre Dame, 10 mins from Metro, 10 mins form RER to CDG, lots of restaurants on Left bank nearby, 5 mins from Seine walks, Seine boat cruise not too far...not too noisy at night..traffic is going to/from Left bank to Right bank, so minimal traffic on main steet (where hotel is) apart from early morning business traffic...if you can afford it, it's ideal location wise.

I know there is a "wife swapping" address on the island, but apart from that there is no "alternative" vibe that I have ever noticed.

Whenever I go, I look in the window of the real estate office on the island and dream...

Mike

Without getting into the tussle - if Kerouac says it it indeed is true IME - he's lived in Paris for years i believe and everything he's ever said seems right on to me.

I appreciate knowing the fact - i may walk around and see if i can notice that. But of course it was peripheral to the question.

Suze...it appears that you refer to Ile St Louis...we have stayed at The Hotel Lutece three times and loved being on the island in the evening after walking Paris during the day....my daughter and family stayed at the Hotel Deux Iles, next door sister hotel of the Lutece, and also liked it very much.

Last year we switched to the Marais and although we enjoyed staying there, we plan to go back to the Lutece next visit. Easy walk to either left or right bank, and to most major sites in Paris...as for a honeymoon, ideal location, in my opinion. Wife agrees! I imagine the rates are now in the vicinity of less than 200 E's...good luck.

(By the way we found Kerouac's peripatetic lesbians to be delightful folks, adding to the overall charm of Ile St. Louis!!!..so there!)

Stu T.

I can't believe that anybody would say that indicating a place to be a favorite with lesbians is a slur! What if I had said it was the capital of American tourists?

Last year we switched to the Marais and although we enjoyed staying there, we plan to go back to the Lutece next visit

By the way we found Kerouac's peripatetic lesbians to be delightful folks, adding to the overall charm of Ile St. Louis!!!..so there!)

tower - which are more delightful, the peripathetic (to some i guess pathetic) lesbos on the island or the gays in the Marais?

or equally delightful - i too would consider that the island is a lesbian favorite to be a plus in my decision to stay there.

Kerouac, your terse post had a disrespectul tone to it, IMHO. I apologize if I took it wrong.
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In due respect i think you may have - having read legions of Kerouac posts over the few years i have never detected any maliciousness or slurs, at least intended slurs.

Ile St Louis it is. THANK YOU all! Obviously I did not take time to research; I simply volunteered to post a question for a friend because they know I am a regular poster here at Fodor's.

The trip is September this year.

I'm interested in hotels names on Ile St Louis or Ile de la Cite either one. Is this a terribly expensive area, as one person mentions 'if they can afford it' where we are not likely to find 200 euro hotels?

And yes I know I can research the archives, as can they.

But currently they are using the method of attempting to read reviews of the 1,732 Paris hotels(!) reviewed on Trip Advisor for all of greater Paris, which I think is not efficient or likely to get the best results.

I suggested these islands as something unique to consider. Non?

Yes, the largely vehicle-less Ile St Louis is a quiet oasis in the heart of Paris - has its own character - small shops, boutiques of art, neat cafes and really quiet - tremendous location - metro and RER stops a short walk away.

Ile de la Cite has a few hotels perhaps but not many - i'd dwell on St Louis if it's in their price range.

Thank you for your guidance and clarifications. I'll search on Ile St Louis then and see what I can find.

Specific hotels located on Ile St Louis? Anyone else? merci beaucoup, suze