Caroline

A friend and I are planning a short trip to Paris (about 2 days) in the middle of February. It's our first time so we don't know the city and are finding it difficult deciding on a hotel based on info from internet sites and pocket guides where the options are endless. We'd like a place anwhere in the range of 600-1100FF, and in a location that is in the proximity of the best sights in Paris (if that's possible). Seeing as we will only be there a short time, having a hotel central to all the sights,(Eiffel tower, the Louvre, the arc de Triumphe, good shopping) would be a great help. Friendly service and general cleanliness would also be much appreciated. Thanks for any suggestions of a nice place for us first-timers!

Caroline

Beth Anderson

check out this link. I stayed there in June 1999. It was clean, well located, and cheap (it cost us about 80 bucks for two people - it would be cheaper now I would think, given the Euro)

Left Bank, a short walk to Notre Dame.

Hotel Studia.

http://www.paris.org/paris-cgi/PDB/hotel.cgi?htl1940

Peg

Caroline, Unfortunately, at this late date, your options are not endless.(Unless you mean Feb 2002). Quickly do a search on this forum and see the hotels that have been recommended previously. Hotel Muguet is always raved about as well as Hotel des Grand Balcons. Don't know if there will be any rooms available, but contact them right now! Stick to the lower numbered arrondissments to be in a central location. Both us those hotels are at or below your budget. Whatever you do, don't delay, book today! E-mail me if you need the fax numbers, but they should both come up on an internet search. Good luck.

Sherry

You should already have a good street map of Paris. My suggestion, because of the time of year, is to look closely at how far away you are from the closest Metro stop. The weather can be unpredictable. When I was there last week, one of the nights it poured. I was glad we were only one block from our hotel. But there are lots of hotels close to Metro stops. Some stops do not have taxi stands, and I didn't want to have to depend on them in bad weather.

Tom

hotel le tourville. charming and cheap

sandy

I stayed at the Hotel Castex a couple years ago. It was about $60 a night for the room. The hotel is small, no restaurant (but they do serve a fresh continental breakfast), no elevator, but the room and bathroom were spotless. The staff were also very helpful. It was about a block and a half from the Bastille Metro stop; the Louvre and Notre Dame were about 15-20 minutes walk, but the metro would get you to just about any of the major sites within 10 minutes. The Castex is listed in Fodor's Hotel section on this website. My parents are spending 2 weeks in Paris at this hotel (on my recommendation) next month, and the rate was still about the same.

Shane

Hi;

I went to Paris last July and we stayed at Hotel Chaplain Rive Gauche (in the 6th). It is only 490ff per night... small, clean, a great spot. Less than a block from the Vavin metro stop and 2 blocks from jardin de Luxembourg. I have no problem recommending it. Go to hotelboulevard.com to find it.