elaine

I thought I'd try starting this thread for people to include information on one-star, no-star, or B&B accommodations that people have stayed in in various cities, and recommend.

Details would I think be helpful: what it offers, what it doesn't offer, why you recommend it, perhaps some rooms are better than others, private baths or not, price if you recall, contact info, proximity to public transport, address, etc.
Or, just referrals to listings found here or at tripadvisor.com or other websites would also help.

We'll see if this goes anywhere.

Scarlett

It would have been great if this had been posted when my son was thinking of staying in Paris in an icky hotel in the Marais..he ended up staying in a pleasant place one night, but it is difficult to pick safe and clean when going serious budget!
I hope those who post have actually stayed in these places..

111op

I'm doing myself a disservice by recommending <b> Hotel Tiquetonne </b> in <b> Paris </b>, which I've mentioned before.

I think it's a one star, but I don't know for sure.

I wanted to stay there for a third time on July 2 and 3, but they're fully booked for July 2. So I may have to find another &quot;one-star wonder.&quot; They did refer me to another hotel when I asked for a recommendation, which I e-mailed but haven't heard back. That hotel seems to be more expensive.

Anyway, Hotel Tiquetonne on 6 r. Tiquetonne, 33 1 42 36 94 58.

I've only stayed in a double with private bathrooms for 50 euros.

Spacious rooms, wonderful location (steps from the Etienne Marcel Metro stop, and further down, Les Halles-Chatelet). The squeamish might be offended by r. St.-Denis (not me). Has an elevator.

Lacks 24 h reception (which closes at midnight, I think).

It's helpful to be French speaking, but I always start by asking if the person I'm talking to speaks English.

Scarlett

111OP that is the hotel my son ended up staying in

111op

I know, I remember reading that you mentioned it.

I just don't want the hotel to be booked when I need it. I love this hotel for its excellent value.

My heart sort of sank when I called them this morning -- &quot;Oh dear, where am I going to stay now?&quot;

Scarlett

How sad when they don't save you a room lol..
Baby boy loved his room and got a laugh out of rue St Denis.
Of course, he had just been through 3 months in Thailand and India, so he was less ruffled by unusual sights than some tourists might be

111op

I even recognized the woman's voice.... I should call again and tell her, &quot;Oh, you must know me. I'm your loyal customer who raves about your hotel. Surely you can make an exception.&quot;

I'm booked for July 3 but I'm not excited about having to switch hotels in a short stay, so I need to see how this will turn out.

Honestly r. St.-Denis is quite tame. I've (obviously your son has) seen worse. As has been mentioned before, r. Tiquetonne itself is actually quite charming.

Maybe someone else will offer their Paris one-star wonders. There're quite a few listed on eurocheapo.com .

Edward2005

Hotel Mittaghorn in Gimmelwald in the Berner Oberland is a good 1-star value. Hypnotic views of the Alps.

10 rooms: 80 francs for a double, 45 francs for a single. About a dozen loft beds for 25 francs. All include breakfast. Dinner included for guests for another 15 francs per night. Shower is down the hall.

The place is old and creaky, but it's also comfortable, friendly, and full of character. The owner donates 1 franc per person per night to charities in South America -- over $200,000 since 1990.

SuzieC

I stayed in a 1*, Hotel St. Andre Des Arts. I CHOOSE it consciously because I had this weird thing about staying in something really OLD...and this building had been built in the 15th or 16th century. OK, it has been modernized since the Musqueteers were quartered there... but its a bit shabby around the edges. No elevator, no tvs.
LOVELY curving steps..wacky levels on the floors ... floor to ceiling windows along the front... I thought the bathroom was very nice and over all clean. I LIKED the street ... out the front door and either way to really nice cafes and bistros. Bout 2 blocks to the Seine...Latin Quarter.
I liked it. I could stay there again if my budget demanded it.
But there is someone here at Fodors who REEEAAALY doesn't like this place, can't remember who that was...

SuzieC

dagnabit... did I mention it was 70 euros a night for a triple? (2 full sized american beds...and an easy chair that sort of &quot;spread out&quot; to a twin sized bed. No, I hadn't mentioned that in previous post

DiAblo

In London: One of the worst is in Earl's Court, The Rameses. Miserable in every way, breakfast was stale cereal and a drink made up of 98 parts water to two parts generic Tang&copy;. In the winter they turn the heat off late at night and it was freezing. To make a bad situation worse we woke up with tiny red bites. A rude and surly staff.

Also very bad, the Lonsdale in Bloomsbury. Staff and management will look right at you and smile while they lie about just about anything, your accommodations, what they’re going to charge you, even directions to local landmarks.

The best is The Celtic Hotel on Guilford street abutting Russell Square. An old Georgian era townhouse, a bit rundown, threadbare, miserably decorated but a warm and wonderful staff and a good breakfast…well, as good as an English breakfast gets.

It’s located mere yards from the Russell Square Tube stop, easy walking distance to the British Museum and, if you're fit, a reasonable walking distance to the theatre district. Also close enough to walk to Holborn. There are lots of food shops, one or two good places to eat, an American Express, dry cleaners and Laundromat in the neighborhood. Also it is cheap, competitively. The hotel doesn’t take credit cards but there is an ATM straight across the way.

I’ve also heard very good things about St. Margaret’s ( also in Bloomsbury) which is owned by the same family as owns the Celtic. I’ve never stayed there myself, and for all I know it might have actually been rated at 2 stars at least once upon a time.

Leely

I like tatty and idiosyncratic, and don't care about amenities except private bath, so please keep that in mind.

I like the Johanna in Florence, although I haven't stayed there in a few years and I think the prices have gone up. (web site: johanna.it) It's a bit out of the bustle, but near good restaurants. The rooms I had were big, with big bathrooms. It's more like a B and B without the second B. If you're looking for something that feels like a hotel, this isn't for you. And if you're looking for something where the staff treats you like family you wouldn't be happy here; you're pretty much on your own.

I think some people hate it!

Now that I think about it, my good deals have been apartments. Because I don't need or want a concierge, daily maid service, etc., I can get nice, centrally located places in charming buildings for less.

What about lower-priced 2 stars? Do they count?

111op

I don't think that the star rating is really meaningful for me anyway. You can have a 2* that's more expensive than a 3*, etc.

I think that I just want a cheap hotel that's also good.

Intrepid1

An excellent resource for budget accommodations in Switzerland can be found at www.rooms.ch

bettyk

The Gasthof Badl in Hall in Tirol was only 64 Euro for a nice basic double room with TV (and a small but private bathroom) looking out over the Inn River with the spectacular Apls in the background. They are probably closer to a 2-/12*. Breakfast was quie delicious and they have a nice restaurant as well as an elevator.

The Zum Hirschen in Iphofen was a steal at 64 Euro. Nicely furnished large modern room with great bathroom, TV and a delicious breakfast. Located right around the corner from the Market Square, this place was definitely 3* at 1* or 2* prices.

Due to a problem at the Gruner Baum Hotel in Hallstatt, we spent one night at the very old and creaky Gasthof Simony. The only double room she had available did not have a toilet in the room but was clean and tidy. There was a shower and a sink but the shared toilet was around the corner. For someone who wouldn't mind this arrangement, the room was only 60 Euro and came with a fabulous breakfast. Also, the Simony is located right in the center of the old part of Hallstatt on the Lake. And, the owner, Susannah, is very nice and speaks good English.

Leely

No secret, but Le Calendal in Arles is a very reasonably priced 2-star that in many ways feels like a nicer place than its star rating would suggest.

I think I paid 65 E for a double single use--but this was in January. I would think one could go much cheaper in Arles, especially in the off-season, but this a cheerful place, rooms aren't worn, bathrooms are big(gish) and modern, etc. Staff is very nice and attentive. Free internet in the lobby.

grimmy

The B&amp;B Residence Versailles in Beynac is one that comes to mind. 50Euros gets you a beautiful room with a view, full english breakfast in very clean and attractive surroundings.
www.residence-versailles.com

PalQ

Hotel Alpina, Interlaken, Switzerland. For about $40 you can get a single in this huge chalet hotel and unlimited buffet breakfast, with coffee served by nattily-attired waiters.

rex

While I have stayed in a dozen or so places that qualify for this list, many were either in obscure (rural) locations, or it was five or more years ago - - making me thus reluctant to comment.

But we chose www.hostalbahia.com - - which is listed on an exhausting list of &quot;boarding houses&quot; (which it is not, in my view), listed there as 2-star. Two of the places that are listed as &quot;moderate/budget&quot; on www.maribelsguides.com are on the same list - - we felt that Pension Aida wasn't as well located (perhaps arguable), and we found several other 2-star places booked up. Hostal Bahia generally ressembles a hotel, with its reception on the first floor (not on the ground floor), a desk clerk (helpful on two occasions), and a nice breakfast room. It's &quot;the lesser sister&quot; of Hotel Europa (under a block away), which Maribel does list as on her 3-star list (the difference was pretty readily apparent when we stepped into its lobby).

Altough the sansbeastiantuirsmo webpage lists the rate as 79-99 euro, we were offered a rate of 69 euros. This is pretty middle of the road for the 2-star &quot;boarding houses&quot; listed on the aforementioned site - - and a good bit under the median price on their 2-star &quot;hotel&quot; list (and none of those looked good to me, by location, or their website pictures, or price).

69 euro (breakfast included) would not have made my list as &quot;budget&quot; even just a few years ago (i.e., 90+ $USD) - - and it was the highest priced place we stayed on this particular trip - - but for what we got, in this location, in this city, I rate it a very good value.

Best wishes,

Rex

p.s. - - for others reading this thread who haven't read elaine's other &quot;recent&quot; post&quot; (less than 24 hours earlier &quot;vintage&quot; than the original post on <i>this</i> thread), it has other equally interesting posts - - a little bit more about viewpoint, less about specific properties...

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34631341

ira

In Florence, the B&amp;B Peterson.
www.bedinflorence.it

In Praiano (on the Amalfi Coast), the Hotel Le Sirene.
www.lesirene.com

In Paris, Hotel Bonaparte, 61 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th.

Tel 33 1 43 26 97 37
FAX 33 1 46 33 57 6