Hi S,

I suggest staying in the 4th, 5th or 6th arronds.

In addition to the suggestions here, look up the hotels at www.venere.com.

Look for reviews of the ones you like at www.tripadvisor.com.

You will not be able to book hotels for 2009 until Nov or Dec of this year.

Le Sevigne has a great location in the Marais - my parents have stayed there and found it fine. It's cheap, clean and safe but the rooms facing the street can be a bit noisy. Don't know about the availability of CNN though!
www.le-sevigne.com

Up

suze 1; Ira gave you tripadvisor.com for traveler comments. Go on the site and type in Paris. You can then select the dollar amount you want to pay and see if you get any results. ENJOY Iris

We have stayed at the Hotel Beaugrenelle Saint-Charles and loved its charm. Rooms are small but its a very comfortable and clean hotel in a nice location. Friendly staff. Should be within your budget.

http://www.beaugrenelletoureiffelparishotel.com/

We are staying in the Hotel Eugenie in May of this year (http://www.eugenie-paris-hotel.com/). Obviously we haven't stayed there yet, but we found many good reviews on Fodors as well as Tripadvisor (that site is really invaluable, by the way). We're paying 110 euros/night, which is just slightly above your budget range, though at a different time of year the price might be lower. It's very central, right near the Saint Michel Metro/RER station. So far the staff has been very friendly. I know they have TVs in the rooms, though I don't know for sure about CNN.

Hopefully I'll get my act together to post a trip review after we go so I can offer more firsthand insight!

we booked an apartment in paris over xmas in the 7th- great locale, well appointed, great breakfast bought at the nearby patisseries and fruit market- very inexpensive and much roomier than a hotel

we use vacation in paris and found the process easy and professional

The Hotel Chopin is within your budget, with nice doubles at €88 or €102.

http://hotelbretonnerie.com/chopin.htm

Here suze...
see this
http://www.hosteltraveler.com/direct...el_Regence.htm
Just for 10 EUROS!!!
find better deals on the same site...

Just thought, the Chopin probably doesn't have CNN. It's sister hotel, the Hotel Bretonnerie, has satellite TV in its rooms, but is a more expensive 3*. You've got time to check out the channels and shop around for a deal.

http://hotelbretonnerie.com/bretonnerie.htm

I don't care if it has CNN, just a TV to please my husband, if it's only in French then be it.

Parisonmyminds, you've been to several hotels, which one was your favorite hotel for the hotel and location? I looked on Venere and one could go crazy with the variety of hotels. On Venere my original hotel pick is only 89 euros for a double room, I don't see that there's a charge to make the reservation on Venere.

Suze: I like the Hôtel du Collège de France. 97€ for a double room. Some rooms have a balcony with table and chairs. Great location.
http://www.hotel-collegedefrance.com/

Thanks, Travginny, I would still like to know Parisonmymind2's favorite since she's stayed stayed at so many different hotels.

I'd also like to know why a different hotel everytime, she must not have been very impressed with the previous stays.

I've been looking around for a real bargain with satellite TV. The following link might be worth considering, but I've never stayed there.

http://www.comfort-hotels-paris.com/...ne-eiffel.html

I don't know why a person can't stay at a different hotel each time, just like people enjoy trying a new restaurant each time.

Sometimes the hotel that is inexpensive on one trip is not inexpensive on the next trip. Also, Paris has so many varied areas that you get a completely different feel by changing hotels each time.