Your hotel location is not too too important as long as it is in the 1-8 arrondisements. Transportation is so easy. But the 5th and 6th are very lively with lots of cafes and such. Or we like the 7th near the Ecole Militaire Metro (and the Rodin). I like the DK Eyewitness Guide to Paris because it lists sites/sights by geographic areas and gives that neat graphic view of the streets, etc. One of our favorite museums (that is now free) is the Carnavalet. It is the museum of the history of Paris as depicted in art.

Here's the title of my last year's trip report:
12 Days in Paris - Highlights and Lowlights

If you email me right now I'll send you the entire report with all the details.

Also, you can email me if you want. I'll be back from Malta before you leave and will check emails upon my return.

Have a wonderful time in Paris!!

If you click on the top of this screen on Hotels you will find lots of suggestions with guest comments, ditto
www.tripadvisor.com

I also have a long file on Paris, if you'd like to see it, email me at
[email protected]

Adrienne:
Your thread worked. Thanks! One question, the Vaux le Vicomte chateau that you went to with Paris walks, was that a private tour or just one of their regularly scheduled ones? Also on thier site it's not clear if you must register for thier daily walks in advance do you know?

I really enjoyed my stay at Hotel Verneuil, and I believe others on this forum have recommended it as well. I have also heard good things about the other 2 hotels you mentioned.

Here is a Travel & Leisure link which recommends several Paris hotels under $200 (although this before the euro became so much stronger than the dollar.) Many of these are on the left bank.

http://travelandleisure.com/invoke.c...B20002B3309983

You have to register for the Paris Walks bus tours. For their walking tours you just show up. They have very few bus tours scheduled. We just happened to be in Paris for this one.

I just got your email so I'll send the report right now.

Only 50 minutes until I leave for Malta!!!! Woohoo!

Have a wonderful time, adrienne!

Hi 2seeds,

My wife and I will be in Paris celebrating our 3rd in May as well. I suggest the Hotel Du Quai Voltaire, simple room, no TV, beautiful view of the Seine and Louvre, and within walking distance of everything. It is where we will stay, it is where we stayed for our honeymoon 3 years ago. Most important, where every you stay, HAVE A GREAT TIME!

adrienne, I used your informative posts (and also those of Degas) and saw so many great places and things that I'd somehow missed before. Thanks again for expanding my insight into this great city.

2seeds, you might want to do a text search for: Degas And walks

He posted many detailed area explorations/walks that are chock full of sightseeing, shopping and eating options.

I'd forgotten about Degas's walking tours he put together. They're great. I saved them in Word files for my next Paris adventure.

Chatnoir - Thanks so much. I must say that I've taken lots of information from this board. The information found here and the generosity of the posters with their time taken to post and their knowledge has thoroughly enhanced my European trips.

Hope I can add to that knowledge base when I return from Malta.

Both the Saint Beuve and the Hotel de l'Abbaye are excellent choices. The Abbaye is perhaps closer to the tourist sights, being a bit farther north than the Saint Beuve, which is in Montparnasse, but with the excellent metro and bus system, I really don't think you need to worry about location as long as you are within the central arrondissements. My preference is always the Left Bank as I like the somewhat slower atmosphere.

A greater concern I would think is that you are going to need a room in mid-May, only 2 weeks from now. I suspect that you may be in the position of having to take what's available. both these hotels tend to fill up early.

Since you say you only want a place to lay your head you might also prefer a less expensive hotel. Both the ones you mention will be over $200 per night for a standard room. Here are some other possibilities: Hotel Université, Hotel Lenox, Hotel des Saintes-Peres, Hotel Thomas d'Aquin.

Good luck and happy anniversary.

Another good choice might be Hotel du Pantheon, which is in the 5eme, but not too far away. The decor is romantic (think toile) and many of the rooms offer a view of the Pantheon.

My wife and I have stayed at the Saint Beuve and thoroughly enjoyed it- friendly and in 6th. We have also stayed at Hotle Pas des Calais and plan to use it when we return in October. It has site on web and is also very nice.

Although public transportation is available, I much prefer to tour by walking so like a very central location. The Latin Quarter (5th) worked for me. It sounds like you haven't yet... so I suggest getting a map showing the arrondisements (neighborhoods by number) and major landmarks. Once you pick your area (i.e., I want to stay in the 5th or the 6th) it helps by narrowing down the overwhelming choice of hotels in the entire city.

Does anyone know how to get to Michael Osman's website? The geocities link does not take you there.

Congrats on #3. We go every year and always stay on Left Bank. Usually stay at Hotel les Marronniers on Rue Jacob - you can see top of St Germain church from floors 4 and above, and enjoy the bells. The hotel has a lovely garden in back - nice for petit dejeuner. Rooms small, but lovely w/ beams on upper floors, etc. This year, we are trying Hotel L'Abbaye, after seeing it and thinking it looked wonderful and freinds' also raving about it. A little costlier, but we want to try it out.