I have had so much help the last couple of days since first posting to this site, but I have yet to book a room, I have to do this today to get the train tickets bought, I do not have a choice on the dates, December 24 to December 28, 2006. This is the first trip for my son abroad and I have no choice but to make this work, so no negatives about how late I am, I know that this is a difficult feat. Need Junior suite, about 200 euros, close to metro or walking to Notre Dame, etc, would prefer the 7th or 8th, though I don't know much about either, near the high end but still experiencing the real Paris, this is the part that may be tricky, the price for certain areas. I thought about the Brighton but cannot find a telephone number for them to call direct.

Jardin de Cluny (Best Western) is near Notre Dame, one block off St. Germain. Not the typical "European" hotel but affordable,clean with great breakfast and amazing staff. Location is superb.I checked; they have some rooms available...tho I didn't check on the sizes.

Re: your timing: You can pull this off. Don't worry. Enjoy.

No need to call the Brighton, here is the website, and it looks like there is availability on your dates:

http://www.esprit-de-france.com/en/

I can't really make recommendations, as I've only stayed in cheapies. However, many people recommend staying in the 6th, and I'm sure that Ira will post soon to recommend the Hotel Bonaparte there. The 6th is definitely the "high end", in a great location, and also "the real Paris".

If all else fails, take a look at www.accorhotels.com

What about the Madison?

This hotel has a junior suite available for Dec 24 for 5 nights at 184€
Located between Tuileries and Place Vendome (1st)

Hotel du Continent - Junior Suite 184€
http://www.hotel-du-continent.com/index.english.html
http://www.parisby.com/continent/pages/profile.htm

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...de_France.html

I stayed in the Jardin de Cluny and it was okay, and certainly a decent location. I had a single room which wasn't so great, but that happens in a lot of hotels. If you do stay there, get a room overlooking the street, as the interior rooms overlook a "courtyard" where the staff hang out and make a lot of noise, sometimes very late. I think maybe other people were out there also, late at night, maybe having a drink -- but their voices really echoed in that area, so it was noisy if you had the window open.

I really don't know what sallyjane means about it not being a typical European hotel, as I would certainly say it was. I can't imagine what she means by that. It was a very typical Parisian hotel (older building, about 40-75 rooms, French staff but some of them didn't speak English, although the main lady at the desk did, etc.). In fact, I liked it because they never switched to English when speaking to me in that hotel, and lots of folks do in Paris. They were very nice there at the desk, and the bathroom was large and very good. I think the larger rooms on the outside are a lot better than the singles, as usual.

The Madison would not be within the requested price range, unfortunately, although perhaps there are holiday specials on. Junior suites for 200€ may be hard to come by..but perhaps you'll be lucky. The 8th is not a very interesting area in which to stay, and the 7th is primarily residential. How about the 1st or the 6th? You could try the Mansart, which is in the 1st next to the Place Vendôme--there are some connecting rooms at a decent price.

You could try venere.com and lastminute.com for discount rates at various hotels. Good luck!

and you could try one that I can suggest...Hotel Relais duLouvre. They have suites, but I think I read that they are a tad more. (if you really up the ante, they have a lovely apartment that would give you and your husband and the full grown son plenty of space...) Its in the first too...I gotta go scroll, didn't I mention this before? Am I losing my mind?

Jelane, I have always stayed at The Brighton and have loved it. If you decide on the Brighton make sure you book a room with a view of the Tuileries. It is an unbelievable view of Paris. Enjoy!

I am now awaiting a reply from the Brighton, my husband made a call to them from the UK and they said to just fill out the form online, hopefully soon I will hear. I have now gone online about the train tickets, my husband and son want to ride the train, I about had a heart attack at the price, I had been hearing this on the forum but geez....for the three of us economy round trip, 750.00 dollars and for 1st it is 1000. For a once in a lifetime trip, why not go the first class for 250.00 more, I may have to sleep on this one.....But this is the first trip for us together in a long time, and after all it is Christmas. But I still may have to sleep on it. Thanks for all the help, once I put this behind me comes the rest of the story, NYE in London, but good news is I have a hotel just no dinner reservations, and hearing terrible stories about being in London on New Years Eve.

You could probably fly for less than that; try BA, Air France and BMI.