Hi Folks -

Haven't been to Paris in a while and cannot remember where we stayed then. The time before that was in a hostel with rented sheets (you know, the college thing!), so no way am I doing that!! Looking for your suggestions on a great place to stay in the 5th or 6th Arrondisments in lovely Paris.

There are two of us travelling at the end of September and will be staying in Paris for only 3 days! Anyhow, would like to spend around $200/night give or take. Definitely don't want the corporate sterile Marriott types, but would like some place that is spotless & fresh. Sounds odd, but just don't want a place that is dingy and dark ... some places look rather downtrodden and would prefer to spend a bit more to be sleep comfortably. Thanks!!! Merci!

Hi Bpesta,

A good place to start is to do a search here for 'paris hotrl' or Paris hotel 6th'. You will get TONS (weight if printed it all out) of ideas. It is a common quesiton, with many good answers.

You're looking for 150E maximum for a double/twin.

you might like:

Hotel Clement
http://www.clement-moliere-paris-hotel.com/

Hotel Jardins du Luxembourg
http://www.les-jardins-du-luxembourg.com/
(better photos at Parisby.com)

Grand Hotel St Michel
http://www.grand-hotel-st-michel.com/

The Hotel du Danube*** is a charmer on Rue Jacob and in your price range. We have enjoyed our stays there. There is no A/C but that should not be a problem the end of September. It is a lively and historic neighborhood and the hotel is a short walk to Pont Neuf. If you book, don't bother with breakfast. You can do better in one of the many nearby cafes.

Thanks for the quick responses. I will check out your recommendations. Do you believe it would be worth the extra money to up our budget to 200 Euros per night?

We also stayed at the Danube. Worth it to pay for a superior room there, IMO. I finally got around to writing a review and sending my room photos to tripadvisor and they should be up in a few days.

I agree about opting for a superior room at the du Danube. It still should be within your budget.

You better get working on it, September was filling up fast when I was looking in March to rooms in Sept. You may have to check several hotels.

<< Anyhow, would like to spend around $200/night give or take. >>

It's so easy to make recommendations and let "price creep" get out of hand. I am looking for Paris in late September and hitting substantial sticker/features/availability shock. also!

Worth noting that the recommendation here to go for a "chambre superieure" at Hotel du Danube means

175 euro for the room
10 euro each for the breakfast
1 euro tax

= 262.09 in USD!

You could say that I am padding to include the price of the high-priced (but not at all as high as some places) breakfast, but for these prices, I really don't want to have to feel like that running out scrounging for breakfast is essential to save a few dollars.

And ultimately, I dollar-cost-average all lodging expense for an entire trip. Very difficult to stay within a $200 per night budget (even a $250 per night budget), to spend these kinds of sums on a Paris room.

Such a rough life to be worrying about this (as opposed to wanting drinkable water, machete-free shelter, avoiding bullets and/or car bombs - - as many other inhabitants of earth face daily)...

Best wishes,

Rex

Rex, keep in mind that those are rack rates. Discounts are available. Also, for me, having breakfast in a local cafe is part of the fun and not "scrounging" especially when it is better than what I would get at the hotel. But I certainly agree about watching out for "price creep."

I recommend the Hotel des Jardins du Luxembourg, right on the border of the 5th and 6th, and right on the RER B line, to/from airport, and well connecting to other Metro lines. Lovely breakfast room, very quietlocation , on a cul-de-sac-- ask for room 25 on top floor, with original beams and larger bathroom with window too. Very clean, good storage space, pretty bed linens. Provence-like atmosphere. Staff was helpful, and one of best meals right around the corner, Les Papilles, full of locals on a weeknight. Also the old standard favorite Polidor, just a few blocks walk too. Nice walking distance thru 6th and 7th. Our fourth trip to Paris and best hotel/location ever. First time was in 1st, second near Notre Dame in 6th, and 3d near D'Orsay in 7th. We paid about $225 in March but it was well worth it.

I wasn't aware that small hotels such as those being talked about here have rack and discount rates, except for occasional seasonal specials.

We stayed at Le Regent last summer for a few days at the end of Aug. and paid something like 168 euro (b/c it was Aug.); we returned 2 weeks later to stay our last night in Paris (reserved at same time), and I asked if we could have the same rate. Nope, at beginning of Sept. rate went back up to 208 euro; no discount there. However, it is a lovely hotel with a very helpful staff.

I've stayed at the Danube once or twice a year for the last 7 or 8 years and I too recommend a superior room. I never take breakfast though.There are 2 cafes right next door..or my choice, a Paul a few blocks away!

Be aware though it is NOT air conditioned, which makes no difference to me as I travel Oct thru March.

I have several pictures of 2 rooms on Tripadvisor and am booked for 2 weeks there in November!!!

Also "rack rates" only happen in large chain hotels.

Perhaps "scrounging" was a poor word choice - - I agree that exploring (for lunch, for example) is part of the experience of any new (or not so new) city/town/rural area that one visits.

Still, breakfast - - for many (and certainly for me) - - is, preferably a &quot;pajamas&quot; thing... whether literally, in the room, or figuratively in the breakfast room, it seems like part of how we wake up and start the day, <i><i>before</i> showering and gettig dressed to go out and face the world. It may not be your expectation of a hotel (or chambre d'hote, or whatever) stay in France... but it's part of the equation to me. And there are still hotels in France (albeit, not so much in Paris) where it _is_ included in the room rate. Breaking it out seems to have been just one more element of price creep (not just Paris, in other cities as well).

Ah... nostalgia (for wonderful 60 euro rooms, back when that was waaayyy less than 60 US dollars!) - - just ain't what it used to be!
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I recently stayed at Hotel Monge in the 5th. Simple, clean and comfortable in a good location. I paid 98 euros for my double room and my friend paid 83 euros for a single room (that also had a double bed). It was affordable and we each had some privacy at a reasonable rate and we had two bathrooms.

Maybe not an example of 'rack' and 'discount' rates, but I have seen hotel websites on occasion that have two (or more price lists), such as &quot;standard rate&quot; and &quot;internet rate&quot;. Parts of the year you can find seasonal promotions or reduced price if you book a minimum # of nights, etc. Sometimes you might get a lower rate via email than what is shown on websites, but that is probably more often true of hotels that don't draw as many tourists.

You are right about the misuse of the term rack rates. What I meant was that discounts can be had from the published rate at many hotels including small independent ones. I most often do not pay the published rate and I am sure that others can say the same.

Rex, you make a good point about different travel styles. I like to hit the streets early. I am usually out strolling before the breakfast is served. If the hotel breakfast is special I will return to the hotel to eat, otherwise the local cafes are the ticket. In the case of the du Danube, the breakfast is nothing special and the nearby cafes are quite good and cost less.

Hi

The Familia Hotel - http://www.familiahotel.com - strikes me as good value for money. A hotel room with a balcony is uncommon and would be lovely. Near my favourite part of Paris - Ille St. Louis.

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions. We wound up going with Henri IV Rive Gauche. I've read some good things on it, so I hope its as nice as it sounds. Thanks again.