Paul Taylor

I am taking my wife to Paris in April 1999 <BR>to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary. <BR>Can anyone recommend some good but not too expensive hotels in central Paris. Thanks.

Howard

Paul, <BR>I would highly recommend the Hotel St. Louis on the Ile St. Louis, just behind Notre Dame. I'm not sure what you're "not too expensive" means, but I think the St. Louis is under $200 a night, which isn't bad for Paris or especially for the Ile, which is a world unto itself. Try this web site: <BR>http://www.paris-hotel.com/files/aph...=gb&quartier=1 <BR> <BR>and click on 2 for a look at the St. Louis. <BR>By the way, if you're not familiar with Paris, expect rain in April, every day. The song April in Paris is a lie: the chestnuts don't really bloom until May. <BR>But Paris in the rain is better than anyplace in the sun. Have a wonderful time, wherever you stay!

Donna

I, too, would advise that April is usually chilly and dreary. You may wish to consider going in late May or early June when the leaves will be on the trees, the flowers will be in bloom (it would be a shame to miss the gardens, landscaping and beautiful window boxes everywhere) and the weather will be much more pleasant for sitting in outdoor cafes, open air boat rides down the Seine, and strolling all over. As for hotels, it's best if you go to your local bookstore and have a look at Cheap Sleeps in Paris, Fodor's Hotels of Character & Charm, and there are lots of others, to select the perfect hotel which most appeals to you. Or, you could do a search on this forum - there are dozens of terrific suggestions.

Lu B.

I've posted this hotel suggestion elsewhere on the forum. But, I stayed at the Hotel France Louvre on the Rue de Rivoli. Very clean, (no concierge if you're looking for help or ideas), rooms are very basic. Nothing fancy. Breakfast is included in the cost, which is about 120 US Dollars for a double. In the 4th arrondisement, easily walk to Notre Dame, Latin Quarter, Marais. If you decide to call them, they are really very helpful though some staff speaks mostly only French. Do try to stay in a room not on the street side. It is noisier and I was there in April and had my windows open. Good luck. If you have any specific questions, feel free to email me.

Christina

Well, if my husband took me to the <BR>previously mentioned hotel (very <BR>basic, nothing fancy, no concierge, <BR>etc.) for a 20th anniversary, I'd divorce <BR>him. This is a personal preference,but <BR>I would think staying right on the rue <BR>de Rivoli would be terrible as it's very <BR>busy, noisy and full of tourists in many <BR>parts (mainly around Louvre). Well, <BR>it would be useful if people would be more specific <BR>as not too expensive can mean anything <BR>to different people from $50 to $500, <BR>but I've heard that the Hotel le Tourville <BR>in the 7th arr. near the Ecole Militaire <BR>metro stop is small, charming, and <BR>very nice and it's a convenient location. <BR> <BR>

Joe

The picks of this list for reasonably priced ($100 and under) Paris hotels seem to be the Champs du Mar in the 7th and the Grandes Ecoles in the 5th. Search the list and you'll find many descriptions of these hotels and the neighborhoods they're in, and no complaints except for some problems with the CdM not responding to queries - - which sounds like a temporary thing. I stayed at the GE this summer and loved it and the area around it; I recommend it highly. As for April in Paris, it may be wet although rain tends to be intermittent with a mix of clear and cloudy. And Paris is beautiful in the rain.

Carol

Hi Paul--I agree with Donna. Use Amazon.com and order a copy of Paris Hotels of Character and Charm. It has color pictures and great descriptions and quite a few 2-star hotels for @100 and under. Pick out those that appeal to you and them com back to this forum and check them out.

QM

I just wanted to put in a good word for the Hotel l'Abbaye St Germain in the 6th Arondissement (not far from Luxembourg Gardens, great shopping and galleries, and paris mainstays like Les Deux Magots and Cafe de Flore). My fiance and I stayed there in April and loved it. It was under $200 per night. The hotel is a former convent but is quite charming and warm inside with cozy sitting room and breakfast areas and a pretty courtyard. <BR>+33-1-45-44-38-11. <BR>

Bill

Stayed at the Relais du Louvre, 1e, <BR>just a block away from the Louvre, walkable to Notre Dame and the Ile <BR>St. Louis, righ across the Pont Neuf <BR>bridge from the left bank. Two metro <BR>stations within one block and some <BR>good restuarants nearby. Opera is <BR>walkable. Price about $145 per night <BR>very helpful people in the lobby. Ratedas a ***, not fancy but clean <BR>enough for my wife and that's good. <BR>