gemeaux:

Has anyone mentioned Hotel Leveque? It gets great reviews at TripAdvisor. On Rue Cler, it's right around the corner from the Eiffel Tower. Doubles w/ shower: 87 to 93 euros.

http://www.hotel-leveque.com/index.php

Ronda:
Hotel du Bois was in the movie "Until September" with Karen Allen and the oh-so-gorgeous Thierry Lhermitte. If you saw it, you would want to stay there even more! It's quite steamy---the movie, that is. :">

We just returned last night and while in Paris we stayed at Hotel Jeanne d'Arc in the Marais, www.hoteljeannedarc.com and our room was 82€ per night. We were in room #1 which was nice and roomy for this price. We walked into a long entry which opened into a sitting room with with a desk and an upholstered chair. Then off this room was the bathroom and the bedroom with double bed, large chest for clothes, another comfortable chair and TV with CNN and BBC and several French stations. The room had 2 large windows and street noise wasn't a problem. The hotel is about a 5 minute walk from St.Paul Metro stop.

The bed was a bit hard the first night. I asked for another pillow, and that helped alot, and I slept fine the following nights there. The room itself was attractive, with extensive molding, and yellow and blue wallpaper. The bathroom had a shower/bathtub and water was hot immediately. The room and bath were very clean. The is no a/c, but a fan was in the room, which I kept on the nightstand and used all night. It was very comfortable, but Paris was cool. We can highly recommend this hotel for a great price.

I checked Hotel du Bois and even with the special rate it's too expensive for me. Hotel Leveque and Hôtel Jeanne d'Arc are not available on my dates :(. Pity, they seem lovely.

So...no one who's actually stayed at Madeleine Opera? Maybe I can get them to let me look at a room. Ah well, at least it's well located. I'll just have to create my own steam :).

There are 2 positive comments on Tripadvisor and a recommendation from this article:
http://tinyurl.com/jtgyr

Also, some comments and 'rankings' here:
http://tinyurl.com/g4h7g

feel better now?

Um...sure. Thanks for caring.

Images2, thanks for the comments regarding the Hotel Jeanne d'Arc - I know the area well, and have read the reviews, but have not stayed at this property before. We have reservations for September and I appreciated the room details. Thanks!

gemeaux:
I've always found hotels happy to let me look at a room. Just tell them your boyfriend will be joining you and you want something special. If they're not pleasant about it, I wouldn't stay there.

You're very welcome grantop! There is a note on the wall, to please not picnic in your room so that would be good to abide by. They were happy to help out if you had a problem or question. We had booked Paris Airports Service to drive us to the airport to return to the U.S. We had a 10 a.m. appt. pick up time and they didn't arrive. At 10:20 the hotel called them for us since we couldn't complete the call on our cellphone for some reason. Turns out our original pick up van was caught in a traffic jam due to an accident and they had sent another. Otherwise this was a great service. 30€ for 2 people to CDG. They were also working on problems other guests had, so we found them quite helpful. Have a great time!

What is you stayed only 4 nights (instead of 6), that would give you $150USD/night so you would have an easier time finding a nice place?

Thank you from me too, Travelnut. I'll be staying there 2 nights in June. It's perfect for my transportation needs and time limits for this visit, plus I love the area. Their website looks nice too and I'm glad I'm having a courtyard room, it appears these rooms are quieter. So if it gets hot I will probably be able to open the window and still get a good night's sleep.

I think this is the hotel Ira was referring to:

http://www.parisluxhotel.com/

Sandy

I stayed here a few years ago. Not bad and right at the end of Rue Mouffetard.

www.hoteldelesperance.fr/

Of all of the hotels mentioned, the Hotel Nesle would appeal to me the most, because of the location in the 6th, and Thirza Vallois recommends it in one of her books. We have never stayed in it for one reason only -- no elevator :-( But if you're young and have good knees, that's no problem!
Sandy

Hey, Keren, I know you like the inexpensive places in the 'real' neighborhoods... look at this one:

Hotel Paris***
23 rue Henri Monnier, 9th (between rue Victor Masse and Place St Georges)
http://www.parishotel.fr/
See the "book on this site" rates -
89-99€ incl breakfast, in June

I haven't been there but it seems nice.
I did walk up rue des Martyrs and over to place d'Anvers - nice market street, tree-lined avenues and view of Sacre Coeur peeking out between the Parisian buildings..

What fun! I went to take a look at the Madeleine Opera today, but couldn't see a room because they are apparently all booked (I verified this on the website). Very welcoming, helpful reception, though.

I was all set to accept it, got home and checked this thread, saw sandypaws' vote for Hotel Nesle and decided to give them a ring. The lady who answered was very friendly and they have rooms available for my dates at 75E/night! I reserved a room (I can choose a specific room when I arrive) and have to call back to confirm. She said I can visit anyday around noon to see a room.

I just called back to check some vital information that only occurred to me after:
- Rooms are not air-conditioned, there are fans.
- At 75E the toilet is in the hall, for a room with a private toilet the price ranges from 85-100E.

No problem, 85E is my max anyway so it's still good. I'd offer to peek at other budget hotels for people but I can't spend all day everyday doing that.

I'll post a brief update after I check it out. :)

gemeaux,
Hope you enjoy it :-) Here's what Thirza Vallois has to say about it in her book,_Romantic Paris_, "If I had to classify the hotels of Paris irrespective of their category, this hotel would top my list."

Sandy

Travelnut, I "know" this hotel, I like that neighbourhood very much, I've been there a few times. They once even had lower prices for longer stays. But this time the Madeleine Opera is better - I'll take the bus from CDG, then a day later the RER to Gare de Lyon, then do the same way back a week later. This time I'll be spending only 2 half days in Paris, and 6 days in the Alps, staying in Grenoble and Annecy.