The Michelet has gotten mixed reviews. But it's a fabulous location.

mahya, I think you are not remembering locations correctly. The St Jacques isn't that close to Luxembourg Gardens, I think all these hotels named in St Germain are closer. And the Bonaparte hotel is closer to St Sulpice than St Sulpice is to the gardens.

Try the HOtel St Pierre on rue de l'Ecole de Medecine, it is real cheap for that area and very close to bd St Germain and the park
http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/h7...int_pierre.htm

THere is also the HOtel des Grands Balcons in that area that is in your budget
http://www.hotelgrandsbalcons.com/

Thank you all for all the suggestions.It's been very helpful.

In truth from Rue Buci to St. Sulpice I always get lost walking around in circles - and this time I've decided to take my portable GPS and walk around with it !!! :D

I've also decided since I'll be there for 10 days instead of spending 760 Euros/1200 USD (and that's cheap) in a hotel, I'll rent a studio with a kitchen...think I may have found one for $500 for a week in the 5th arr. for one person, but $100 fee to agency. Seems like the savings will go to food.

I really find the rise in prices for hotels and apartments in Paris "in - crrrre -dee- bool" !

You really have to love Paris to pay these prices!

By the way, maybe prices will come down a bit....

you know the calendars on VRBO? in checking I found that the bookings for months after May and May is hardly booked up - (unusually) just are not there and some of the other rental places were advertising reductions -

Prices may have reached the prohibitive point for travel for most.