Have been researching hotels in Paris for weeks now - guide books, friends, internet - and am close to becoming certifiably insane. Have come to Fodor's with one question (a fairly detailed question) looking for a way out of the darkness. My husband and I want a small, hopefully charming hotel around 100EU, in an interesting neighbourhood - restaurants, bakery, but no fancy stores for shopping or big-name restaurants or hotels, close to Metro and within walking distance of Seine. Don't need air-conditioning, small room is fine but demand cleanliness, speak some French and prepared to try our hardest not to speak English, elevator not important, nice view fr. room would be lovely and reasonably quiet. Does such a place exist?

Try thew Hotel Castex in the 7th Arrondissemnt. Nice area, inexpensive, ten minutes walk from Notre Dame.<BR><BR>Another: Hotel Leveque in the rue Cler. Check out Rick Steves' Paris or France. Or contact me and I will give you the information.

Try Le Muguet. Near rue Cler. Nice view of the Eiffel Tower from the front rooms. Small rooms, good size ensuite baths. Does have AC and lift. Very clean, very quiet. Our home away from home in Paris.<BR><BR>There's a very recent message posted asking for a comparison of the Muguet with the Leveque.<BR><BR>Bon voyage

Booking for this summer will be tough and should be done immediately. <BR>The Champs du Mars<BR>The Latour Maubourg<BR>The Jeanne D'Arc<BR>Hotel de 7'eme Art<BR>There are many. The book Cheap Sleeps is good and I think Rick Steves guides are excellent if you're a budget traveler. The above fit your price range and are well located. The 7'eme Art was recently feateured in either Frommer's or Nat'l Geo Trav ( I can't remember), as a hotel w/char. on a budget. <BR>A really great hotel in the 12th near the Blois de Vincennes is the Hotel de Porte Doree. Its entrance is immediately across from the metro stop and doubles start at 59E bath en suite breakfast 5E. It is a steal in a very Parisian neighborhood though about a 15 minute metro from main sights.<BR>

I got a quote from Hotel Bonaparte for 104 Euro per night including tax and breakfast. It's in the Place Sainte-Sulpice neighborhood. Featured in Fodor's Rants and Raves here<BR>http://www.fodors.com/rants/rrread.cfm?destination=paris@117&class=Lodging@200 03&entity_id=51306&property=BONAPARTE@57369&sort=l ocation&pg=6<BR>

While you were trying to split the impossible hair, hotel rooms were selling at a steady rate.<BR>I hope you can find a room in a fairly decent hotel within 1 K of the Seine on either bank. My suggestion is to put 20 names in a hat, draw out 3 of them, and call now for reservations.<BR>You may well take what you can get.<BR>You did not say when you were going.<BR>If you are reserving now for September, good luck.<BR><BR>Elevator not important? You must not be the one carrying the luggage!!<BR><BR>How did I find mine? Took the advice of a Fodors poster, looked it up on the Internet, and booked a room. Went there, enjoyed, it and went back.<BR>Whole process took about a day, with 23 hours of the time being my wait for a response to my email inquiry.<BR><BR>It ain't that big a deal unless you basically have hard times deciding anything.<BR><BR><BR><BR>

I have stayed at the H&ocirc;tel R&eacute;sidence Monge and found it in a good location between Jarden des Plantes and the Panth&eacute;on on rue Monge. The rooms are clean, there is an elevator, it is air conditioned and a mini-bar in the room. Two metro stops within a block, all kinds of shops and restaurants near by. There is also a rather large mini-Supermarket across the street. I think the room cost is about $80US for a double and about $6US for breakfast. Easy walk to Notre Dame and Luxembord Gardens. You might ask for a room at the back of the hotel with a view of the Ar&egrave;nes de Lutece. Call and ask for Julie. She speaks very good english and she is also quite helpful with information while you are there. You will need to conferm with a fax and credit card number.<BR><BR>H&ocirc;tel R&eacute;sidence Monge<BR>55, rue Monge<BR>75005 Paris<BR>T&eacute;l: 01 43 26 87 90 (you drop the first 0 when calling from the US)<BR>Fax: 01 43 54 47 25<BR><BR>Bon Journey!

I have stayed at the Grand Hotel des Balcons in the sixth arrondissement, and at Familia Hotel in the fifth. Both would fit the bill as you described it. Both have elevators. No particular view other than the streets of Paris, which is good enough for me. Familia on a busy street, Balcons on a very small street. Both in great neighborhoods close to metro stations.

Thanks very much for your assistance. You have helped. And for Mr. Al Godon<BR>- we are going to France next spring - based on what many ppl have said we knew we should book early. We have also listened to what ppl have said about luggage and plan to take a bag each and are fit enough to climb stairs. And perhaps you are fortunate enough to go often to Paris, we have saved for 25 years for this trip so want to make sure we do it right the first, and only, time for us. As for not being able to decide anything, I've already decided I'll be careful about posting a question here again. I was under the impression ppl came here when they didn't know something, not when they knew it all.

Leslie, I've just the hotel that perfectly fits your criteria:<BR>Hotel Grandes des Ecoles in the 5th Arr. (Latin Quarter). <BR>Its prices run from 95 to 120 euro. It's near a metro and the types of shops you are looking for and is within walking distance of the Seine.<BR>Check out it website: <BR>http://www.hotel-grandes-ecoles.com<BR>email: [email protected]<BR>Noute that they only take reservations starting four months in advance on the 15th of that month. (And, I strongly urge you to contact them the first "eligible" day. The place fills up fast.) So, if you're going in April, call on December 15, and so on.

Another vote for Grande Hotel des Balcons. We had a room on the 4th floor. We rode the tiny elevator up (one person and suitcases can go, the other takes the stairs) and walked down every time. Beautiful spiral staircase with art deco stained glass windows at each floor. Quiet location, but ideal for walking, metro stop (Odeon) great restaurants, nice shops, etc. If you need coffee in the AM, and like a variety of food for breakfast, their buffet is a great deal. All the coffee you want (also tea, hot chocolate). Staff is helpful. Most of the guests seem to be American, Canadian or English. Cost is around 90 euro per night for a double. We will stay there again. <BR>