FalafelBall

Hi experts,
When it says 12 sq/m room size in Paris hotels, does it include the bathroom? I see that typical room size is 13-18 sq/m and I just can't understand how could that be.

Cathinjoetown

Many of the buildings are old.

Real estate is expensive.

If size is important, try the U.S. chains but most of those will not have rooms comparable to their properties in the U.S.

Or, rent a flat.

Robert2533

It all depends on your budget. I know of several hotels in Paris that have much larger rooms.

Dukey1

I agree with Robert and not all the hotels that have smaller rooms are "old." I've also stayed in some more expensive hotels in which some of the rooms seemed rather small. One of the smallest rooms was in one of the Marriotts which had been a different branded hotel prior

In my experience you GET what you are willing to PAY for and that means you may have to stay in a more expensive hotel to get a larger room; if the chosen hotel has larger rooms such as "junior suites" etc., you'll pay more.

Not every hotel room in Paris is small.

Guenmai

Believe it. I've been going to Paris , almost annually, since the mid 70s and have stayed in some really small hotel rooms which is why I now rent apartments.

Happy Travels!

PatrickLondon

4m by 3m doesn't sound at all surprising, though that might not be counting a bathroom - or the bathroom might be not much more than a shower cubicle, basin and loo.

kerouac

Bathroom size is not counted in room size. But don't expect more than about 3 or 4 square meters for that. You're not planning on holding a debutante ball in your room, I hope.

Gordon_R

I've stayed in some tiny rooms in Paris (our double room at the Campanile in the 11e was probably <i>less</i> than 12 sq m) and it's never really bothered me. There's so much to do and see in Paris during waking hours, as far as I'm concerned it's just somewhere to sleep.

Christina

Some cheaper hotels do have rooms that size (12 m2), even some that are 3* and just are popular with tourists, you can usually find out. I never stay in any that small. 18 m2 isn't that small at all, actually, not sure why you can't believe that. That's around 200 square feet, which is a pretty decent sized room. I consider that a good room size when I book hotels (for one person, for sure), but often book hotels with rooms around 20-22 m2. I choose hotels with larger room sizes if I'm going to be there a while, I go nuts in rooms that are too small. I wouldn't book a hotel with a 12 m2 room, for example, if I was going to be in it very long. I can deal with anything for a night or two.

I think one cannot predict if it includes the bathroom, probably depends on the hotel who is quoting it, but I think officially it is not supposed to.

For example, I've stay in this hotel before and it has large rooms and low prices (a 3* in MOntparnasse) http://www.hotelraspailmontparnasse.com/
Their deluxe double room is 22 m2, for example. They are a good hotel and actually quote the room size online, which many do not. Their "comfort double" is 16 m2, which is a decent size IMO.

By contract, many tourists like to stay in the Marais, and a lot of their hotels have really small rooms. For example, the 3* Hotel Caron de Beaumarchais is popular and cute, but I've heard the rooms are exremely small, that some are about 12 m2.

Pegontheroad

It's sometimes astonishing how small rooms can be in European hotels. In Málaga, the room was tiny, which didn't bother me that much, but the bathroom was awful. When I sat on the toilet, my knees were perhaps 3 inches from the wall.

I am 5'4" in height. I can't imagine how a taller person would sit on that toilet. I think you'd have to sit sideways.

nytraveler

It is true that hotel rooms in Paris are going to be much smaller than in the US - in general. Esp budget hotels and the least expensive rooms.

However, you can get any size room you want.

Choices are:

Get upgraded (larger) room or junior suite in a modest hotel

Rooms in a moderate hotel will usually be a little larger, and again you can get an upgraded room

Or stay in a luxury hotel - which often have rooms that are huge (I've had rooms - free upgrade when we were holding a meeting in the hotel) where the enormous bathroom - won't bother to describe it - was almost as large as our bedroom at home (13 X 19 feet).

Oh - and apartment rooms are often also quite small in paris - usually smaller than in most places in the US.

The one thing I will never do in europe is take a single room - which are often barely larger than a twin bed. At a minimum I get a double room for one person (still cheaper than a double for 2). But if staying for more than a couple of days we always get larger rooms to suites.

thursdaysd

In other words, it comes down to how much you want/are willing to spend. Personally, I sleep cheap so I can eat well. I have even been known to stay in a true single, but like Gordon_R I don't see a need for a lot of space when I'm not in the room that much. (And I pack light, so I don't need a lot of room for luggage or clothes.)

spaarne

<i>Room size in Paris hotels - SERIOUSLY??
Posted by: FalafelBall on May 4, 13
Hi experts,
When it says 12 sq/m room size in Paris hotels, does it include the bathroom? I see that typical room size is 13-18 sq/m and I just can't understand how could that be.</i>

A 12 m2 room could measure about 10'x13'. It includes a bed and an armoire. If there is no douche or WC it may also have a wash basin in the room. There will be enough room to walk around the bed, and a small place for your luggage in the armorie. Typically there is a small table and a chair or two. This is the way it has always been in Paris, and throughout most of Europe, for tourist class hotels. When most of the hotels were built there was no such thing as a TV so that will probably be hanging on the wall. What more do you want?

anyegr

As a solo traveller I uaually get single rooms wherever I go. I don't mind the small size, since I'm not planning to sit in the room all day.

What I do care about is:
1. Cleanliness
2. Safety (both in and around the hotel)
3. Reasonably comfortable bed (had a really horrible one, once, in a hostel and couldn't sleep)
4. Easy walking distance to public transport
5. Decent sound insulation

I am also willing to pay a little more for an ensuite room.

FalafelBall

Well, if it does not include the bathroom then it is somehow ok, but if this size (12-15 sq/m) includes the bathroom then I personally find it extremely not fun. I agree that there are things more important than size (...) but for 2 peaople it is just too small (again, in case it includes the bathroom).

Thanks for your comments everyone. As I still haven't won the lottery, and travelling in high season during French Open, I guess I'll have to compromise on this issue.

danon

When I travel alone I, also, never get a single room....they look like a coffin .
I am leaving Paris today, ..stayed in four star hotel that is is in no way comparable
to four star hotels we stayed in Barcelona, Madrid, Berlin, Venice etc..
It is not the size of the room, but all the rest one expects .
I am sure there are better 4 star hotels in Paris...next time, I will have to pay more
( this was a "good " rate)

kerouac

It might be helpful to know that the star ratings in France do not correspond to hotel luxury but to the number of services available. Some two star hotels can have more spectacular rooms than a four star hotel. ("services" are things like 24 hour check-in, multiple languages spoken, elevators, restaurant in hotel, equipment like irons or hair dryers, etc.)

Ackislander

What spaarne says is absolutely accurate. You should not expect a desk or chair in such a room though it may have a spectacular view.

I stayed in a single in a well-known London hotel and could touch both side walls with my finger tips. That would make it about six feet wide. We stayed in a very attractive hotel in Venice which crammed a tub, WC, and bidet into a space so small that I had to leave the door open to sit down.

On the other hand, I was reading about a well-known decorator in NY who lives in a 400 sq ft apartment, less than 50 sq meters. Real estate is expensive in these cities 'cause they ain't makin' any more!

Christina

I have personally never stayed in a 2* hotel in Europe that had more spectacular rooms than a 4* hotel, I wouldn't count on that, that's for sure. 2* hotels in Paris are fairly predictable, I've found, in terms of their ambience.

But you don't have to book a double room that is 12-15 m2, as I said, I don't. It's your choice.

denisea

You will be out and about the the room size matter less when you aren't in it much. Don't take a lot of large luggage as that will take up room. The hardest thing for me is the tiny shower that you can't bend in without hitting the wall-very difficult to shave my legs for God's sake!