Well, you've all been so helpful and I have inquired into almost all of your suggestions. Since our trip is only 28 days away and we're just now looking, most hotels are booked(Mugeut, du champ de mars, danube, le verneuil, grand ecole). Some were out of our price range (Le Madison, Relais St. Germain, which quoted me 300Euro/nt!)

I have, however, snagged a large room at the Hotel Bonaparte in the 6th (due to the recommendation of our very own Ira)for 146 e/nt., incl. breakfast, however, am still considering an apartment in the 4th at 38 rue St. Croix del la Bretonnerie, only $135 american/nt.

What would the collective "you" do?

Thanks.

While the 4th dist. is nice I personally I like the 6th and would definitely choose The Bonaparte. The location is one of the best there. I'm glad you got a good deal on such short notice!

Thank you, francofile. That is what I am leaning towards. I sure am getting excited!

On your street are two pastry shops as you'll definitely notice when you walk around: Laduree & Pierre Herme. Don't forget to get some pastries to bring home!

Just spent six days in Paris and would highly recommend the Hotel Danube Rue Jacob. The location is fabulous. Can walk everywhere. Lots of great restaurants, shopping,churches, museums are close by. The hotel is across the street from the university medical school so the area is safe and attractive. We will return there on our next visit. Have stayed in the 1st, and 5th arrondisements and the 6th is really the best.

Without any doubt whatsoever the Pavillon de la Reine which is PART of the building(s) which make up the Place des Vosges often considered the prettiest square in the entire city.
www.pavillon-de-la-reine.com

Pavillon de La Reine is very expensive.

Iregeo, Hotel Bonaparte is recommended in Rick's Steves' 2004 books. He says "while the rooms don't live up to the handsome entry - they are homey, comfortable, and generally spacious with big bathrooms, molded ceilings, and clashing bedspreads". Sounds like a good choice (you won't need the bedspread anyway!). And I love the 6th!

>Hotel Bonaparte is recommended in Rick's Steves' 2004 books<

Oh, phoo.

There goes the neighborhood.

Libertel Prince de Conde, in the 6th. About $200/night in the high season (room for 2), NOT including breakfast. Great location. A 3-star hotel, the bathroom was better than many 4-stars. The A/C is perhaps one of those faux A/C systems I've seen mentioned here -- only moderately adequate. I'm not sure I would want to stay in this hotel in July or August, because of that. The lobby is small and, frankly, unimpressive, but the rooms are pretty good size.

I just want to add my praise to that of lillaincroft about the Paris rental on rue de Verneuil. This flat is outstanding in every way. We rented it for a week last May and could not have been happier. The American owner is the nicest man to deal with. Anyone thinking of renting an apartment in Paris should check his website: chezmichelaparis.com.

Our favorite Paris hotel is definitely the Le Parc Paris in the 16th arrond., on the Ave. Raymond Poincare, an upscale residential neighborhood, between the Place Victor Hugo and the Trocadero.
A wonderful, romantic, 4-star hotel. The rooms are spacious and lovely, decorated with toile de jouy fabrics, but also with high tech features like a data port and large Bang&Olufsen tv (love the way it swivels automatically to face whoever's holding the remote). Large marble baths with Roger & Gallet toiletries. Personal, attentive service, warm welcome, valet parking. The large terrace garden is fabulous, I can't think of a better place in Paris to have breakfast on a warm morning. The hotel also has a Michelin-starred restaurant, but we haven't eaten there yet. Best of all, by booking through the Sofitel.com web site (it's part of the Sofitel chain), you can usually find rooms for about 200 euros a night, sometimes less.

First because of an amazing gracious staff, my favorite hotel is the Hotel Relaise du Louvre. http://www.relaisdulouvre.com/
Secondly because of its location. (Across from the Louve and St. Germain des Auxerrois church).
Thirdly, because they found room for me there when I had to leave a studio I had rented that was near St. Severin church. (Love to walk around the neighborhood, its just too noisy at night for me.)

I would like to second the above opinion of mamc about Hotel des Saintes-Peres on the Rue des Saintes-Peres in the 6th. We stayed there in 1998 in a double room that had an enormous bed anwith a bathroom was among the most luxurious I have ever seen. To top it off, it was so quiet that we never heard a sound of any other guests, even though the hotel was booked. I wish I had kept the room number b/c I would request the same room again, if I could. I did notice that the prices have gone up considerably since the franc was changed to euros.

We like the Mercure Monty near the Opera in the 9th - walkable to the river, Marais, shopping; plus it's affordable, cool art deco design, has a good breakfast and lots of hot water. We are big fans of the Accor group in general - good value in our opinion.

I have been to Paris 4 times now and have stayed in a different hotel each time. All were in the 1st arr. which I like since it is in the middle of Paris.
1- Hotel du Louvre
2- Hotel Lotti ( half a block from the Ritz)
3- Hotel Louvre Montana ( small quaint hotel with 4 room on each floor. They were very friendly in there)
4- Clarion St James & Albany Hotel( very big rooms and the room overlooked a quiet couryard)

Hotel Ritz in Place Vendome. Unfortunately lately I can't afford to stay there.