InMiami

My partner and I will be in Paris in late May. We would like a centrally located hotel that is reasonably priced and comfortable. Have you stayed in any of these hotels?

Hotel Valadon, 130E with breakfast

Hotel Jeanne d'Arc, 101E with optional breakfast.

Hotel Du College de France, 115E with no breakfast

Hotel du Champ de Mars, 95E with no breakfast

Hotel Le Clement, 123E with no breakfast

kit

I have stayed at Jeanne d'Arc a few times. I think the location is tops, however it was under so much construction in May (that we were not advised of) that the stay was very disappointing. Check that if you seriously consider them...

agedude

InMiami,

I'm a firm believer in getting hotels as cheaply as possible. I use Priceline and stayed at the Marriott Rive Gauche in Paris last year. Bid $85 dollars a night, it was accepted, and I stayed for four nights. Not really "centrally located", but I still walked to Notre Dame and the Louvre. The big "4-star" chains aren't as quaint as the local boutique hotels but have all the amenities and great rooms. I rather pay half the price and take two 20 minute subway rides.

cheryllj

I've stayed at the Champ de Mars. It's an incredible value and I would recommend it for that reason.

You don't say how old you are or how much you want to be close to a lot of nightlife. The 7th is a little quiet on that front for some people (5th/6th are better for nightlife). But some rooms have a view of the Eiffel Tower and that's important to some people.

InMiami

Last year we traveled to Paris and stayed in the Marais area. There was lots of shops and restaurants there but after seeing the St Germain area of the left bank we decided to try to look in that area. The Clement and the Bonaparte are both in the area. The Clement has tiny rooms and we can not choose a particular room, they also charge for WIFI. The Bonaparte has rooms for as low as 132E but I am afraid the cheapest rooms in this hotel might be a let down. We took a tour of the quirky Jeanne d'arc but the rooms are quite variable and they will not promise you a particular room. I have never had luck with Priceline and would prefer to avoid an American style hotel.

Guenmai

I answered your question about Hotel Clement on someone else's thread. I hope you saw it. I'm the poster who recommends that hotel and a poster here on fodors stayed there recently and was quite happy with both the hotel and the location. Happy Travels!

DeborahAnn

We have stayed at College de France a number of times and have always found it comfortable. The location for us is perfect. Close to RER B&C and two other metro lines, easy walk to the Seine, Musee Cluny, Notre Dame. We have stayed in the 4 thru 7 arr. and the 5th is our favorite. Deborah

InMiami

The hotel Clement is definitely in a great location. I wanted to stay in one of the less expensive rooms (123E) which face the front. When I asked if I could reserve one these rooms that were mentioned in Tripadvisor I was told; If you are going to visit for more than three or four days the room may be too small for you. Also, they would not reserve any particular room. So I not sure about this hotel.

The College de France is in a great Latin Quarter location but the rooms look a bit down scale from these other selections. What was your experience?

Christina

A lot of hotels won't reserve particular rooms, I think. I have a hotel I stay at a lot in Paris, I've been going there maybe 15 years, and they will reserve a specific room for me, but I don't think they normally do (and most people wouldn't have such preferences anyway, if they didn't know the hotel that well).

All those hotels are budget 2* hotels, I believe, and none of them look upscale, especially Jeanne d'Arc and Valadon (and I guess college de France looks fine, but the furniture is rather plain or modern rather than frilly). I think the photos of some Clement and Champ de Mars rooms look a little nicer than those three, which may be because they've redecorated more recently or they are just showing the best rooms. But I sure have never heard anyone call the Jeanne d'Arc upscale and the Valadon has the TVs near the ceiling and very ordinary furniture.

I had a friend who stayed at the COllege de France and she called it "cute", so who knows.

InMiami

Christina, I know that I am sounding fussy considering I am looking a what are essentially budget hotels. The Clement and Champ de Mars both have great web sites. I have never stayed in the Rue Cler area and am afraid it might be a bit quiet. The Clement is in my favorite section of Paris so that is a consideration for that hotel.

I have just heard from the Royal Magda Etoile Hotel which has offered me a standard double for 130 E per night. I am just not sure if I want to stay in the Arc de Triomphe area. Are you familiar with staying in any of these areas? The last time we were in Paris we stayed in the Marias district for 10 days and enjoyed it.

aljo

I have been to Paris several times and have stayed in various hotels. The two I would recommend are Hotel Monge in the Latin Quarter on rue Monge. The locations is perfect. Just steps from all the interesting streets in the Latin Quarter, i.e. Mouffetard, etc. - lots of restaurants and street markets a few steps away. The other hotel I have stayed at and enjoyed, particularly the location, is Grand Hotel des Balcons, in the St. Germain area. Both these hotels are clean, comfortable and quite reasonable. Good luck.

plafield

We stayed at the Hotel Jeanne d'Arc for 10 nights last May (during the construction) and we loved it. Because of the construction they gave us an amazing discount (72E a night for a great, good sized double) and the work never bothered us. They were almost entirely finished when we checked out so I'm sure the work is done by now, thus the rate increase (the regular price for a double last May was 85E a night.)

This hotel is not a place to choose if you want luxury and I'm sure that some of the rooms are tiny, but we had a great room, not huge but big enough, an extremely comfortable bed, and a large bathroom. No special amenities but it's a 2 star. It does have a small lift and someone at the desk 24 hours. The staff is quite willing to help with restaurant reservations etc and were very friendly to us. WiFi only works on the ground floor and they do charge for it if that's a factor for you.

As well as being a comfortable, clean as a whistle, and affordable hotel, the location cannot be beat! Steps to the St Paul (line 1)metro. One of the best bakeries in Paris right around the corner (Au Levain du Marais)less than 10 minute walk to Notre Dame, Place de Voges, Centre Pompidou. Great restaurants, cafes and shopping right in the area but the hotel is on a quiet side street.

Obviously, I recommend the hotel and would stay there again in a heartbeat if I were looking for a hotel (as opposed to an apartment.) The value for the money is amazing in my opinion.

Maudie

Book marking

CarolA

I have stayed at both Champ du Mars and College de France.

Champ du Mars was probably a little nicer, but the rooms are small. The front desk is "iffy" The female half of the ownership is very nice, the male half is in the WRONG BUSINESS! Dealing with "customers" seems to really bother him (I noticed this with both Americans and Europeans) His attitude has pretty much turned me away.

College de France has a great location and an incredibly nice front desk staff!

Good Luck!

InMiami

The last time we were in Paris we toured the Jeanne d'Arc. The hotel looked basically good but the two rooms we were shown were dramatically different. After reading the reviews of the Jeanne in Tripadvisor I asked the hotel if I could reserve one of their recommended rooms. I was told that I just needed to except what was given me. This did turn me off a bit to the hotel. Also since we have stayed in the Marais another area might be more interesting.

I have also considered the Bonaparte but they are not taking reservations until January.

DeborahAnn

Is Hotel Le Clement on rue des ecoles, if so we stayed there Aug of 06 when we thought we might need A/C. Paris was unseasonable cool that August!! If that is the one being considered the rooms are similar in size and decor to College de France. On the upper floor of CdeF is a charming double that seemed larger that the one we were in. We are in our room only for sleeping so if the bed is comfy and the shower works, it's good for us!!! Deborah

Guenmai

Hotel Clement is NOT on rue des Ecoles. It's on rue Clement , directly across the street from the Marche St. Germain and one block south of Blvd. St.Germain and mid block west of rue de Seine. Happy Travels!

Guenmai

In Miami...When I've stayed at the Clement, I have asked for a room, on a high floor, and facing the street and have always gotten one. I never ask for a specific room just one that faces the street. It's a small hotel as many hotels are in Paris and they can't take such detailed requests.
Once I asked for a room,facing the back to try it out and got one.
As for the space, I've only once in over 3 decades of almost annual trips, gotten a room in Paris with what I'd consider a decent amount of space and that was at the Suite Hotel at Charles de Gaulle Airport where all of the rooms are 30 square meters big and have a bathroom in a half along with a kitchenette.

I've survived the space at the Clement many times and I stay for 7-8 nights. Plus, it's Paris and how much time is actually spent in the room? I'm usually out and about. Plus, due to the excellent location of the Clement, and decent price for the area, I'll deal with the space issue.

A couple of times, at the Clement, I had either my mom or a friend in the same room with me and with two beds. The other times I was alone. A friend stayed there, last Christmas with her 3 sisters and they were fine. She had stayed there before on one of my trips and was happy enough to return to both the hotel and area. Happy Travels!

InMiami

I contacted Hotel Bonaparte and they will reserve room 23 for my stay. This is the room recommended by Ira who is quite well known on this site. The price will be 136E, a 5E increase that goes into effect 21 days before our arrival. The majority seems to be recommending the St Germaine area. Should I just go for the Bonaparte or inquire further into the Le Clement?

goldwynn

Aljo........ sorry to say thatHotel Monge is no more. Julie and her husband have retired and the hotel has been revamped (slightly) and there are price increases. Now called Act V and has this website http://www.hotel-actev.com/english/petitdej.html