Hotel Suggestions in Paris

How about Oh la la! Hotel on Rue de la Roquette. You can use the Colonne Juliette as your landmark. It is a very basic hotel with no elevator and about 15 or 16 rooms. I have not stayed there but I did a walk through a few months ago.Ask for a courtyard room. I now stay only in the Bastille area when in Paris and that area can have street noise at night.

Boston Phil, you might want to have a look at this thread of mine (see link below) asking for hotel recs in Paris. Of course my needs are a bit difference as I will have two older kids with me, but the premise is the same. I can tell you that I went with the Hotel Left Bank, which seems to have a very nice location, in the St. Germain area (6th Ar) by the Jardin de Luxembourg. There are many patisseries, chocolate shops, boulangeries and restaurants in the area. Plus it's close to the Isle de la Cite with Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, the Louvre, and much more. Here's a link showing the St. Germain area. https://g.co/kgs/7Ke6TYK

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/three-night-trip-to-paris-in-early-may-with-two-teen-tween-grandkids-what-area-to-stay

Don't be scared off by the prices. Keep in mind that I was looking for a triple or quadruple room. A single room will be cheaper. Every one that I checked was fully cancellable, and I found that to be the norm (I did not use booking.com, fyi, but each hotel's booking service).

I also found that most hotels offer breakfast and quite a few charge a separate fee for it. Quite frankly, from everything I've heard, it sounds like it would be better to just forgo the extra cost and wander out in the morning for some coffee or chocolate and a pastry or something similar.

Location and convenience is also important. Easy to get to and easy to find. I would love a hotel close to. landmark or on a main street. I like being close to.a landmark for when I get lost, not if I get lost, but when.

Not sure if the rates for the time you will be there will fit your budget, but Ile St. Louis is about as central and as convenient a location as can be had. It's right behind Notra Dame, a metro stop is close by, and there are several places to eat on the main street.

There are several hotel on the island. We've stayed at Hotel des Deux-Iles and were very pleased. They also have a sister hotel on the island.

Oh, and getting lost in Paris is one of the best things one can do there.

Mardee is right about most hotel breakfasts that are not included in the rate -- too much money for too little breakfast. If you stay on the island, we can tell you about a great little place for breakfast for not too much money.

I will be seeking a hotel in the single numbered arrondissements.

Since budget is a priority, you might want to stay in the double digits...we always stay in the 15th, a block or so from the #8 Commerce Metro stop, very convenient, and much better price than 2 stops away at Ecole Militaire (Rue Cler) in the 7 eme...

As for breakfast, unless the hotel offers you a special "deal", I find it is not worth it to prepay for the breakfast. On mornings you decide to eat at the hotel, you simply sign for it and it will be added to your room bill, at the very same rate as if you have prepaid for all the mornings. I like the flexibility of eating in or just grabbing a croissant up the street...

Thanks to everyone. I am getting ready to go eat dinner with friends but plan to respond after returning.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Hotel Diana may fit your budget. While it's not across from an easily identifiable landmark, it is close to the Pantheon and the Luxembourg Garden, and short walk from Notre Dame cathedral.

https://hotel-diana-paris.com/en/

I discovered French Theory Hotel from the other discussion on Paris hotels. It looks ok but I have not yet booked air.

And I will be checking every hotel recommended

First air before hotels because I do not know my days but I am thinking very end of April or early May.

Besides the 20 arr's, I now find out that there are 100,000 hotels. I am learning.

BP, for planning your days, be aware that May 1 and 8th are significant holidays in Paris (and France) and many places including museums can be closed.

PS There are 140+ museums in Paris just to add another statistic to your growing list:)

There is a problem and it is that there are too many very good choices. Sometimes there is not enough but in this situation, there are too many. And I am talking about too many good choices.

To the best of my ability, I am checking on every suggestion sent me. and I will continue to do so.

Mary from Massachusetts

I looked at Hotel Diana and it looks really good. Thank you.

Mardee

Thanks for the links. Such good information and so much information

Thank you Claire

What are the significant holidays in Paris on May 1st and May 8th?

Seems like Paris has.a lot of holidays.

To answer more than one person

I have diabetes which is affecting my kidneys so I need to be careful what I eat and drink. I am going to need more than a croissant in the morning. Unfortunately I have to be careful of sweets and limit chocolate etc etc

There must be diabetes in Paris. How do Parisians deal with diabetes?

I know I talk about budget and I always have one but that is so I can travel more. I can loosen budget constraints when I have to or want to.

Although I have some mobility issues, I can walk sometimes ok. I never really know but i can walk up a couple of flights of stairs as long as I do not have luggage.

But there have been so many really good suggestions from the forum not just for me but for others.

BP, yes May has 3-4 holidays. The first of May is Labour Day in many parts of Europe including France. May 8 is VE day (Victory for Europe WW2). I think more things are closed on the 1st but just to be aware, those days can be quieter and for example, the bus schedule can be less frequent ie like Sundays.

In terms of eating for your diabetes and kidneys, there are really nice yogurts and fromage blanc with fruit and oats that are readily available at cheese shops and some boulangeries (less or no sugar in the better quality options). If your hotel has breakfast, there could be eggs, cheese, and possibly healthier breads.

I don't know if this has been mentioned or not, but if you get to the top of your budget, don't forget to add in the tourist tax. While it's not much, it does add to the overall price: "The amount of the tourist tax varies from *€0.65 (for 1- and 2-star campsites) to *€14.95 (for palaces) per person and per night.
This amount must be displayed in the accommodation and must appear on the invoice issued but is not always included in the price of the accommodation. It is therefore usual that the hotelier, the proprietor or owner asks the traveller to pay it separately."

Hello Claire

Re the major holidays in France and Paris, would there big some big celebrations? If so, that would be nice as well.

As to diet, I try to eat healthy but cheat. C'est La Vie. I am not going to Paris and skip some of the foods that i should be skipping but I will limit those foods. Same thing with being on a. cruise ship. I try to eat no added or low sugar, fiber, protein, water, etc but it does not always work.

Hello Lindy,

I usually book through booking which adds on all the fees and taxes after the cost for room so that i can see total amount before I finalize my booking.

I am at Genius I level so I get 10% off on some hotels but that is before taxes and fees.

Re the major holidays in France and Paris, would there big some big celebrations? If so, that would be nice as well.

Edit: There is a ceremony and motorcade on the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe on May 8 for VE Day. Frankly not something I would want to get caught up in, massive crowds...I would stay on the Left Bank on that day, would avoid the right bank, in general. I was in Paris on VE Day 2023, and on the Right Bank I did not notice anything other than restaurants were more crowded than usual.

I personally avoid May 1, Labor Day, in France and elsewhere, because often it includes labor protests. When I say I avoid it, I meant that I shift my plans to avoid being in Paris on May 1. In May 2023, I spent several weeks in Paris...when booking, I first looked at a late April arrival, but on second thought, I pushed my arrival in Paris to later, to miss out on whatever happened on May 1 protest-wise.

April tends to be quite cool and wet in Paris, too, but May gives you a better chance at more pleasant temps and conditions, another reason I shifted that trip more towards mid to late May.

JoJo Rabbit

Thank you for all your information.

I have learned a lot about Paris compared to where I was but I can tell there is more to be learned. Maybe much more.

Of course, it is getting more and more difficult to predict weather.

But assume that I go this upcoming Spring, should I go the end of April or the first week of May. I fear that after the first week of May, I will be running into major tourist season.

I was watching the reopening of Notre Dame on TV and it looked like the weather was not good. Was it snowing?

I wasn't there and didn't watch it on TV, but it would not have likely been snowing. In the afternoon, converted to Fahrenheit, the temperatures yesterday in Paris ranged from 42 F to 47 F. That's a bit high for snow.

But assume that I go this upcoming Spring, should I go the end of April or the first week of May. I fear that after the first week of May, I will be running into major tourist season.

The traditional concept of "shoulder season" as the best time to visit Europe to beat the crowds - April/May, and also Sept/Oct - has changed over the years. Post Covid, I have found that April and May are more busy and crowded in Paris and other major cities than, say, ten years ago, but in general, the big influx of tourists does not hit until June. We no longer go to Europe in the summer months, mainly because of the heat, but also to avoid the crowds. But it is getting harder to avoid crowds, at least in the major cities like London, Rome, and Paris - they seem more crowded to me year round now. In that case, my preference for when to go is tied more to the weather.

Our favorite months weather-wise for Paris are May and October; September is still too hot, and crowded, for us. April is perfectly fine, but over several decades of visiting Paris, I have experienced noticeably better weather in May when it is not as cool/cold and wet as in April. You may find better airfare and hotel prices in April than May, too - I am not sure about that, but it is worth researching and if you can save money, the second half of April may be ideal for you, even if it is more likely to be cooler and wetter than May...the two middle weeks of May seem like the sweet spot to me for good weather in Paris.

I think more things are closed on the 1st

Claire is right — May 1 is one of the big three holidays in France, along with Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Big military parade on the Champs Elysees on May 8 for VE Day.

There is not a big military parade on the Champs-Elysees on May 8. There is a procession up the Champs-Elysees where the President in his car is escorted by some units of the Republican Guard after he makes a visit to the heirs of Charles de Gaulle at the statue of De Gaulle (at Champs Elysees-Clemenceau, right outside the Grand Palais) . He then proceeds with this escort up to a ceremony at the Flame of the Unknown Soldier underneath the Arc de Triomphe. The area surrounding the Champs Elysees and Arc, into the 16th and 8th arrondissements will be closed off to vehicle traffic for a while, until about 1 pm. But that is just basically a motorcade (with horses too), not a big military parade.

The big military parade on the Champs-Elysees is on July 14, Bastille Day.

“I was watching the reopening of Notre Dame on TV and it looked like the weather was not good. Was it snowing?”

I’m not sure what you watched, but the weather yesterday couldn’t have been any better for this time of year; clear blue skies all around. The Notre Dame was shining once again in all her glory under the November sun.

There is not a big military parade on the Champs-Elysees on May 8 - nor any kind of parade at all. There is a ceremony at the Flame of the Unknown Soldier underneath the Arc de Triomphe. And the Champs-Elysees may be closed to road traffic as sometimes the president also stops at the statue of General de Gaulle (at Champs Elysees-Clemenceau, right outside the Grand Palais) and then proceeds up the Champs to the Arc. But that is just a motorcade, not a big military parade.

Thanks for the correction, I just knew that traffic was disrupted for those ceremonies and the motorcade, and I avoided the area when I was there last year. I will edit my post to reflect this correction...

Hi Dutch_Traveler

I do not know what I was watching either because I later did a search. I think the weather was cold but there was no rain or snow.

Maybe it was the TV. Maybe it was my eyes. Maybe I got mixed up with something else that I had been watching

Thank you for clarifying.

Hello Nigel,

Yes I was wrong about it snowing or raining. I have no idea why I thought that. I did do a later search on the weather and I thought that I saw it was in or had been in or was going to be in the 30's F.

Having lived in Texas a very long time, even the 40's F is still very cold for me now but I grew up in Boston and the 40's would have been a nice day in the winter especially if the sun was out.

However after 80 F, it starts becoming too hot for me.

Dutch_Traveler and Nigel,

I know what I was watching now. I was watching our public broadcasting channel (PBS) and I think I was watching a news magazine.

There was a segment about the Notre Dame re-opening and it included a procession carrying the Virgin and Child that did not get harmed in the fire. There was also footage inside Notre Dame with President Macron and other dignitaries.

I did notice that persons wore coats and scarves.

It might be that the next segment was about winter weather somewhere in The United States. All i remember seeing is the snow and or rain.

Perhaps I fell asleep or was busy on my computer so i went from the segment about Notre Dame to a segment seeing rain and snow.

So if I go to Paris in May, there is now a possibility that i will be able to visit Notre Dame. Six nights is just not going to be enough but it never really is wherever I go. I am trying to focus on what I saw and not what I did not get to see.