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Lodging in central Paris late October solo female

I am returning to Paris solo after taking the RS Paris tour last May. So much more I want to see at a slower pace. Booking lodgings is a bit overwhelming. I do not need a lot of amenities. What would be most important to me would be a place I would feel comfortable with my VERY limited french and a budget of around 100 euros a night. I don't mind small, cozy and quiet. Night life is not important to me either. My main goal is to "linger" at cafes/musuems, take walks and generally just soak up the atmosphere with no real agenda for 9 days. I will be going the last week of October.
I would appreciate any suggestions.

Thank you,
Kathleen

Posted by
7730 posts

You do not have to worry about having limited French in Paris the service industry people all speak English;
You just have to learn a few words to greet people in French. A 100 euro a night budget will get you bed in a hostel in n 3rd, 4th or 5th in a city that attract tourists that can easily afford more and scarcity. But I hope someone on the forum will say that I am wrong by giving you recommendations. Having been to Paris many times I find and enjoy 100 euro a night lodging in the 20th

Posted by
7277 posts

Check out the Hotel Familia, Left Bank neighborhood. Their sister hotel down the street, the Hotel Minerve, costs more but includes breakfast. Great location, either way, and Familia’s prices are doable.

Posted by
9403 posts

I can recommend Hotel Marignan at 13 rue du Sommerard in the 5th arrondissement (Latin Quarter). It’s very budget, clean, on a nice street, very close to the river and Notre Dame (which is the center and heart of Paris) - a primo location. The hotel has a free washer/dryer you can use and a communal kitchen where you can prepare your own food.
You can choose a room with a shared bathroom down the hall for their lowest price, or you can choose en suite.

To add to what jazz wrote, always say “Bonjour Madame/Monsieur” first before you speak to anyone no matter who it is and you will be received better than if you don’t. The French are wonderful but they’re formal and have an etiquette.

Posted by
142 posts

Thank you all for the suggestions. I appreciate the input. My friend from England has agreed to join me so we will be splitting the room. Which allows for more options. I went with the recommendation in RS Paris Book of Hotel des Grandes Ecoles in the 5th for a cost of 75 euros each. It looks like a beautiful hotel.

Thanks again,
Kathleen

Posted by
9403 posts

I stayed at Hotel des Grandes Ecoles for a month. Don’t care for it or the location. For that price you can stay on Ile St Louis in a much nicer hotel and a far superior location (next to Notre Dame). RS has a very limited scope of Paris and hotels, there are 1000s of great hotels in Paris that he leaves out, not because his are the best but because he only has room in his book for a small amount.
If you’d like to chat, PM me... : )

Posted by
2 posts

I'm headed there solo the first week of October and solo, myself. I can't thank you all enough for sharing info...esp as a woman traveling solo for the first time in a location she's never visited...it's all invaluable.

Posted by
9403 posts

I can also recommend Hotel Diana in the 5th. Nice rooms, great neighborhood, very central. Near enough to Notre Dame which is the heart and center of Paris.

Posted by
7977 posts

Hotel Grandes Ecoles has a nice garden where you can have breakfast or later in the day bring in your own take out for lunch or drinks before dinner. It is pretty run down and it is not air conditioned. This is probably not a problem in October but we spent a night there in June a few years ago when it measured 100F in our room in the afternoon with zero cross draft and didn't get below 80+ at night. One of the worst nights we have spent in Paris.

Posted by
9403 posts

The garden wasn’t nice when we stopped in last year. Neglected, overgrown, dusty, old plants.

There’s a personal, nostalgic reason why i visit this hotel every year, but i would not recommend it to anyone.

Posted by
7123 posts

I will be staying a couple of nights at Grand Hotel des Balcons which is just north of the Luxembourg Garden. That one is within your budget.

Posted by
554 posts

As a solo female traveler of a "certain" age, I can also recommend the Grand Hotel des Balcons. I've stayed there many times. Great location. Very nice staff. Good breakfast buffet.

Posted by
142 posts

Thank you all very much! I feel like I have several excellent choices. I do see there are literally hundreds of places to stay.

I appreciate all the input.

Kathleen

Posted by
33 posts

Check with Alcoves and Agapes B&B website, I know they have one listed that is like 85 euros and one for 110. We stayed in one for 139 euros/night in the 15th with a view of the Eiffel tower, and it was lovely and felt safer than ANY city in the US, hands down. Very safe and easy to get around. We experienced zero, and I mean zero, sketchy situations in our stay for a week there.