My adult daughter & I will be in Paris for the first time during the first week of August & I’m hoping to get an apartment or Airbnb, ideally in the Latin Quarter, for about $150 CAD/night.
Can anyone tell me if this is realistic, or if I’m dreaming?
Thanks very much.
$150 CAD is about 110 €. That's pretty tight, even in August when rates are a bit lower than the rest of the summer. What type of accommodations do you require - will you be sharing a sleeping room or do you need two sleeping areas, do you need kitchen facilities (rather than a room in someone's home), etc?
I suggest a twin bed private room that is en-suite at this boutique hostel in Montmartre. Close to Metro, in your budget. My niece (in her 40’s) always stays here.
Have you done a search on AirBnB? I did a quick one using the parameters you provided and found some in that price range, but most were across the Seine from the Latin Quarter in the Marais area. I think you will find something, but probably closer to $200 a night. Also, remember there is more than the base price. Most also have a cleaning fee and service fee which are not included in the search results, but are shown when you click on a particular apartment.
Le Marais also have nice hotels. Most are reasonably priced.
https://www.beaubourg-paris-hotel.com/
and this hotel located in the 7th Arrondissement is a bargain.
Notable hotels near or in the Latin Quarters:
Hotel des Grandes Ecoles
Hotel des Deux-ILes
Hotel Jardin du Luxembourg
I've done it many times. I had a really nice hotel in Pigalle (near Moulin Rouge) for about $135. I had an apartment near Jussieu metro station for under $100 per night. Many think Pigalle is a bad area (but seemed fine to me) and the apartment had six flights of stairs (no elevator). Most of the time I stay at a hostel when I'm in Paris.
I've also seen many people pay $300 (and more) per night for their hotel. A lot of it depends on what your minimum standards are. If you want everything first class, it can be quite expensive in Paris.
My daughter and I enjoyed our stay at Hotel Diana in the Latin Quarter near La Sorbonne.
There is a Metro and a couple of bus stops nearby.
Enjoy your time in PAris!
Did you say August? There's a reason Parisians try to leave Paris in August--heat--especially in that 2,000year old part of the city. Be sure your accomodations have air conditioning, or you'll be sleeping with your windows and shutters wide open, enjoying hearing all the sounds and snores from the other apartments on the courtyard.
Personal experience: I've had courtyard neighbors yell at me twice for making too much noise. Lesson learned.
I second Priscilla’s recommendation of Hotel Diana. Nice rooms, lobby is meh so don’t be put off when you walk in. Budget hotel with nicer than budget rooms. Their AC works well which you might need in August.
I don’t recommend Hotel des Grandes Ecoles (above post). No AC. I stayed there for 6 wks and would have preferred a location closer to the fun part of the Latin Quarter (5th arrondissement) and closer to the Luxembourg Gardens / river.
I love the Marais (3rd & 4th arrondissement), it’s charming and wonderful. An apt or hotel there would also be great.
If you are considering low-priced apartments, be very careful about the beds. On my one casual search for affordable options in Paris, it seemed to me that the cheapest places were mostly equipped with futons or fold-out sleep sofas--and that was for the primary (or only) bed. I imagine the risk would be even greater if you were looking for a place with two beds.
Also, I think you are unlikely to find a budget-level apartment with air conditioning. Plus there's the question of legality. Given the on-going crackdown on illegal apartment rentals, you need to be very sure the apartments you are considering are registered. Look for the 13-digit registration number.
You don't say what you require in the apartment or the building i.e. air conditioning, two beds, elevator, etc. other than that it be located in the Latin Quarter. Does that 110€ per night include the cleaning and service fees? If it does, I say you are dreaming. The Latin Quarter is popular so you may be a little late to find a decent place for this August in budget. You can probably find a place but it will be in a higher numbered arrondissement (think 9th and higher). Whether or not that apartment will meet your needs other than budget is another question. I am always cold and I would not rent a place in Paris in August without AC (been there, done that, and hated it). You may not need or want AC but if you do, I think, as mentioned by others, you should expand your search to budget hotels where you are more likely to find it. If you are open to staying in a hotel, Susan and Priscilla have given you an excellent suggestion in Hotel Diana but there is a very good possibility that they are already sold out. Another one is Hotel Le M Saint Germain, located on Rue des Ecoles in the Latin Quarter.
I think we paid 110€ or for the Ibis Bastille in August last year. Breakfast was extra. Rooms small. It's air conditioned.
I usually stay at Hotel Familia in the Latin Quarter for about 110 Euro of less. Its in traditional Parisian building with the rod iron, etc. One time we had a room with a little balcony. Fun to have a glass of wine watching the activity below. It's air conditioned. It's clean, good bed. It's a little worn but as soon as they remodel the price will go up.
Get ac - most public spaces are poorly air conditioned if at all , you’ll be in crowds all day , lots of walking , you will want a cool place to retreat to ! It’s not like a beach vacation where you can jump in the pool or ocean.
I also liked the Hotel Diane , and even cheaper is the Hotel St Pierre - but rooms are smaller than North America hotels, however you aren’t spending your time in the room .
I really hope the OP comes back to answer some questions. Lots of recommendations for hotels but if they need an apartment with a kitchen, or at least a room with a kitchenette, or maybe even separate sleeping areas, those won't help.
Also, good to note that the OP is talking about 150 CAD$ not US$. Makes a difference.
Thank you all for your helpful replies.
To answer a few questions, I am looking for a private place, but don’t care about size so long as it has either 1 comfy queen bed, or 2 comfy doubles, a private bathroom, AC and a kitchen. In a perfect world, it would have a little balcony. I would prefer an apartment so that we can make some of our own meals. We have no problem with stairs, so don’t care about an elevator.
Thanks, Carol, for the link. I would consider a hostel and that one looks quite nice.
Re: Airbnb, I just read that the city has strict regulations ( no more than 120 days/year), so am now hesitant to go that route, which is really disappointing. Thanks for the tip, MaryBeth, about the extra fees and a craven about the registration #.I have never used it before, so wasn’t aware.
Thanks, RJean for the hotel suggestions. The Beaubourg looks nice and I will check out the others tonight.
The Hotel Diana is unfortunately sold out for my dates, which seems crazy to me 6 months in advance!
JulesM, the Hotel Familia looks perfect and the price is amazing! Thanks very much!
bxrlover, Did you try JHK’s suggestion of Hotel Le M St Germain? JHK knows Paris hotels better than anyone.
Thanks JHK, it looks great, i’ll add it to my list!
If it helps the cause, I stayed with my adult daughter mid May 2018 3nts at Hotel Mistral in the 14th as it was convenient for our next journey out of Gare Montparnasse to Chartres. 123,00€/nt including nice breakfast for superior twin room. I think having morning meal available where I sleep if staying briefly is time economical for my explorations. Charming hotel, very nicely updated, quiet street with a market street nearby, friendly professional hospitality staff along with the typical in city snug room dimensions. Bathroom worked nicely for the 2 of us and our toiletry accoutrements. My first city visit was in August and it was good to have AC then. Have a wonderful trip.
I don't think you should avoid Airbnb because of the 120-day limit. Just look for an apartment with a registration number. It will be on the second page of the description of the apartment. Odds are the apartment will not have AC. Here is one that is slightly over budget (assuming your budget per night does not include the cleaning and service fee). I know nothing about this place other than that I came across it while helping my nephew look for an apartment to rent. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/13808921?location=Paris%2C%20France&adults=2&guests=1&check_in=2019-08-04&check_out=2019-08-10&s=D-6_iokP
I think you can probably find an AIRbnb but you won't find an air conditioned one and that is really important in August. A low cost hotel with good AC is what I would do. There are many in Paris. You can probably find one in the Marais or Latin Quarter, both lovely areas for a first visit. We last found one for 100 Euro on Rue Delambre in the 14th also a nice area and reasonably convenient. We had a basic twin room with good AC, WIFI and a room safe for 99 Euro a couple of years ago at Hotel Delambre.
Maybe i’m missing something but cheapest price i found for Hotel Delambre in August is €198. Out of my price range.
I just thought of another hotel that might work for you: take a look at Hotel des Nations Saint Germain on Rue Monge. The hotels I mention in this post and in one of my others one are in the 5th and are in the Latin Quarter but are not in the tourist heart of the Latin Quarter. I stayed at a hotel near both. I have a habit of going into hotels when I am in Paris and asking the front desk for a tour and to let me look at an available empty room so I have been through both of the places that I am suggesting. I have suggested them to others and they have been happy with their stays and the prices. Right now at Hotel des Nations Saint Germain, you can get a room with 2 twin beds for 98€ (cancellable) or 83€ (not cancellable) and breakfast is included if you book from their site. The rooms are small maybe even small by Paris standards. By the way, the person who designed the hotel's website is geographically challenged: the site says the hotel is in the heart of the Saint Germain neighborhood and also says it is in the Latin Quarter. It can't be both but who cares because it looks good and the price is right.
That price is amazing.
JHK, the Hotel des Nations Saint Germain looks fantastic! I emailed them to see if the rooms have AC and, if so, I will definitely book it.
Thanks very much!
I prefer apartments - particularly if anywhere for more than 3 nights. I thought I was blessed when I got an apartment in the 3rd(near the Picasso Museum) for under $100 Cdn 7 years ago for early August. As a person who lives in hot humid Ottawa, I didn't find it that hot in Paris. My apartment had a separate bedroom, full bathtub (very appreciated for walking weary legs), a washer/dryer and a full sized hideabed for a guest. It was a 2nd (Euro) walk up but no A/C. Some of those old apartment blocks are well designed for airflow - the central shaft is meant for that. One of my fondest memories is listening to the old guy across and down one having a dominoes party with his buds. Not much talking, but the click, click, click of tiles and the clunk of beer bottles on the table. Promptly at midnight, they all went home and there was silence. I am a light sleeper, so that might have been why I heard it. Ear plugs cover a lot of noises.
Unfortunately, that apartment doesn't seem available any longer and the company doesn't sell French rentals anymore, but I see options in your price range on AirBnB....but not necessarily in the Latin Quarter. You may need to make some compromises - I would say to location. There is something special about being in a neighbourhood where you can pop by the local bakery for the morning bagette, or see how crazy cheap wine is in the local grocery store. As much as they used to talk about 'Paris shuts down in August', that isn't true. The neighbourhood I was in had half the stores closed the first 2 weeks of August and the other half the last 2 weeks in August...so that the real folks who have to stay in town actually have access to their daily needs.
I wouldn't want to stay out as far as Sacre-Coeur or Montmartre, but if you can get something in the 1-4th or 7th, you can still walk many places, or a short subway to where you can walk all day.
Add my vote to the tally in the column - "Must have AC", lol!!
I hit a heatwave in the 3rd week of August 2016 in Paris and thought I'd perish. I am an early person so I was out by 7-8A but back in my air conditioned hotel room with a medium sized cup of Amorino sorbetto by 3P. I had to leave one museum because it was so stifling in there. It did not cool off at night. The hottest days were 95F - several in a row.
I do understand that some people don't have much choice on travel times and that it's not always this hot in August. I also know others are more heat tolerant than I but with a short time in Paris I'd lobby for AC at least so you can get some quality sleep.
BTW, I'm not sure you are going to find a room in your price range with 2 double beds. The hotels I use most often have 2 single beds for their twin rooms and they are all slightly above your price range.
AC at a reasonable price is one of the reasons why there seem to be as many concrete box Ibis hotels as pigeons in Paris,
Hi bxrlover
Let me help you regarding some of your questions
1/ AC : indeed it is better to have an AC in the apartment you rent / hotel room you book. However, and like previously said, it usually increases the price per night asked by hotel / owners. One turnaround solution, is to ask the 3 following questions ;
- do they have fans, and how many ?
- what floor is the apartment / room ? If it is on 6th or 7th floor, avoid it !
- what is the room exposure ? In term of heat, you should avoid rooms exposed west or south.
2/ Regarding short term rental (aka Airbnb) regulation.
- It is a sensitive question, but be sure it is not illegal in Paris. For individuals renting their apartement, it is limited to 120 days per year. I know many of them that only rents during some weekends and school holidays, so in August most of them have not reached yet the 120 days threshold. And when the apartement is managed by professionals, applying all the applicable regulations, they have the right to rent it 365 days a year.
Hope it helps.
V.
