Paris Lodging, First Time Frugal Visitor

Here are two reviews of Hotel Jean Bart, which costs about €72/night for a single with private bath, near Luxembourg Gardens, but may have bed bugs. Rick's guidebook recommends a few other hotels with single rooms in that price range, and it would be best to investigate all of them to find availability for next month. A big view is not likely, but you may get a bit of rooftop view.

Thanks Laura but I'll pass on the possibility of bedbugs.
Know anything about "Hotel De Nesle"?

In Paris, you don't get a lot of views in the typical hotel, because in the areas back from the river, all the buildings are about the same height. Really. It's not like here.
So don't hold out for a view.

There's a beg bug registry somewhere on the net.

Mid September of this year? If so, you are a little late because September is a very busy month in Paris. And 75 euros per night is a tough budget. Try the Hotel Marignan in the 5th on Rue Sommerard. They have single rooms in high season (which is what mid September is in Paris) for 73 euros with shared bathrooms. Another possibility is Hotel Port Royal in the 5th on Boulevard de Port Royal (no credit cards and you may have to share a shower in the 75 euro price range).

Hi, I stayed at the Hôtel Perreyve a block from the gorgeous Luxembourg Garden. It shows $120 for November on Expedia. The hotel is nothing special, and the room is postage stamp size as expected in Paris, but the location is good & very close to the RER for train connections. I especially liked that I didn't need to transfer on the RER-to metro stops with my suitcase.

Thanks to all. Had no idea September was high season. Perhaps I'd do better postponing for a bit since my dates are flexible. Looking through Paris travel books today I found one about spending six months in Paris. True, it was more of a write-your-novel-while-in-Paris book, but after a chapter or two, I was hooked. Six months in Paris. Geez, I'd settle for three. Okay, truth be told, I'd be delirious with a month!
Again, merci beaucoup.
Judith
Alaska

judith,

As someone else mentioned, September can be a busy month in Paris so you may have to increase your budget. Of course, the most frugal lodging choice would be a Hostel, and there are lots of those in Paris. HI Hostels (about four properties in Paris) have female dorm rooms listed at €43 per night in mid-Septamber. I didn't check the independent Hostels. Some have private rooms but those may be above your €75 limit.

You might find that a €75 hotel room may not be the most "desirable".

Hi Judith, as mentioned ,September is still very much high season for hotels in Paris. Its not just tourists that month, but its trade show and fashion season, so most decent cheap rooms are booked. If you had gotten the travel bug a bit earlier you would have found many hotels on Paris feature special cheaper rates in August( as its low season for business travelers!)
I wouldn't dismiss the idea of a hostel, some have private rooms.
I would dismiss any hotel with a bed bug report.
If you postpone visit till mid October you may have better luck, but you may also encounter a bit more of a chance of cooler or rainy weather( though perhaps not compared to Alaska!) And of course the days are shorter.

I have stayed solo in the Hotel St Pierre on rue de Ecolea du Medicine( several hotels in Paris have similar names so be sure you fins this one) . The rooms are very small, but clean, the hotel is well run, and the location is excellent, walk to many sites,cafes, shops, the Seine, and there are several bus/metro lines and stations close by, including the RER ( suburban train lines) stop that will bring you in from the airport for 10 euros!

Paris is the single busiest month for hotels in Paris. You might find something at the price point on the edges of town e.g. at the end of the 3 metro at Gallieni there are a bunch of budget hotels, Ibis, Mr. Bed etc which have singles for that kind of money and there is easy access to the metro into town.

Yes, September is a busy month for hotel bookings. But there are a lot of available places for mid-September of this year on Airbnb. A quick search for a private rental filtered by some decent neighborhoods (including the 5th, 6th, Montmartre and Canal St. Martin) pulled up 275 listings that were priced at $90USD or less. Don't expect an enormous 1 bedroom at that price. But there are some cute small studio apartments that look just fine for 1 person (certainly as big, if not bigger than, a hotel room or a private room in a hostel). I'm sure if you were willing to book a private room in someone's home on Airbnb you would have even more to choose from - and again, don't know what neighborhood you have your heart set on, but play around with the filters and plug in your own preferences and you'll find something. You won't have someone at a front desk available to answer questions 24 hours a day if you stay in an Airbnb, but many hosts leave pretty detailed information about their neighborhoods, getting around, what's nearby, restaurant recommendations, etc. As long as you are near a metro line, you can connect to other lines as needed - they have a great metro system in Paris and it's very easy to figure out - so don't limit yourself to staying in only the single digit arrondissements.

Also try Hotel de l'Avre in the 15th arrondissement. Wonderful hotel, owner and staff. Has a lovely garden. A half block from a great Metro stop where 3 major lines intersect (La Motte-Picquet Grenelle).

Try Booking.com, plug in your requirements and see what pops. Our experience has been that their reviews have been accurate.

As others have said, Ibis hotels can be of great value when booked in advance. If I'm not mistaken, I believe they're running a special (or at least they are here). They usually have good locations, but there are some on the outskirts of the city that may be of a better value for you. Just make sure you have a metro station nearby.

When you try Booking.com, be sure to use the filters down the left side of the page and click on the default $ currency symbol at the top of the page to switch to euros. Then there will be no currency conversion issues since you already have a budget in euros.

You may get a better deal depending on how many days you are staying. I tried just for one night, with a private bath, for one person with a review score of 7+ and there was almost nothing available anywhere close to your budget. So you may need to adjust your expectations.

If you find something that looks okay, be sure to check information on the arrondissement (district). You may not want to stay there for any number of reasons. Also figure out how to contact the place directly to see if you can get a better deal that way.

Finally, if the price looks too good to be true, it probably is. We tried to warn our son about that when he took his 2 daughters with him to Paris in February. He ended up making 2 reservations and cancelling them before he settled on a place, which, like both the previous selections, turned out to be a dump. Cent wise and euro foolish.

Check out homeaway.com for apartments/studios. You may find something in your price range.

I wouldn't say Sept. is high season. It's the shoulder season so a little cheaper, though not a ton.

Sanderskn sorry for hotel occupancy September IS high season. You may not be taking into account that Paris is not just for tourists. It is a very busy business center also, and September is trade show season and fashion show season( do not underestimate the crowds of hotel dwellers that brings in)
Actual facts are June and September are hotel occupancy high season, and august and late July are the shoulder months! I have stayed in several hotels that offer " l 'ete promotions" reduced room rates for august and sometimes late July.

I am not addressing crowds at tourist sites but actual hotel occupancy. August wins as the " quiet" month out of the on season months as opposed to the off season ( October- March, excluding Christmas ) .

Perhaps you may want to consider airbnb.com? You can easily find something there for your budget. You may be staying in a room in a private home for that price but we have done this numerous times and loved it. As a female traveler going solo it will give you added security and put you in touch with someone who knows the city well. Of course, only go with a listing that has plenty of reviews.
Hostels are a fantastic option as well - the are clean, modern, and well-equipped. Nothing fancy but you often get breakfast with your bed and it's a great place to meet other travelers. They are also not as impacted by the September crowds that rush into Paris on business.
Good luck!

If you are staying several days, look into this studio. My wife and I have used it for the past 7 or 8 years. Wonderful owners and nice place.

Nadine Giblin
Studio 30 sqm Paris 9e near Montmartre
E-mail : [email protected]
Website : http://locationparis9.canalblog.com