Lodgings/Paris

Just stayed in two wonderful options this week. One recommended by Steve - Hotel Lindbergh and the other was Hotel de l'Arcade. Both had great locations and very very helpful front desk staff. They were both reasonably priced. Do not recommend Hotel Verlain (East Paris).

Our favorite hotel, l'Hotel Hameau de Passy at 48 rue de Passy, is $202/night in September. That is not much above 100 Euros... that rate is a standard double room, through Booking.com - the "rack" rate listed on their website is 156 Euros/night. Re-reading your post, maybe you are traveling solo? If so, hostel?

Thank you. Lodging sticker shock sometimes causes short-term memory loss. The room will be for my wife and myself. Richard

richard, check out the Hotel Ideal on rue Emile-Zola in the 15th. Nice small hotel (well, not that small) with rates not too much above €100 for a double. Also the Caravelle in the 9th on rue des Martyrs.

I just checked the web site for the Hotel Home Latin, their best rate is 150 Euros for a double. It is a nice small hotel located in the 5th and readily walkable to numerous sights including Notre Dame and the Luxembourg Gardens. My other suggestion is to go to a site like Booking.com and plug in your price limit and see what pops. If you end up staying in the outer part of the city you have to think about how much you are going to pay in transportation to get into the part of the city you want to see. Paris is beautiful but it is not cheap.

Have you tried airbnb.com? Lots of lodging options at reasonable prices...we have used this website around the world and had great luck!

Hotel de l'Avre in the 15th, not too far from the Eiffel tower, is wonderful. They have doubles for 110 Euros. They have a cheaper double but they're sold out. We stayed there for 6 wks and loved it. They have a lovely garden, very clean and cheerful hotel, decent sized rooms, good size bathrooms, good beds, wonderful owner and staff. Their website: Hoteldelavre.com It's a half block to a great Metro station, La Motte Picquet-Grenelle, where 3 main lines intersect so less train changes to get somewhere. Wonderful outdoor market there 2x week, great Monoprix w/great grocery store. I prefer to stay in the heart of Paris, but for someone on a budget, Hotel de l'Avre is a real gem.

Not charming, but the Etap chain just at the edges of Paris is functional, in this price range and will get the job done. One of the regulars here, Ed, stays stays in them. Also the Hotel Dieu, which is not really a hotel as we know it but the oldest hospital in Paris, right next to Notre Dame, is now renting out a few rooms on its top floor as a hotel. You'll have to google it to check, but if I remember correctly the rooms were about 85 euros a night. You'll get to hear Notre Dame's new bells up close. Edit: I just returned to edit the post because the rooms at Hotel Dieu have sky rocketed, especially for wht it is. Back to Ed's Hotel Etap.

I have dreamed of staying at the Hotel Dieu Hospitel, but so far hasn't worked out. What a location! Website: http://www.hotel-hospitel.fr/ang/accueil.htm The rates posted on their site are for 2012: 1 person: 139€
2 persons: 150€ extra bed: 15€ Good luck if you do try for it.

Richard, Here's one we used to stay in (have been in apartments for the past 12 years). Hotel du Parc Montsouris. It's on the southern end, a few feet from Parc Montsouris on a tiny street. It's on the tram line which skirts the Blvd. Exterior and halfway between Porte d'Orleans (line 4) and Cite Universite RER B stop. It used to be a 2 star but got a new coat of paint and is now a 3 star, but prices are still relatively low. It is charming. Interesting neighborhood of small houses built in the 1020s, lots of artists at the the time. Near the international housing built by different countries for students from those countries studying in Paris. One warning is that there aren't lots of restaurants near by. Just thought of another very unusual hotel: Hotel Chopin. Two-star. Inside an arcade right in the heart of Paris, near Opera, very unique location. French friends who live overseas stay there when in Paris. I haven't stayed here and am not sure I would as I like calm, but it might work for you. Google Passage Jouffroy to see the location and interior of the arcade.

We stayed at Hotel Cluny Sorbonne in a room for 2 people for about 100 euros per night. Tiny room with a bathroom, no frills, but in a good location off Blvd. St.-Michel and a ten-minute walk from several Metro / RER stops.

Richard , one comment in addition to all the fine advice so far ; as I understand , September is trade show and fashion show month in Paris and all hotels fill up pretty fast . Don't let any grass grow beneath your feet and have a great time !

Paris 'Ready to Wear' Fashion Week 2013 is 24 September through 2 October. But the advice to book immediately is wise because it's a huge deal and many buyers go early for pre-Fashion Week meetings, etc. And there are other trade shows too.

Hotel Acte V on Rue Monge, staying there again in August.

Ed and I both like Etap, but their new name is Ibis Budget. If you do not mind bath and toilet down the hall, Hotelformule1 will work and they are cheaper then Etap or Ibis Budget. One is beside the Ibis Budget on Rue Dr. Babinski. Their claim to fame is that they are really close to the Large Flea Market at St Ouen. When you book the room, print the page with the hotels name and address on it in case you need help in finding it, unless you speak fluent French.