Reasonable Accommodations for Three

Another thought, call the places that interest you. Tell them what you need and let them offer what they have. Online is fairly easy for two. As soon as you go outside that, websites don't always do the best job. You can also email directly, but I've always had better luck calling.

Sometimes chains have larger and more rooms than small hotels. I just went to the Accor Hotels website and put in 3 nights starting 25 April (as a date at the end of April) for 3 nights, 1 adult with 2 14 year old children and got, among others, Novotel Paris Tour Eiffel (15e) at €165 p/n; Mercure Paris Centre Tour Eiffel (also 15e) at €164 p/n; and an interesting one - the former All Seasons which is now the Ibis Styles Paris Pigalle Montmartre (9e) for €81 p/n. I have been pleased with the former incarnation of All Seasons. They are nothing flash - by any means - but they are clean, the rooms tend to be decent with decent amenities, and the decent but plain included breakfast and wifi are helpful. You can't beat the price for what you get. These may not be in your preferred areas but I've run out of time before trotting off to work, and they do meet your budget. The All Seasons, now Ibis Styles, tend mostly to be in former higher grade Accor properties which have been downgraded to that price point - some are new construction.

With a thousand available accommodations, rooms are certainly available. Have you tried Expedia, Hotels.com, Orvitz, Venere.com? Google is your friend in such a situation. An upcoming website for rooms in every major world city is AirBnB.com, where people are booking rooms in their homes. You can also visit your local library for travel books (like Rick Steves) on Paris. If you contact the hotels directly, they can often quote a better rate than if they were going thru an internet booking agency.

Try looking for hotels in some of the other arrondissements. It will be interesting for you to be away that from tight little inner circle in the centre. The 11th encompasses both Pl. de la Bastille and Pl. de la Nation, both lively areas and both with superb weekly street markets (Nation on Saturday and Bastille on Sunday.) Around Place de la Nation you will likely be the only tourists, if that appeals to you. We got very used to that and even became rather resentful if we heard anyone around us speaking English.

You can be "on vacation" even in an apartment. You'll have more room, and can still go out for as many meals as you want. VacationsinParis.com has apartments in every arrondisement, available by the day, most with a 3-night minimum but not a full week. It is an American company so you pay in dollars with your credit card, no large security deposit and no advance payment by cash transfer. We used them for a family trip with our teen girls and were very pleased.

Nigel, Norma, Lola – Thank you. It looks like I may need to go that route and look outside my "comfort zone" :0) either outside my preferred areas or an apartment. David – I like to use the booking sites for info only as I prefer to book directly with the hotels. Only used an agency once (Travelocity), and they were not at all helpful when an issue arose. As far as a room, I'm the type that prefers my own space. I even stay at a hotel when visiting my brother in Calif. But that's just me - I appreciate the ideas. Thank you all for your input, it is appreciated! Joann

I would stick with your preferred areas and look at apartments. You will have more space and as mentioned, you don't have to cook if you done want to! Unless you don't feel like you're on vacation unless you have someone come in and make your bed, etc., I think you will all be happiest in an apartment. If you find an apartment with a washer and possibly a dryer it will help with packing light.

Try Hotel Jeanne d'Arc, Hotel Eugenie, Hotel Diana, Hotel Dieu and Hotel St. Pierre. Another hotel I really like and stayed at for 6 wks is Hotel de l'Avre. Although it's in the 15th arrondissement. But the metro stop a half block away is one of the best, with 3 intersecting main lines. Also a great Monoprix w/grocery store and one one of the best 2x wk outdoor market is right there. The Eiffel Tower is only a few blocks away. I prefer the 4th, 5th and 6th, but for budget this one is great. Wonderful owner & staff and a lovely garden. While this NY Times list of Paris hotels under $150 is a few years old, it's still worth checking out: http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/travel/hotparis.html?em&_r=0

We have used Accor hotels all over Paris, and Europe in general. For 3 they are great. The beds are set up bunk bed style. Queen on bottom and twin on top. (This is for most Ibis, Hotel Formule1 and Etap-now called Ibis Budget). All have ensuite baths except Hotelformule1, the cheapest. I have used the studio listed below for the past 5 years. It is in the 9th, and the bus stop is a 3 minute walk and Anviers Metro is 8 minutes, or less. Email Nadine and ask about accomodations for 2 children. The studio is ideal for two, but 3, might need a palet or something. Nadine will help if she can. Nadine Giblin Studio 30 sqm Paris 9e near Montmartre E-mail : [email protected]
Website : http://locationparis9.canalblog.com

Joann,We stayed at the Hotel Diana ( in the fifth) in Paris this summer. We had booked a double room but were given the triple when we arrived as that is all they had left ( so a free upgrade so to speak). We thought it was a great room, fairly roomy, and came with a mini fridge ( empty for you to stock) and a coffee making set up( rare in Paris especially in small hotels ). Totally recommend seeing if you can in there. The bed was very comfy, and the third bed was a pull out love seat sized couch. Good bathroom with shower and tub( nice with children).
Good location, on a quiet street but only a block or two away from the bustlingly noisier ( and fun) areas of the Latin Quarter. Near to metros, buses, etc.

Thank you all so much for your replies. I know what I'll be doing this weekend and it's not wrapping last minutes gifts! Thank you all and Happy Holidays!
Joann

Another option if your daughters don't mind sharing a bed is the Citadines chain which is halfway between hotel and rented apartment: all rooms have kitchens. They offer rooms for three or four people usually with a double-bed bedroom and a sofabed in the sitting room. There are a number of branches in the single-figure arrondisements.

We have stayed in the triple at Hotel Clement in the 6th twice and think it is a great bargain. It is on a quiet street but close to lots of restaurants and two Metro stations. The triple is small like most Paris hotel rooms. It has a double in one room and a single bed in a smaller room. We plan to stay there again this summer.

Thank you to all. There are some great ideas here. I will definitely finish my research and book something this week. I fall into the "planner" personality and like to know all the important logistics are taken care of so I can rest easy. Thank you!

Joann, we have a reservation at Hotel Eugenie (which I learned about from the Helpline) for May 2013. I checked their rates and a triple runs from €113-120. The location looks fantastic and the reviews on tripadvisor look good. (I always check tripadvisor, realizing that bad reviews could be by the competition and excellent reviews could be by the owners.) I had a more challenging time this year finding hotels in France, probably because more travelers are pre-planning.
Best of luck with your search!