Paris 2010

Best and worst accommodations:

Best: Hotel Beauency
Why: The location was great and Rue Cler provided lots for starting the day. From cheap good eats for the morning, afternoon relaxing and when you need something it's nearby.

Bill in Buena Park, CA USA 11/15/2009

Best: Relais Bouquet on the Rue Cler
Why: Excellent staff. Rooms were large by Paris standards and the Rue Cler is such a wonderful district to operate from.

Charlie Galan in Nanaimo, BC Canada 11/13/2009

Worst: Hotel de Nevers
Why: I stayed in this hotel a year ago and found it to be a decent option for the budget traveler. I paid my bill in full when departing the hotel.

One year later, my credit card was billed again for this same hotel (I had not returned, obviously). I emailed the hotel for a refund but they never responded, so I contacted my credit card company to dispute the charge.

The most suspicious thing is that I've changed my credit card since, so I have a new expiration date.

BE AWARE OF THIS HOTEL!!!!!

M.A. in Chicago, IL USA 11/06/2009

Worst: Grand Hotel Leveque
Why: Reasonable rates. Great location. Dirty carpets. However, they had an obnoxious sign in the lobby (in English)prohibiting bringing your own food and drink to the rooms (although they gladly sell you their stuff to take to your room). Is this a hotel or a youth hostel? Some of these places take the bonanza in free publicity (and the American customers attached to it) given by placement in the Rick Steves book for granted. It is best to use the book to define the location then go to the multitude of websites offering lodging. There were lots of other better hotels in the Rue Cler area.

George FL USA 11/02/2009

Best: Beaugency Hotel
Why: The location of this hotel to the Rue Cler area is very convenient. The bathrooms in this hotel were the best we experienced in 2+ weeks in France. The breakfast was very good. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We used the free internet to communicate with family back home. The hotel was also within walking distance of the Route 69 buses which we used frequently to go to various sights. Also the hotel was within a 10 minute walk to the Eiffel tower.

Art / Karyn Lougheed in Markham, On Canada 11/01/2009

Worst: Hotel Jeanne d'Arc, 3 rue to Jarente
Why: Despite the exceptional location and rates, very friendly staff, delightful 6 euro breakfast, our experience at Jeanne d'Arc was not pleasant because the walls were so thin, we could hear every sneeze, conversation, and toilet flushing in all the rooms near us. Also the garbage truck comes by on weekdays at 8 a.m. and is horrendously loud for quite a while. The shower had no door or curtain, and water went everywhere, despite our best attempts. There is no AC, and I think this place would be intolerable in the summer, even with the small fans they furnish. The elevator is very, very small and they suggest only one person with luggage in each trip. The wait for the elevator can take quite a long time. Going up the stairs beyond the 3rd floor, especially with luggage, would be very difficult for some people. I think it's important to note in your book that they have a safe, but it's in the main office, not in the room. They have use of a computer in a back room, but no QUERTY keyboard. They were very helpful in securing a shuttle service to the airport, but the driver was half an hour late, said he was lost, and then when six of us arrived at the airport, owing him 17 euros each (and 8 euros went to the hotel), we all only had 20 euro bills and he insisted that he had no change.

evelyn in dallas, tx USA 10/30/2009

Best: Grand Hotel Leveque
Why: Just cannot beat the location in my opinion. Also, they were extremely courteous in allowing us to store two suitcases while we went to Rome for 3 days. Also, had left a camera on a bed when checking out, called from taxi, and they had it waiting at the counter when we returned. Also, Wifi prices are very reasonable (though I seem to remember Wifi was free during our visit last year).

All that said, we stayed there last year and best times we had were sitting in their breakfast area late afternoons talking with other travelers, sharing wine purchased from local stores, and eating light snacks. This year they entirely cut this off, which was terribly disappointing as we had bragged about that feature to guests who joined us this year. Also, their renovations are coming along very slowly - despite rules against drinking and eating in rooms, the carpet in 3 of 4 rooms our group stayed in were very dirty. Also, very limited choice of TV stations (CNN only English station)

Michael in Charlotte, NC USA 10/21/2009

Worst: Hotel de la Tour Eiffel
Why: I don't expect too much from a hotel while I'm vacationing. At most, I'm awake and in my room for 2 hours. The rest of the time I'm either out and about or I'm sleeping. Unfortunately, I found this hotel unsatisfactory.... even by my standards.

The rooms were extremely cramped. I read that in the guide, but it needs repeating. This especially goes for the bathrooms.... should read "bath closets". A corner of the sink vanity had been worn away because there was no clearance to lift the toilet lid!! that should give you an idea of how small it was!

The ceiling in the shower leaked when the guests above us showered.

No A/C, which is no shocker.... but I opened the windows at night, and was eaten alive by mosquitoes. Sure, this may not be the hotel's fault, but it certainly doesn't lend itself to a good review.

The walls were paper thin. If I wasn't dead tired from sightseeing all day, I would have been kept awake by everybody's rumblings.

On the good side, the location is outstanding. While that's great, there are plenty of hotels in the area to choose from if I get a chance to visit Paris again.

The guidebook was a vital part in making the most of my vacation, but I just can't agree with the recommendation of this hotel. Sorry.

Rob R. in Alexandria, VA USA 10/08/2009

Worst: Hotel Beaugency
Why: I requested the "Rick Steves Rate" (the book says the hotel offers a 20% discount to readers). I was told the rate was 145 Euro, but for R.S. readers the rate was 130 Euro (not 20%). The internet rate on-line was 97 Euro! It's the old bait-and-switch scam. TAKE THIS HOTEL OUT OF THE BOOK!

A. Mesa Fl USA 10/06/2009

Best: Hotel de Londres Eiffel
Why: Clean, friendly, & quiet hotel. We enjoyed a very relaxing time here last weekend. These guys really aim to please. Their directions were flawless. Because my French is soooo terrible they called contacts for us to get hours of operation and more information. Every time we asked for assistance they were always eager to help. It's like staying with family. They served a wonderful French Breakfast every morning too. This hotel was a first class, distinguished operation.

furnacefighter in Philadelphia, PA USA 09/26/2009

Best: Hotel Relais Bosquet
Why: The hotel is in a great location near Rue Cler and the Eiffel Tower. The staff is very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed the two complimentary computer in the lounge. The hot breakfast buffet was great and included. Our room was very quiet, clean and comfortable. We will stay there again on our next trip to Paris.

Gregg & Judy in Rapid City, SD USA 09/24/2009

Best: Grand Hotel Leveque
Why: We stayed at the Leveque on Rue Cler and found the rooms to be clean and the staff to be friendly. We were pleased they accommodated us by giving us a room in the back where we'd be away from the street noise in the morning.

Worst: Grand Hotel Leveque
Why: This hotel has very thin walls probably because it is an old building. Sound really carries starting at about 6:30 a.m. every day so ready or not, you're awake. More disappointing, though, was that we were not able to take any food or drink (coffee) up to our room. Normally, that wouldn't be a problem but there is so much "take out" food on Rue Cler and there's no where to take it close by and eat it. The hotel will not allow you to use their dining room or to bring anything into the hotel at all although they do seem to sell soft drinks at the desk. We thought it might be helpful if they remove the plants outside their front door and install a park bench. After a long day of running around Paris, a little coffee with CNN might have been nice.

Dawn in St. Paul, MN USA 09/19/2009

Best: Hotel Relais Bosquet
Why: Hotel: Very friendly and helpful front desk personel. The hotel is perfectly located- short walk to Effel Tower. Bus line and metro stations are also close by to take you to all parts of the city. The breakfasts were nice (make sure you mention Rick Steve's guide book. Doing so gets you FREE breakfasts and a ticket to the Louvre or a boat ride on the Seine). The rooms are just average (definitely not 3 or 4 stars), but the staff and location made up for it. My only dislike was the toilet was in a closet size room next to the bed separate (by about 15 feet) from the bathroom. -----

Mark in Shoreline, Wa USA 09/18/2009

Best: Hotel Relais Bosquet
Why: This hotel was just as I had hoped it would be -- reasonable, comfortable, clean and friendly. Breakfast was free with our Rick Steves discount. I hope to return someday.

Kathryn Totah in Pacifica, CA USA 09/10/2009

Worst: Hotel De La Tour Eiffel
Why: We stayed at four hotels recommended in Rick Steves' Paris 2009 -- in Amsterdam, Bayeux, Brugges and Paris. All were absolutely fantastic, except for the Hotel de la Tour Eiffel. The "quiet" street was non-stop noise until 3:00 a.m. We encountered four different hotel staff. Only one (who was very helpful) answered our questions with more than a grunt. There were four light bulbs in the bathroom. Only one worked during our entire stay. The lighting in the hallways and stairway was so poor that we almost fell down the stairs several times. I realize this is only a 2-star hotel, and I fully expected the small room, but I was extremely disappointed. I would never recommend this place to anyone. Again, the other three hotels we stayed in were fabulous, so I guess 3 out of 4 isn't bad.

Janine Wenholz in Blaine, MN USA 09/07/2009

Worst: Hotel Eber Mars-Paris
Why: No AC and room was very hot during our stay of June 26-July 3. We were told there were 2-3 fans for the entire hotel and it was up to us to try and get one from the maid. Difficult to sleep with windows open due to noise. There were no screens so also some bugs that would come in and I have bad reactions to bites. Too hot with them closed. Much of the grout in the bathroom was black, apparently due to mold/mildew and no shelf in shower for shampoo or soap. The worst however was payment. We attempted to pay the night before departure in case there were any questions about the bill as we had an early train. We were told we must wait until morning and that it would only take a minute. There were questions and we didn't have time to settle them so ended up paying too much. Now they won't respond to my email. One item was the "free" breakfast that we were told we would get, then were charged for it.

Sandi Godsil in Eugene, OR USA 08/12/2009

Best: Hotel Eiffel Park
Why: The location is perfect, and at 90 euro/night it was a great value for a 3 star hotel. There's AC and an elevator. The staff were extremely helpful. And the charming rooftop terrace made for an excellent place to relax with a bottle of wine at the end of a long day. While I thought the breakfast was overpriced at 12 euro/person, you can get a great petit dejeuner around the corner on rue Cler for 5-6 euro/person.

Colleen Earls in Vancouver, WA USA 07/29/2009

Best: Hotel du Champ de Mars
Why: We loved our 8 night stay! The rooms were delightful and the entire staff was extremely helpful and pleasant. We made our reservations months in advance. Breakfast is reasonable and the setting is charming! What a delight! So convenient to everything we did!

Carol N. in Newport News, VA USA 07/27/2009

Best: Hotel Beaugency
Why: Although we had some problems initially booking via the internet, and although the twin bedded room was small, the bathroom was large by Paris standards and the hotel was in a quiet street and very conveniently situated for both transport and restaurants.

Anne Ayre in Bowen Island, BC Canada 07/19/2009

Worst: Young and Happy Hostel, Paris
Why: The staff were friendly, but the hostel was dirty (there were mice) and in need of repair. On a very loud street in the Latin Quarter, was tough to sleep. There aren't enough bathrooms to accommodate all the guests.

Frank in Washington, DC USA 07/17/2009

Best: Hospitel Hotel aka Hotel Dieu
Why: This is the most central location I have ever found while traveling. Step outside the front door and you are staring up at Notre Dame. Great, affordable restaurants and crepes shops on Ille St. Louis. Museums within walking distance. Central underground station for access to any part of the city.

Roy Summerford in Auburn, AL USA 07/15/2009

Best: Hotel Muquet
Why: The location was great and also the rooms. We had breakfast there one morning but decided it was cheaper on Rue Cler. We have stayed in Paris three other times and this was the best accommodations for the price.

Jeanette Finlon in Seattle, WA USA 07/09/2009

Worst: Hotel Eber Mars
Why: After reserving via Expedia, I sent 2 separate emails to Hotel Eber Mars in an attempt to confirm our reservation and to request that our room be one with air conditioning. I received no response. Our room was NOT air conditioned. We were there July,2009 and it was very hot. Traffic noise made it impossible to sleep. One of the shower doors was missing. The bathroom door handle was broken which caused my daughter (11) to get stuck inside for a stressful several minutes. The carpet was dirty. The lift does not go to the first floor. Overall, a very negative experience. In spite of the location near the Eiffel, we will never stay here again.

Jeannie Reid in Sinking Spring, PA USA 07/07/2009

Worst: Hotel Beaugency
Why: The man at the desk at night was somewhat rude. He would consisitantly give us the wrong room key, even when we first asked in french and then would write it out on paper. Made me concerned that he was giving our key to other also.None of the clerks made eye contact and when asked for directions/metro/bus, would sigh and grab a tourist map. Readers should be informed that they are asked to leave the key at the desk- which you need to do because of the size- huge plastic key with a large tassle. We also we informed of the "rick discount" not being an option. The bed has a matress similar to one from a roll-out sofa and at 5' 2", my feet hung off the end. The room was very clean but about 6" too small all around. You will have to move the bed each time you come in and also open the closet door. The shower door was one that folds onto itself, which it didn't do willingly. There was mold around the base of the shower. I have used "Rick Steves" for Amsterdam and Brussles with great results. I have to say I would try another hotel before going back to this one again.

Susan in Center Harbor, NH USA 06/20/2009

Best: Hotel Beaugency
Why: I really enjoyed my stay at the Beaugency. It was an AWESOME location, we had breakfast in the Champ de Mars, with view on the Tower, 2 out of 4 mornings! My only complaint is that they wouldn't give me the 20% off even with my Rick book. When we booked I had mentioned in the comment section that we had the book, but since we were staying for 4 nights they insisted that they could only give us the 3+ nights discount, which was more like 10%. When we checked in they said they couldn't give us the Rick discount because they could only give it to so many rooms, and all the "Rick rooms" were taken. Well, in our 5 days/4 nights there we almost never ran into other people, so I'm not saying that she was lying, but I find that hard to believe. Regardless, when we go back to Paris, I will definitely consider Beaugency as an option - but we're absolutely staying near rue Cler again!

Marie-Claude in Ottawa, ON Canada 06/18/2009

Best: Hotel Tour de la Eiffel
Why: See notes above. We couldn't have been happier with our choice (from the Paris 2009 guide).

Krstin in Richfield, MN USA 06/12/2009

Best: Hotel du Champ de Mars (Pg348/P2009)
Why: Location (Rue Cler), price: Db E95, good buy breakfast.

Charles Carter in Seattle, WA USA 06/10/2009

Best: Hotel Eiffel Park
Why: Very nice hotel, excellent English speaking hotel staff, has good working elevator, safe in room, and air conditioning. Good size rooms and baths.

Sue B in Albuquerque, NM USA 06/09/2009

Best: Hotel Kensington
Why: Opted for the "large twin" -- I think the large referred to the Bathroom -- the largest we've seen in our European stays. Very clean and well maintained -- excellent value!

Jim Gauntt in Little Rock, AR USA 06/01/2009

Best: Grand Hotel Leveque
Why: Clean, accomodating help, centrally located. We stayed here 5 nights.

James B. Dailey in Suffolk, Va USA 05/29/2009

Worst: Hotel Champs du Mar
Why: This hotel was conveniently located and well-priced but I would not recommend it to anyone who enjoys bathing regularly. We stayed for 7 days last week. The sink was semi-clogged the entire time. Stuff from the drain kept coming up every time we ran water. The shower temperature could not be regulated for more than about 2 minutes. It took twice as long as it should to shower because we were constantly re-adjusting it to keep from scalding or freezing ourselves. When I complained they said it was old plumbing and that was the way it was. I would have been happy to pay a few more Euros a night for a decent shower.

In addition, the night before we left I requested that they set up a taxi for us. Heeding Rick's advice, I specifically requested a taxi ordinaire so we wouldn't get a limo. Instead, they set us up with a shuttle that took nearly 2 hours to get to the airport because they had another stop to make at the other end of Paris and then the driver got lost because he couldn't find the departures at the airport (I think it was his first day).

Anne in Montgomery, IL USA 05/18/2009

Worst: ParisHome 2000
Why: I would not say this small studio apartment was the worst place we ever stayed. It was clean but our main reason for selecting the apartment, the washer dryer combo, was broken. No attempt was made to replace or repair it while we were there. Bathroom extremely small and on a very noisy street. 2 restaurants whose employees took frequent smoke breaks late at night and talked back and forth across the street often woke us up. Those renting the apt should be aware there is no fan or AC and even in 60-70º weather the place geys quite warm.

Mary Lehman in Shepherdstown, WV USA 05/17/2009

Best: Hotel Kensington
Why: was a bit nervous not getting Hotel Champs du Mars again, but this location, price and service was all very good

Doug Wall in Winfield, IL USA 05/11/2009

Best: Hotel Relais Bosquet
Why: The breakfast buffet was terrific. Our room looked out to the Eiffel Tower which glittered under a crescent moon. Computers were available and the staff was very cordial. The Rue Cler neighborhood is a special place to be. This is my second time there. 15 years ago we stayed at the Hotel de la Motte Picquet which was also very nice.

Karen Adair in San Diego, CA USA 05/09/2009

Best: Hotel Jeanne D'Arc
Why: It's inexpensive, has a great location, and isn't on a busy (noisy) street. The Pl. St. Catherine around the corner is a fine neighborhood hangout. I felt like a "local" while there.

Worst: Hotel Turenne
Why: I stayed for a week. The bed was way too soft (saggy) and breakfast was overpriced at 9 Eu. Construction in progress didn't help, with the noise and odors of solvents.

Swan in Napa, CA USA 05/01/2009

Best: Relais Bosquet
Why: Good buffet breakfast. Rooms were comfortable and clean - a nice place to relax after a busy day of sightseeing. The fridge in room was also a nice treat. The hotel was in the middle of renovation, which was a surprise, but overall not terribly inconvenient. It just meant walking around the painters and sitting in a breakfast room with bare lightbulbs sticking out of the walls. We felt a bit of pressure from staff to use shuttle service to airport rather than public transportation. We instead took the metro to the airport - it took about 1 hour and was very easy. It also was cheaper than what the front desk worker told us when he was trying to convince us to take the shuttle. Overall, would stay here again considering I found an online special for 105 euros per night with free breakfast buffet and free louvre tickets.

Nicole M in Minneapolis, MN USA 04/30/2009

Best: Hotel Le Relais de Medici
Why: Perfectly lovely hotel in the 6th, near Jardin du Luxembourg, a stone's throw from the Odeon Theater. Not so touristy as the St Germain area. Reception was not only extremely helpful but charming. More like staying with friends! Look forward to returning.

Cindy in Beavercreek, Oh USA 04/30/2009

Best: Hotel Beaugency, off Rue Cler, Paris
Why: This hotel is very nice and accommodating. Amel is most helpful as is the whole hotel staff. The breakfast buffet is "sans moderation" translated eat all you want, the benefit of "eating in". Yes, by reserving on line using the code word RICK got us the 20% discount. Also we asked for a room with a view, and indeed could see the top third of the Eiffel Tower flashing while laying in bed!! It is a stone's throw from rue Cler. We live in Germany and will be returning to Hotel Beaugency again in May.

Eunice Luther in Holzhausen-Burbach, Germany 04/23/2009

Best: Hotel de la Tour Eiffel
Why: Location. Location. Location. We had originally requested a room at the Hotel du Champ de Mars, but they never responded to my first email. When I contacted them again I was told they had no vacancies. And, I'm glad they didn't. Our second choice, Hotel de la Tour Eiffel, was clean, comfortable, affordable, in a very safe area, and looked like it had recently been redecorated. Our "superior double" room was a little larger than most of their rooms and had everything we needed -- including an elevator just outside our room and two large windows that looked out onto the quiet rue de l'Exposition. Best of all, though, the hotel was situated between rue Saint Dominique and rue de Grenelle...a half block from Bus 69 (the bus was much more fun than the subway!), and close to the Eiffel Tower and Seine sightseeing boats, bakeries, a grocery store, two laundromats, a coffee shop, take-out restaurants, and several of Rick's recommended restaurants. We were there for nine days from May 16-25, 2009. I can say that the fabulous location -- and the great, friendly advice given to us by the hotel manager, Kamel --is what made our trip so much fun! I highly recommend Hotel de la Tour Eiffel. Ask for one of their larger rooms -- similar to our Room 23. They have an apartment available, too.

Suzanne J. in Angleton, TX USA 04/21/2009

Best: ParisHome2000
Why: Reservations were easy; the location was perfect near rue Cler. "Slim" was available to handle any problem and the studio apartment was super clean. Phone service was free (free.fr) to the USA and other countries as well as within France.

Swan in Napa, CA USA 04/11/2009

Best: Hotel Muguet
Why: I booked the Hotel Muguet based upon advice from Rick and the great reviews on TripAdvisor. Reserving a room through e-mail was not a problem, with rapid responses to my requests and questions. I stayed in Room 2, in the small main courtyard, for eight nights. The room was VERY clean and quiet, with fresh towels placed in the room every day. The staff, such as owner Catherine Pelletier, and Yuri were very friendly, polite, and helpful. Breakfast was not included, and cost 10 Euros each morning, but it is well worth it! You are given a 1/4 baguette and a large whole croissant, then are free to choose from two brands and several flavors of yogurt, three kinds of cheese, two brands of fruit cups, fresh fruit, ham, salami, three kinds of dry cereal, tea, coffee, two flavors of juice, hot chocolate, hard-boiled eggs, and mini-muffins. I ate breakfast at the hotel every morning and wasn't hungry again until the evening! Finally, the hotel is very convenient to the Ecole Militaire and La Tour Maubourg metro stops. I would DEFINITELY recommend this hotel to a friend and GLADLY stay here on my next trip to Paris!

Thomas Elliot in Nom de Plume, TX USA 04/07/2009

Worst: Hotel du Champ de Mars
Why: I read so many great comments about this hotel- and was really disappointed. It was a headache even before we checked in. To book the hotel, it took several e-mails. They wouldn't respond for weeks. In those e-mails, I advised them we had a rental car. They confirmed they had parking for guests. When we arrived (after a LONG day of driving) the desk clerk VERY RUDELY scoffed at the idea of guest parking. I showed him the e-mail I received indicating so, and he told me I was ridiculous for thinking a hotel in Paris would have parking. As this was my first time in Paris, how should I know that????

Next issue- we decided to return our rental car that night since there was no parking. This same lovely desk clerk said Auto Europe was open. We went there, and they were closed. Thanks!

At the time of check-out, we explained we needed a taxi for our bus shuttle. Instead, they called for an airport shuttle, which charged us 30 euros for a 5 minute ride.

VERY DISAPPOINTING. WOULD NEVER STAY THERE AGAIN.

Roselle Okubo in Miami, FL USA 03/31/2009

Best: Hotel Beaugency
Why: This is my second time staying at the Hotel Beaugency and I couldn't be more pleased! The hotel is small, safe and very clean and the morning buffet is great. However, the staff is the real gem of the Hotel Beaugency. On the day of my departure from Paris, it snowed which caused total mayhem in Paris. Airport Connection had to cancel my shuttle due to safety concerns (it seems that salt is not an option on snowy roads in Paris). The Hotel Beaugency convinced a cab company to take me to Gare du Nord so that I could get a train to Charles de Gaulle; however, when the cab pulled up, they talked the driver into taking me the whole way to the airport. Truly, they saved my life! I would not have made my flight without the cab service. Hotel Beaugency will always be my first choice in Paris!

Heather in pittsburgh, PA USA 03/11/2009

Best: Hotel Champs du Mar
Why: Despite some of the bad reviews that I have read, I found this hotel extremely charming and the staff the most helpful/informative. There was never a language barrier. In fact other than French greetings and words to imply proper manners, we never had to communicate with the French I attempted to learn and feared doing so (what a hard language to learn). The staff was always polite, pleasant and informative; especially when it came to finding transportation to the airport, where we planned on taking public transportation. Not only did they make the calls to reserve a shuttle bus at the last minute, but it was affordable and the best mode to get to the airport on a Sunday. Our room was small but cozy and romantic with a nice street view.

We came prepared with a structured game plan and a researched itinery and never bombarded them with extensive questions on where to eat/what to do. Maybe this is why some people thought the staff was cold or rude. As I live on the west coast of Florida, I come into contact with many clueless tourists that I feel don't research their trips enough. It gets irritating after a while, answering the same questions. Plus, the French service industry has a tendency to not be such "butt kissers" like they are in the States. Its all about being prepared, doing your research, and not being so sensitive and easily offended by people that have a really different approach toward dealing with the public.

Kelly in Gulfport, Fl USA 01/03/2009

Best: Hotel Relais Bosquet, 19 Rue Champ de Mars
Why: Excellent service - black man serving working breakfast room Monday-Saturday was absolutely superb

Michael Bittle in Hamilton, ON Canada 12/18/2008

Best: Grand Hotel Leveque
Why: Great location nice clean hotel, friendly staff and fee WiFi.

Sean Killian in Houston, TX USA 12/01/2008

Best: Hotel Champs du Mars
Why: It rocked! I would suggest this hotel to anyone.

Amy Schmidt in Omaha, NE USA 11/24/2008

Best: Apartment in Marais
Why: My 4 friends and I took a chance and tried jeudeclefs.com and booked the Central Marais Apartment for 4 nights. For 150eur per night, you can sleep 5 people (1 bedroom with a queen bed, 1 single bed in a small loft-type area, and 1 surprisingly comforable double sofa bed in the living room), which we felt was a great deal in expensive Paris. The St Paul metro stop (Line 1) is only a couple of minutes away on foot, and there are plenty of eateries along rue St. Antoine. We had to put in a 25% deposit through Paypal, and the rest was in cash when we arrived. I believe they have a few apartments to choose from on the website which clearly shows their respective availabilities. I will definitely book through them again when I return to Paris!

miki s in vancouver, bc canada 11/11/2008

Best: Hotel Beaugency
Why: Nice quiet location yet so very close to Rue Cler, helpful staff that speak english, free internet using computer off the lobby, easy walk to Metro and the Eiffel Tower!

Michael T Taylor in Boulder Creek, CA USA 11/04/2008

Best: Hotel Muguet
Why: Delightful 2-star gem! This was our 2nd 2 week stay at Catherine Pelletier's wonderful establishment. Warmly appointed reception, common areas & room. Tremendous location, in close proximity to Le Tour Eiffel, Les Invalides, Musee Rodin, Pont Alexandre III, Rue Cler & the Seine. Any & all amenities (grocery store, Tabac, fromagerie, Nicolas (wine & liquor chain), chocolate shops ...) nearby on Rue Cler & Av Motte Picquet.

Brian Lee in London, On Canada 10/22/2008

Best: Hotel du Champs du Mar
Why: Beauty of room; tasty breakfast; location; atmosphere.

Cathy Minicucci in Carmichael, CA USA 09/10/2008

Worst: Hotel Prince, 66 avenue Bosquet, near Eiffel Tower
Why: The hotel was OK, but the few days were were there the AC was broken. Out room was on the front and the street noise was too loude to leave the door open. There was not a quiter room available. We expected an adjustment in the bill, but were given none.

Helen Elkin in Sindelfingen, Germany 08/13/2008

Worst: hotel des Chevaliers
Why: Where do I start?? The entire hotel was under renovation execept the two rooms I booked. The rooms smelled of paint, vapors and construction dust. There were the sounds of construction--hammering, banging, drilling, and shouting in French. I had emailed with the hotel about 4 times and the hotel never mentioned this construction project was ongoing. I cancelled the room within an hour, after walking in the rain and looking for an other hotel. It was Easter weekend, not a slow time in Paris.

The hotel charged my Amex for one night and charged it again for a night six days later.

The hotel des Chavaliers is run by theives. Do not stay there.

After 5 months, Amex finally agreed with me and removed the charges. It helped that I took 10 pictures of the mess at the hotel. I had a feeling these skunks couldn't be trusted.

George Moeller in Cincinnati, OH USA 08/07/2008

Best: Hotel Le Jardin de Cluny
Why: Not on Uncle Rick's "recommended" list, but should be! Great location, beautifully renovated, family room big enough for two adults and two teenagers. Front desk staff extraordinary (Andre). While it's a "chain" it has a real Parisian boutique hotel atmosphere. We will stay again!

Beth Triggs in North Vancouver, BC Canada 08/06/2008

Best: Hotel du Champs de Mars
Why: What a great hotel: the staff, location and price could not be beat!

Elizabeth in South Lyon, MI USA 08/04/2008

Best: Hotel Beaubourg
Why: Great location, friendly staff, comfortable room, great breakfasts,free Internet access.

John Fairbanks in Peabody, MA USA 07/30/2008

Best: Hotel Michelet Odeon
Why: This was the only place I stayed for six nights. I paid 90E (about $145 American) for a small impeccably clean room with shower/bathroom, in a 'relatively' quiet circle near the Odeon. Impressive value for the location (WALK to Notre Dame, Rue Saint Michele, Notre Dame, St Germain des Pres, Luxembourg Gardens). With one mildly taciturn exception, the staff went out of their way to be helpful. Example: my plane got me to the hotel at about 10 a.m. and instead of making me wait for check-in time, they popped me right into my room. I had a chance to freshen up and unpack before heading out to enjoy the day. I tried their breakfast (12E); a little pricier than breakfast down the street but included juice, good coffee and milk, and two breads with a small cheese, jam, and butter.

Dianne Lattemann in Seattle, WA USA 07/26/2008

Worst: Hotel Prince
Why: Entire facility is dirty and in disrepair. "Management" is deliberately unhelpful and demanded that room key be left at desk each day. Meanwhile, the desk was frequently unstaffed allowing anyone to come in and pick up key unnoticed.

Sharon Wardrip in Indianapolis, IN USA 07/16/2008

Best: L'empereur hotel
Why: Pleasant informal central to left bank close to Rue Cler

Martin Jansen in Agoura Hills, Ca USA 07/13/2008

Best: Hotel Cluny
Why: This 2-star hotel is a no-frills hotel, but offers exactly what I need - a clean, cozy, safe place to stay that is well-kept and quiet in the evenings. The staff were fabulous and the location - key. Thank you for this recommendation, Rick. I would keep in your guidebook. Definitely will return here when I return to Paris.

Beverly Lui in Thousand Oaks, CA USA 07/11/2008

Best: apartment-in-paris.com
Why: Good value. Lots of rules, but made up for it with space, washer/dryer, well supplied kitchen and nice neighborhood. Very helpful notebook in apartment with how to work everything, places to see and shop, etc.

Deborah Sabolich in OKC, OK USA 07/07/2008

Best: Hotel Champs de Mars
Why: great location! great price!

Kathy in Downingtown, PA USA 06/23/2008

Best: Hotel Jeanne d'Arc -- in the Marais
Why: We really felt like we were living in a neighborhood for eight days. The location is perfect. The rooms are larger than most European hotels. The people at the desk are friendly and helpful.

Tom & Kathy in Orange, CT USA 06/18/2008

Best: Hotel du Cadran
Why: Hotel Relais Bosquet was booked, so we went with a hotel that Rick faintly praised. He said it wasn't as good a value as other places in the Rue Cler. However, we loved it. For a mention of Rick Steves guidebook, they dropped the room rate from 210 euro to 185, and included breakfast (13 euro normally). Staff was fluent in English and very helpful. The rooms are newly remodeled and don't have "French charm" but are very modern with comfortable beds and good water pressure/temp in the shower. Oh, and working A/C!

Karen in San Diego, CA USA 06/09/2008

Best: None
Why: My mother and I travel together and as a general rule we don't follow guidebook recommendations - sorry! We did, however, stay at a great Left Bank hotel called the Hotel des Nations St. Germain at 54 r. Monge. The room was tiny but the location, staff and quality of the room were excellent!

Michelle Kelly in Ft. Collins, CO USA 06/03/2008

Best: Hotel de Turenne
Why: The price was VERY reasonable, and the front desk folks were friendly and helpful! The room was very small, but hey, it's Europe! It was clean and the location was perfect!

Nicki in Seattle, WA USA 05/23/2008

Best: Hotel Sevigne
Why: Sure they weren't overly friendly, but they weren't rude. Great location, you are only a block from the metro and walking distance to Notre Dame Cathdral.

Kate Buechler in Winnipeg, MB Canada 05/22/2008

Best: Hotel la Perle
Why: While it is a bit of a splurge, this hotel is a great value. The rooms are huge by Parisian standards and the staff is top notch. The hotel is located in the heart of the St. Germain Des-Pres area. As the Rue Cler area is getting ready for bed, this part of town is just starting to kick things into high gear. Lots of shopping, lots of restaurants, lots of movie theaters and several nearby Metro stations have made this my new home away from home.

Robert Schiffner in Moses Lake, WA USA 05/13/2008

Best: Hotel Relais Bosquet
Why: Location, location, location!!!

Joyce Webb in Monument , CO USA 05/11/2008

Best: Hotel Bonaparte
Why: Nice room, very clean, helpful staff, decent breakfast each morning, and a very good value for the money. Great location - easy walking distance to most sights. Lots of restaurants and shops nearby. Would definitely stay there again.

Sue in Newport Beach, CA USA 04/26/2008

Best: Hotel Muguet
Why: Clean and quiet hotel on a very quiet street, with a fabulous view of the twinkling Eiffel Tower right from our sixth floor room at night! Close to the Metro, Invalides, Rodin Museum, and delightful Rue Cler, where we enjoyed wonderful pastries each day! A healthy, but doable walk to the Notre Dame area, and not too far of a walk to the Eiffel Tower. Our teenage son enjoyed checking with friends on their computer each night, while we had tea or coffee in the lobby. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable.

Sue Laabs in Northville, MI USA 04/13/2008

Worst: Grand Hotel Du Loiret
Why: I was extremely disappointed and upset with this hotel. The problems started off minor, and ended very nastily. When the two other people and I arrived and got to our room, the bathroom was very dirty and looked as though it had not been cleaned. There were 2 small towels and a hand towel provided, and when I went to the front desk to kindly ask for one extra towel, I was told "there were no more in the entire hotel". While climbing into bed that night, I found a sizable insect crawling in my sheets! The next morning, my friends and I had to wake up very early to run the Paris marathon. The walls between rooms were paper thin, and every time one of the doors in the hallway was opened it was so loud that I was positive it was ours being opened, so I would sit up suddenly as if it was ours, because it was that loud. Therefore we got terrible sleep before our big day. The next morning, we had seen breakfast advertised in the elevator without any prices, and so assumed it was included (as small breakfasts like the one pictured including croissants and cereal often are in many hotels). In the early morning we decided to drop in just to grab a bread roll each (we already had bananas we had bought, and didn't want to eat much before the race). When paying the bill the next morning and checking out, we saw that we had been charged 7 euros each for breakfast, which we essentially had not eaten. When I politely asked if we could eat breakfast that morning to serve as the one which we had not eaten the morning before, or be reimbursed for what we didn't eat, I was told that I was being "ridiculous" and "stupid". The man assumed that I didn't understand french, and under his breath was saying offensive things in french. The entire situation was very upsetting, and I would never stay there again! Please pull them from your book.

Meghan in Chicago, IL USA 04/08/2008

Best: none
Why: WE made a reservation prior to purchasing the book and we stayed in a hotel in Rue PAssy, very nice area, shopping, restaurants and only a few blocks from Eiffel Tower. Hotel Nicolo, GREAT Staff

Toni in Murrieta, CA USA 04/02/2008

Best: Hotel Grand Levesque
Why: Inexpensive, very friendly desk staff, fabulous location, cheesy ambiance with the Fromagerie right next door.

Howard Dellar in Aurora, On Canada 03/24/2008

Best: Grand Hotel Leveque
Why: Grand Hotel Leveque was the only hotel we used in France, and it was exactly as described except for the WiFi. The staff was very helpful.

Teresa Reveley in London, UK 03/23/2008

Worst: Hotel Central
Why: This is single most foul place I have ever stayed. The steepness of the stairs prevents the owners from cleaning the rooms. So the carpets are filthy and smelly. There are shared toilets but the door on one closes right on the front of the toilet allowing only contortionists to use it. The matresses in our room had sprung springs so it felt like we were sleeping on spearheads. It was so foul that we preferred to sit in the airport overnight to catch a morning flight than to stay there our last night eventhough we had paid already. I don't know why they keep this hotel in their guidebook. I chose it because another budget website recommended it too, but when I emailed them our experience it was taken off that site. Please Rick, do the same.

Kerry in Hollywood, CA USA 03/14/2008

Best: Hotel du Champs de Mars
Why: Perfect location, close to everything. They are currently going through a renovation in the public areas. The rooms are small but charming. Great bathrooms, and you can borrow the lobby's laptop to check email in your room. Rue Cler is a great place to start and end the day. Be prepared to rediscover walking. So much to see and do that you'll decide to walk a lot along with taking the Metro. We went for a week in January 2008 and weather was low 50's/high 40's F. Being from New England, it felt like spring. No trees in bloom, but no crowds either. If it's your second time back, as it was for me, this is the way to go.

Cheryl Dowdell in Charlestown, RI USA 02/08/2008

Best: Hotel Beaugency
Why: I was pleasantly surprised with the Hotel Beaugency. I had gotten a very good rate including breakfast on the internet for a five night stay and was pleased to try this hotel right off the Rue Cler after having stayed at the Hotel Leveque twice and the Relais Bosquet once. My room was not ready when I arrived after noon but the front desk quickly found another room for me that was clean and ready to go. My room was clean and a decent size with a nice, big, deep bathtub that was wonderful after long days of sightseeing. Each room has a different type of safe so you must consult with the front desk about how to enable the safe. My room was cleaned quickly and early each day so even if I ran back to the hotel to drop off packages mid-day, it was ready. My only complaint about the hotel was the coffee served with the breakfast buffet. The buffet itself was quite fine but the coffee...not so much. I love good strong French coffee but this coffee was put in a self serve pumper pot much like you would see at a Courtyard/Hampton in the US. Fine for our type of coffee but the French type did not hold up well at all. However, that is a very minor complaint for an overall wonderful stay at the Hotel Beaugency!

Heather in Pittsburgh, PA USA 01/29/2008

Best: Hotel Plat D'Etain (near Republique)
Why: We paid only 299 euros for four nights (JAN). They had a baby bed waiting for us in the room when we arrived. They had a room for us to store the baby stroller. The staff was very helpful. We were a 1.5 minute walk from the Stroudsburg St. Denis metro stop. We were five minutes from two grocery stores, dozens of cafes, and two McDonalds. All of the rooms were smoking rooms and the interior wasn't the Ritz, but we didn't come to Paris to relax in a hotel.

John, Yvonne, and Kaytlin Galle-Bishop in Naples, Italy 01/24/2008

Best: Castex
Why: We stayed at the Castex. Very clean and comfortable. The rooms were very small as noted in your book but more than satisfactory. The include breakfast was great by European standards. Great location.

Dan J Newbold in Kelowna B..C. , Canada 01/02/2008

Best: Relais Bosquet
Why: Extremely cordial service; very attentive in advance of our stay; made several restaurant reservations for us (and recommended La Litote, our favorite); rooms are very clean and quiet; breakfast is excellent; location is great (near Ecole-Militaire metro station). We will stay here on our next visit.

Carole Loftin in Atlanta, GA USA 12/27/2007

Best: Hotel Grand Leveque
Why: Fantastic location, helpful and friendly staff, comfortable rooms (but the walls are very thin...). It isn't the Ritz, but isn't Motel 6 either. Great value all around and rue Cler is a great way to get a good dose of Parisian living. Would definately stay here again.

Brett in Fresno, CA USA 12/21/2007

Best: Grand Hotel Levesque, Rue Clair, Paris
Why: location and the hotel staff were excellent. Walking to the Eiffel Tower within 10 minutes and over the Seine to Champs Elysee - what an experience. Take Rick's advice and go to Paris

Maureen Barber in Vancouver, BC Canada 12/10/2007

Best: We arranged our own accomodations,and would highly recommend the Hotel Saint-Louis.
Why: The Saint-Louis is wonderfully located on the Ile St. Louis. It is very central to Notre Dame, the Louve, RER and Metro stops, etc. Plus it is a completely French Hotel, with a friendly and helpful staff. We would recommend that you explore more accomodations in the middle and more exoensive range.

Bernadette Dunn in Madison, CT USA 12/05/2007

Best: Hotel Muguet
Why: Enjoyable stay, clean & tasteful room, free Wi-fi enjoyed breakfast by little garden courtyard. Metro was down, but we were still able to walk to Eiffel Tower, Rue Cler area, and the Louvre.

Caryle McCaffrey in McHenry, IL USA 11/29/2007

Best: Grand Hotel Leveque
Why: We were so close to everything. We walked to the Eiffel Tower. The Metro was around the corner, & last but not least, we were in the middle of the Rue Cler market. The hotel staff were so friendly & willingly helped us to give us the Metro stops & changes we needed to do. We even took the Eurostar to London & made it to the Gard du Nord with 3 Metro changes. We took the metro & train to Versailles like the locals & saved lots of money & still saw everything the big tours saw.

Patricia Proctor in Mount Vernon, Wa USA 11/12/2007

Best: Hotel de la Bourdonnais
Why: Clena, spacious rooms, very friendly staff, great location. Highly recommend this hotel.

Jill Blanchard Canada 11/08/2007

Best: Paris Home 2000 (studio apartment)
Why: After our disappointing experience with Hotel Eber Mars in 2006, (see review below if its still there), my wife and I decided to rent an apartment for this year’s stay in Paris (our favorite European destination). ‘Paris Home 2000’, was one of two listings in the 2007 Rick Steve’s Paris guide book as an alternative to staying in a hotel, so we went ahead and booked a studio apartment for two weeks in October. We have just returned from our Paris vacation and are happy to report that we really enjoyed apartment life in Paris, immensely.

Upon arrival, owner Slim met us at the entrance of the apartment building on 9 rue Amelie, which is located in the rue Cler neighborhood of the 7th Arrondissement. Slim took us through the building’s code activated security door and up to our second floor studio. What a wonderful relief to find the studio to be spotlessly clean and just as advertised on Slim’s web site. I won’t go into all of the amenities, but we especially enjoyed having a fully equipped kitchen, refrigerator, washer/dryer, free unlimited phone use (both local and international), and free high speed wireless internet connection. Slim was always just a phone call or email away if we had any questions regarding anything at all.

On the morning of our last day, Slim arranged for a taxi to take us to the airport at 7:30 am. It was a large, luxurious, privately owned taxi with a roomy leather interior and a super sound system which played relaxing music all the way to the airport. We were charged the approximate going rate of 46 Euros for the ride.

If you are staying in Paris for a week or more and want to try apartment life instead of a hotel, my wife and I can highly recommend Paris Home 2000. The rate for two people is 500 Euros per week; a bargain in our opinion and less per night than many of the hotels Rick recommends in the same neighborhood.

Thank you Rick and thank you Slim!

Worst: N/A
Why: N/A

Lopaka in Honolulu, HI USA 11/02/2007

Worst: Hotel la Cheval Rouge, Versailles
Why: This hotel is adorable and we were delighted by the location, the exterior and the common areas. We expect only the basics from a "two stars", and the room was big, clean and had a nice closet and bath. Problems - we arrived late, around 9 pm, with a picnic dinner, and although there is a restaurant attached, we could not get a corkscrew or utensils at this hour. The front desk closed at 10 pm, had we stopped for dinner instead, we would have been locked out. No blow dryer in the room, which has become standard for a **. This was more B and B than hotel in reality. No blow dryer and nobody at the desk after 10 pm are limitations that should be noted.

Chris and Mary Ray in Cincinnati, OH USA 10/15/2007

Worst: Hotel Notre Dame, Rue de Malte
Why: In the Paris guide it said this hotel guranteed prices and was a fair value. I tried repeatedly to book a room with no reponse to my e-mails. As I was meeting friends there, I had to have a room. I finally went to an independent site and booked a room at €20 more. When I got there, the room was extremely shabby and dirty. The reading light didn't work, the phone didn't work, and the desk collapsed when leaned upon and was propped up daily by the maid just to collapse again. We were there for six nights and yet were "awarded" just two bars of mini soap - we had to asked for more - and two plastic cups which desintegrated from use. The bathroom doors were saloon style swinging doors made out of thin plywood guranteeing absolutely no privacy. I think this hotel doesn't warrant your recommendation. We live in Europe and use RS guides for most countries, this was our first real let down. And in the words of fellow travelers - we like to "Stick With Rick"!

[Editor's Note: You'll be glad to know this hotel as been deleted from our 2008 Paris guidebook.]

Heidi in Antwerp, Belgium 10/15/2007

Best: Hotel A La Villa Des Artistes (Best Western)
Why: (Not in your recommendations) This was a nice, clean hotel, with a good size room and lovely modern bathroom with lots of hot water and huge tubs and lovely big windows. The staff was most accomodating, very friendly and all spoke English. The breakfast which was included in the price was sumptious, with lots of hot coffee, croissants and many different tasty items served fresh each morning. It was in a lovely neighborhood right off the Rue de Montparnesse, and very quiet though near a busy street. I wouild highly recommend it to anyone looking to stay in a lovely Paris neighborhood. It was also close to bus stops, the metro and near the Luxembourg Gardens (6th arrondissement)

Vicki Probst in Pinellas Park, FL USA 10/14/2007

Best: Hotel Relais Bosquet
Why: Been staying here for over 10 years. Great staff, mod cons, comfort, location, charm, breakfast included as a R.S. reader.

Worst: Hotel La Perle
Why: Booked for a change of neighborhood and expected similar to Hotel Relais Bosquet in the same price range. Never again. Very poor value for money. Room on the shabby side with cheap motel quality furniture.

Renee USA 10/03/2007

Best: Hotel de la Tulipe
Why: We stayed seven nights at the Hotel de la Tulipe on Rue Malar. Everyone on the staff was helpful and friendly; the room was small but exceptionally clean; it is right around the corner from the #69 bus stop on Rue Ste.Dominique. Since the hotel is small (21 rooms), everyone receives personalized service. For example, Bernard, the owner, helped us with our luggage when we arrived and when we departed in the very dependable Yellow Van, which he had recommended. We would return (if only it were possible!) tomorrow!

Joanne Cabrera in San Antonio, TX USA 09/30/2007

Best: Hotel La Roseraie, Chenonceau
Why: Sophie and Laurent were great. The evening meal is the dining room was such a treat- they even made me a special vegetarian dinner. The hotel itself is so charming - loved the pool and the fact that its walking distance to the chateau.

Sita Ananth in Napa, CA USA 09/19/2007

Best: We stayed at the Hotel du Champ de Mars
Why: Last time we stayed at the Rue Cler (on your recommendation) we used the Grand Hotel Leveque, which was mostly recommendable for its location. We couldn't get into the Champ de Mars that time, but this time we had a lovely room overlooking the street and enjoyed the sounds of the cafe on the corner drifting up to us.

Nancy Kline in Mission Viejo, CA USA 09/18/2007

Best: Hotel Le Tourville
Why: Staff is friendly and very accomodating. We had the double room with private terrace and it was absolutely wonderful. Hotel is close to Eiffel Tower, cafes and shoppes.

Diane Mullins in Kerrville, TX USA 09/11/2007

Best: Hotel La Perle
Why: We stayed four nights in July at Hotel La Perle in Rue des Canettes in the St. Germain de Pres area, near St. Sulpice Church(7th district). We highly recommend both the hotel and the neigbourhood. The hotel is immaculate and the rooms are spacious by European standards; the bathroom was roomy and well-appointed, and our room looked down into a pleasant courtyard. The neighbourhood is terrific, lively at night and full of wonderful restaurants and bars. We wandered around each evening within the two blocks surrounding our hotel, and chose a different restaurant, and we were never disappointed. It's a short walk to the Luxembourg Gardens in one direction and Boulevard St. Germain in another. Reading the Grafitti Wall, I'm surprised to see that almost all the comments refer to hotels in the Rue Cler area: I really recommend the historic Left Bank area around St. Germain de Pres.

Vivian in Vancouver, BC Canada 08/31/2007

Worst: Hotel Jehan de Beauce, Chartres, France
Why: They stole our luggage from our room when we questioned a ten euro a night increase in the fee for our double room. Only the lengthy and heated intervention of the manager of the local tourist information bureau got our bags back to us, after a few tense hours. We were yelled at by both the manager and his wife. They also refused to answer the phone when contact was trying to be made from the Tourist Office and from the hotel room. When they finally did answer, they hung up on us after yelling at us some more! They claimed the reservation form made through the Tourist Office was not a "real" reservation, so they could change the amount due. Wholly unsatisfactory, and quite frightening, too!

Christine in McEwan, ON Canada 08/29/2007

Best: Le Sevigne
Why: Recently remodeled so very clean and well-maintained. Thoughtfully decorated. Got the bigger double bed and so worth it after the Cherry Court Hotel in London. Fabulous location-we love the Marais for its fun, but not rowdy, nightlife.

Worst: Beaugeancy Hotel
Why: Hotel was overpriced for what it actually offered.

Aimee in Oakland, CA USA 08/25/2007

Best: Grand Hotel Leveque
Why: Perhaps in part because I had stayed at hostels through my travels in Ireland and Northern Ireland, this hotel was like paradise. It's odd that this message board has both very negative and very positive reviews of this hotel. My room was a single. It was clean and quiet (away from the street) and the location, as others have mentioned, was perfect. True, the breakfast isn't worth the cost (Rick says this too), but for a mere mention of the Rick Steves' guidebook, I had one free breakfast. I will recommend this hotel to my friends.

Paul Takemura in Monterey Park, CA USA 08/08/2007

Best: Valadon Hotel
Why: recently renovated, bright and airy. Hoteliers Victor and Marie Orsenne were delightful and so helpful. Great breakfast also. Just around the corner from Rue Cler.

Worst: Hotel Leveque
Why: We stayed in two hotels this trip to Paris. The Leveque has become seedy and deteriorated. Our triple room was not clean, and the staff not helpful. We skipped onsite breakfast, clearly not worth the cost, and enjoyed our favorite Rue Cler bakery. The noise on Rue Cler at night has increased such that it is no longer "charming." The crepe maker now serves a pre-fab concoction taken from a stack and adds per order. The Leveque is not inexpensive it is cheap. The Royal Phare around the corner is a much better value if one is looking for proximityto Rue Cler. Hopefully Rick's staff will delete Leveque from future recommendations.

M, Kohl in Castro Valley, Ca USA 08/07/2007

Best: Hotel Relais Bosquet
Why: This hotel was very convenient in the Rue Cler neighborhood. We had a large room with a view of the Eiffel Tower, which was awesome at night when it sparkled. It was right around the corner from the Metro stop so we could get around Paris easily. The staff were very nice, the room was clean and comfortable and they had free internet access in the lobby. We will definitely stay there again.

Devin Alexander in Olympia, WA USA 08/06/2007

Best: Champ de Mars
Why: Location, location, location! Also small, cozy and comfy. Great restaurants and stree atmosphere so close by.

Liz Tanner in Provo, UT USA 07/30/2007

Best: Hotel de la Republique
Why: Very clean! The guidebook describes it correctly! However, since we booked through their website, we got a reduced rate for our double-bed room, 68 euros, and therefore they would only give my wife and me one free breakfast every day with the guidebook, not two! A minor disappointment. Also, we couldn't get the toll-free number on our "carte a code" to work with the in-room hotel phone. We used the regular access number. So we found we had 10.5 euros in phone charges at checkout. But that notwithstanding, we would recommend this hotel.

Jack Klecka in Highland Park, IL USA 07/25/2007

Worst: Hotel Muguet
Why: If this had been our first time in Paris, we would likely never want to return. The beautifully decorated hotel had by far the coldest, most unpleasant and at times outright confrontaional staff of any hotel we've ever stayed in during five recent trips to Europe. We're gentle, seasoned travelers who are fond and respectful of French ways. These hotel people and the atmosphere they create were double-secret-nasty. RS is exceptionally good with words and his descriptions are almost always spot on, but to call this place "delightful" really misses the mark. Sorry.

Bill Gordon in Miami, FL USA 07/12/2007

Best: Hotel de 7eme Art
Why: Funky, accommodating and easy access to Bus #69. As well as Metro. Marais Neighborhood

WILLIAM WOODBURN in Estes Park, Co USA 07/07/2007

Best: n/a
Why: My daughter and I stayed at the Hotel Littre, on Rue Littre, near the Montparnasse rail station. It was terrific, but probably too expensive to be recommended in your book. The neighborhood is very lively, with loads of restaurants, cafes, and movie theaters.

Carol Arscott in Sarasota, FL USA 07/06/2007

Best: Regent's Hotel/Not in your book
Why: Very good location, 6th arrondissement, near Luxembourg Gardens..Inexpensive, we paid 125 euros for a quad per nt. The staff were VERY helpful & extremely friendly.

Barbara Pearce in Freeport, NY USA 06/25/2007

Best: Grand Hotel Leveque
Why: Location and price are the two greatest attributes of this hotel. As far as the actual accommodations, there is nothing to complain about, but because we had stayed in much more cushy hotels for the other two weeks of our vacation, this one was a bit of a shock. The room was "bump into each other" small and the air conditioner didn't keep the room cool enough. We would, however, recommend this to someone who is using this room to only change clothes and sleep. The area is perfect for the tourist who wants to live among the locals, have nearby restaurants, and walk to the nearby sights.

Martine Kasch in Huntington Beach, CA USA 06/22/2007

Best: Hotel De Nevers, 53 Rue de Malter
Why: This is an enormous bargain on a quiet side street off the Place Republique. It's a budget hotel, no question; we had a triple for E72/night and walked up to the 6th floor because the tiny elevator only goes to the 5th. But we had a spacious room with a toilet (in one room) and a shower (in another). Ours was the room you see on their website but the photo doesn't show the large table and small second bed under the window.

Singles and doubles are cheaper; some are toilet on the floor. The bargain prices reflect that.

The owners and staff are welcoming and helpful. Our daughter loved the cats. The rooms and hallways are walk-barefoot clean.

Breakfast is E5 - we initally ate in a nearby cafe but found the quantity and quality of coffee and breads to be worth it.

Researching before reserving, I found widely varying opinions about this hotel from online comments. Frankly, I think some American travelers are unprepared for what a budget hotel in Paris can be - tiny elevator, dark and steep stairs, etc. But can you imagine what you would get for under $90/night in New York, Washington or Los Angeles? Sirens and street fights if you're lucky.

This is a clean, safe, friendly - if small - place in PARIS!

The other comment I have is that this is one of many similar small hotels in its price range - each with tradeoffs for location, room size and whether or not the toilet is in the room. I was happy with De Nevers because of their welcome to my family. But if you want the next step up in accoutrements, plan to start at double the price and go up from there.

Doug M in Portland, OR USA 06/10/2007

Best: Castex Hotel
Why: Clean, comfortable and helpful staff. Located in the Marais area, it is two blocks from the Metro, it is surrounded by wonderful restaurants, shops and Paris sights. Bring your Rick Steves guidebook and get free breakfast. It was the only place in Paris that I got an American size cup of coffee. I would definitely stay there again.

Terri Kane in High Point, NC USA 05/20/2007

Best: I stayed at a non-recommended hotel, in the Rue Cler area.
Why: Package I found was reasonably priced; the area was perfect. Lots of ammenities and late night crowds ar cafes.

Mary Zikos in Princeton, NJ USA 05/17/2007

Best: Hotel Jeanne D'Arc
Why: It still has the French "character" that is rapidly being renovated right out of many of the budget hotels in Paris (Castex, Leveque). It was very comfortable for me (single female), I enjoyed the typically French breakfast (6 Eu) and the elevator. Everybody working there was pleasant and helpful. The location in the Marais is very handy to the Metro, Jewish neighborhood, Shoah Museum, the Seine, etc.

Worst: Hotel Leveque
Why: I've been staying at the Leveque every time I've been in Paris for the past six years. I like the neighborhood, rates, and friendliness of the hotel personnel. Big ground floor renovations are going on and there was much dust and mess while I was there in early April. I'm afraid the place will lose a lot of its character and just look more slick.

Swan in Napa, CA USA 05/13/2007

Best: Hotel Relais Bosquet
Why: Personel, cleanliness, location and certainly the free breakfast when we mentioned your book was a great saving. The staff was invaluable in assisting us with taxi's, reservations and any tours we wanted to take.

Stephen and Dorothy King in Palm Harbor, FL USA 05/11/2007

Best: castex hotel was great
Why: i know that i am using the word great alot but after reading so many bad things about the rooms;ours was on the street and we could see paris life all night but yet still sleep great. of course the wine helped alot

Jerry DeWitt in franklin, tn USA 05/09/2007

Best: Hotel Relais Bosquet
Why: Staff were friendly and helpful. The accessible room on the first level was comfortable and quiet. The Rick Steve's reader breakfast included fresh fruit and was a great start to the day. The Hotel Relais Bosquet is within a few steps of traveler services and conveniences all tucked into a pleasant and comfortable neighborhood.

Walt Enquist in Mount Vernon, WA USA 05/04/2007

Best: Hotel Muguet
Why: Quiet location, excellent room, excellent breakfast.

Worst: Hotel de la Empereur
Why: The room is quite small and noisy because of the traffic. The breakfast is so-so. If you are on a budget, it is OK. But the difference between it and Hotel Muguet is night and day. Although I am calling it the worst, it is actually acceptable.

We needed to extend our stay in Paris one night and Hotel Muguet already had our room booked the extra night. Hotel de la Empereur was a half block away and had a vacancy.

Ken in Citrus Heights, CA USA 04/29/2007

Worst: Hotel du Champs de Mars
Why: Perhaps if I had the opportunity to stay there, I would feel differently about this hotel. I had made reservations more than a month in advance but the room was given away to someone else who "had made a mistake in their booking" according to the owners. No matter how charming it is, reliability matters when you're thousands of miles away from home.

Amy CA USA 04/24/2007

Worst: Hotel d'Nevers
Why: We reserved a room with a shower and toilet. When we arrived, we were informed that our reserved room was not available as the 'person in the room would not leave' and that we would have to take the room with no shower - toilet only. Our room had a toilet for urinating only - for other toilet 'requirements' we'd have to use the TINY toilet just off the stairs. Our room had a beautiful view of the elevator shaft - very dissapointing and very stuffy! There was no air circulation. The second night, we were told that our room with a shower was now available - we moved to the new room to discover that we had now lost the toilet! Shower and sink only and still only a view of the elevator shaft. Hotel staff were very nice but the room itself was very dissapointing. The Hotel next door offered considerably more for the same price - we checked it out and will be staying there next time.

Luke Dalla Bona in Sault Ste. Marie, ON Canada 04/22/2007

Best: Hotel des Grandes Ecoles
Why: An unbelievably calm, quiet, and beautiful oasis in the middle of the bustling Latin Quarter. We slept in complete peace and ate breakfast outside in the garden, where the only sound was that of schoolchildren singing with piano accompaniment during a music class one block over. Heaven!

Katherine Gordon in Palo Alto, CA USA 04/12/2007

Best: Hotel Eber Mars
Why: Mr. Eber and his staff worked hard to help us Paris newbies get oriented and enjoy our stay. Besides, they are funny! His website: http://www.hotelebermars.com/ is a great resource. As with real estate, location is everything, and this hotel is ideally located. Our rooms were adequately comfortable, but small. Would definately stay there again.

Worst: Hotel Eber Mars
Why: A little maintenance would be nice. Bathroom door knob came off. Sink stopper stuck down. Bathroom shelf comming off the wall. But remember, if you're spending more than 8 hours in your room, you're wasting time.

Gregg Maxwell in Grapevine, TX USA 03/22/2007

Best: Hotel Republique
Why: Friendly staff, reasonable price, central location, small but clean room, not too noisy as it is about 1/2 block away from the Place de la Republique.

ashik in Seattle, WA USA 03/21/2007

Best:
Why: We stayed at Hotel Grand Leveque. It has a great location and eventhough the rooms were somewhat rundown I would say is a very good value.

Kirk in Chicago, IL USA 03/15/2007

Best: Hotel 7th Arts
Why: Its cheesy 50s Hollywood nostalgic theme aside, this place was great. My wife and I relocated here after a few sweltering nights at another hotel without air-conditioning in July of 2006. We opted for the small double and were quite comfortable. The staff couldn’t have been nicer. They kept our extra bag while we visited Mont. St. Michelle and Normandy and had it in our room when we returned. There is also a pay washer and dryer in the basement. Additionally, the metro stop is not more than a three minute walk. Not luxurious, but clean with fantastic service, a great location in the heart of the Marais, and air conditioning. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a budget minded hotel in Paris.

Edwin KY USA 03/13/2007

Best: Grand Hotel Leveque
Why: Location, Location, Location! This was our 10 stay at the Leveque. I hate to see Rue Cler becoming so Americanized. :(

Robert in Winston Salem, NC USA 03/07/2007

Best: Hotel de la tulippe
Why: The staff was so friendly and helpful with anything we needed. The service was just wonderful! The neighborhood we were in was indeed friendly as well. The accomodations were small, but I've come to accept that when traveling in Europe and we didn't spend much time in our rooms anyway!

Marcie in Louisville, KY USA 02/19/2007

Best: Best Western Le Nouvel Orleans, 14th arrondissement, south of Jardin de Luxumbourg
Why: Cost us less than a hotel room in San Francisco (where we had thought of going), was clean, quite and the staff was wonderful. Easy to find and the metro stop was directly across the street.

Here is a link to reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187147-d229581-Reviews-Best_Western_Le_Nouvel_Orleans-Paris_Ile_de_France.html

Steve Marsh in Plano, TX USA 02/18/2007

Best: Port Royal Hotel
Why: great prices for a classy place

Ellen Bothwell in Melun, France 01/13/2007

Best: Chartres, France
Why: Chartres, France - December 2006. The Hotel Chatelet is a wonderful place. Nice “privilege” rooms, nice breakfast. The desk staff even chilled our bottle of champagne and served nuts and chips for our enjoyment by the great fireplace in the Lobby. Had a nice dinner at Le Bistrot de la Cathedral. The tour/lecture of the Cathedral by Malcolm Miller is not to be missed. It is an excellent history lesson, presented in a very charming way.

Almont Pierce in McLean, VA USA 01/13/2007

Best: Hotel Port Royal
Why: Hotel Port Royal was clean, quiet, and cheap (78.5 per day) Very close to the Gobelins metro stop and about one block from the Rue Mouffetard, which I loved. I loved the feel of the neighborhood.

Wendy Jones in Bellingham, WA USA 01/08/2007

Best: Hotel LeVeque
Why: Staff was charming. Rooms were clean and reasonable priced. Our room faced the charming Rue Cler and noise was never a problem. We hope to stay here again and again.

Debbie M in Plano, TX USA 01/06/2007

Worst: Grand Hotel Leveque
Why: Although the hotel has installed flat screen tv's and safes in each room, the staff has become less than friendly, and the cleaniness of the rooms has deteriorated significantly since my stay there in September 2005. There are rather large dust bunnies under the beds, radiators and other pieces of furniture. There is a significant growth of mould in the shower stalls and bathroom floor tiles. I was in two different rooms over the New Year's holiday and both rooms were not very clean at all. Also, although I was given clean towels every day, my sheets were never changed in the 7 nights I stayed there. The charm of the Monet inspired coloured walls in the hotel has been painted over with cream coloured paint and it seems the staff have let Rick's accolades go to their heads.

JC in Edmonton, AB Canada 01/05/2007

Best: Hotel De La Tulipe
Why: The room was spacious with a very nice bath. They upgraded some of the appliances (small flat screen tv and new minibar) one day while we were out. My only compaint is that it was a bit dark in the room. It was closer to Rue Cler and the Eiffel Tower than I was expecting.

Matt in Encinitas, CA USA 01/01/2007