Normandy, Brittany & the Best of the North_ With Paris (Fodor's) - Fodor's [156]
Hôtel Familia.
$–$$ | Owners Eric and Sylvie continue to update and improve their popular budget hotel without raising the prices. They’ve added custom-carved wooden furniture from Brittany, new carpeting, and antique tapestries and prints on the walls. The second and fifth floors have balconies (some with views of Notre-Dame) and all of the rooms are soundproofed from traffic below, though noise between rooms can be loud. Pros: attentive, friendly service; great value; has all the modern conveniences. Cons: on a busy street; some rooms are small; noise between rooms can be loud. | 11 rue desÉcoles | 75005 | 01–43–54–55–27 | www.hotel-paris-familia.com | 30 rooms | In-room: a/c. In-hotel: laundry service, Wi-Fi, parking (paid) | AE, DC, MC, V | CP | Station: Cardinal-Lemoine
Hôtel Grandes Écoles.
$$ | Guests enter Madame Lefloch’s country-style domain through two massive wooden doors. Distributed among a trio of three-story buildings, rooms have a distinct grandmotherly vibe with flowery wallpaper and lace bedspreads, but are downright spacious for this part of Paris. The Grandes Écoles is legendary for its cobbled interior courtyard and garden, which becomes the second living room and a perfect breakfast spot, weather permitting. Rooms in the “garden” wing are coolest in summer. Pros: large courtyard garden; close to Quartier Latin nightlife spots; good value. Cons: uphill walk from the métro; outdated decor; few amenities. | 75 rue du CardinalLemoine | 75005 | 01–43–26–79–23 | www.hotel-grandes-ecoles.com | 51 rooms | In-room: no a/c, no TV, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: room service, parking (paid), some pets allowed | MC, V | Station: Cardinal Lemoine
Hôtel Marignan.
¢–$ | Paul Keniger, the energetic third-generation owner, has cultivated a convivial atmosphere for independent international travelers. Not to be confused with the hotel of the same name near the Champs-Elysées, this Marignan lies squarely between budget-basic and youth hostel (no TVs or elevator) and offers lots of communal conveniences—a fully stocked kitchen, free laundry machines, and copious tourist information. Rooms are modest (some sleep four or five) but generally large, and bathrooms are clean. It’s a good choice for families. The least expensive rooms share toilets and/or showers. Pros: great value for the location; kitchen and laundry; free Wi-Fi. Cons: no elevator; room phones only take incoming calls; has a bit of a youth-hostel atmosphere. | 13 rue du Sommerard, Quartier Latin | 75005 | 01–43–54–63–81 | www.hotel-marignan.com | 30 rooms, 12 with bath | In-room: no a/c, no TV, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: laundry facilities | MC, V | CP | Station: Maubert Mutualité.
Hôtel Saint-Jacques.
$–$$ | Nearly every wall in this bargain hotel is bedecked with faux-marble and trompe-l’oeil murals. As in many old, independent Paris hotels, each room is unique, but a general 19th-century theme of Second Empire furnishings and paintings dominates, with a Montmartre cabaret theme in the new breakfast room. Wi-Fi is available in the lounge bar. About half the rooms have tiny step-out balconies that give a glimpse of Notre-Dame and the Panthéon. Room 25 has a long, around-the-corner balcony, and No. 16 is popular for its historic ceiling fresco and moldings. Repeat guests get souvenir knickknacks or T-shirts. Pros: unique Parisian decor; close to Quartier Latin sights. Cons: very busy street makes it too noisy to open windows in summer; thin walls between rooms. | 35 rue desÉcoles | 75005 | 01–44–07–45–45 | www.hotel-saintjacques.com | 38 rooms | In-room: no a/c (some), safe, Wi-Fi. In-hotel: bar, Internet terminal | AE, DC, MC, V | Station: Maubert-Mutualité
Les Degrés de Notre Dame.
$$ | On a quiet lane a few yards from the Seine, this diminutive hotel is lovingly decorated with the owner’s flea-market finds. Number 23 is the largest of the lower-price rooms, whereas the more costly No. 24 has more space, wooden floors, and particularly appealing antique furnishings. The most expensive room, No. 501, occupies the entire top floor, with views of Notre-Dame and space for