Paris_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Lonely Planet [253]
HÔTEL DE SÈVRES Map Hotel €€
01 45 48 84 07; www.hoteldesevres.com; 22 rue de l’Abbé Grégoire, 6e; s €95-130, d €110-150, tr €140-160; St-Placide;
The deep kiss of a total makeover has turned a frog into a prince (or even princess). Well situated on a quiet street between Montparnasse and St-Germain, this 31-room hotel still offers some of the best value for money on the Left Bank. Rooms are of a decent size; deep browns, reds and yellows predominate, and the ones facing the courtyard are as bright as those on the street. We love the wrought iron bed frames as well as the friendly reception and its country/contemporary décor.
HÔTEL ST-ANDRÉ DES ARTS Map Hotel €€
01 43 26 96 16; www.france-hotel-guide.com/h75006saintandredesarts.htm; 66 rue St-André des Arts, 6e; s/d/tw/tr/q €69/89/93/113/124; Odéon
Located on a lively, restaurant-lined thoroughfare, this 31-room hotel is an excellent choice if you’re looking for reasonably priced, but, stylish accommodation in the centre of the action. The rooms are not particularly spectacular, but the public areas are very evocative of vieux Paris (old Paris), with their beamed ceilings, ancient stone walls and mock-Gothic chairs. Room rates include breakfast.
HÔTEL DE NESLE Map Hotel €€
01 43 54 62 41; www.hoteldenesleparis.com; 7 rue de Nesle, 6e; s €55-85, d €75-100; Odéon or Mabillon
The Nesle, a relaxed, colourfully decorated hotel in a quiet street west of place St-Michel, is such a fun place to stay. Most of its 20 rooms are painted with brightly coloured naive murals inspired by French literature. But its greatest asset is the huge (by Parisian standards) garden – a back yard really – accessible from the 1st floor, with pathways, trellis and even a small fountain. For a garden-facing room choose room 12.
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ALSO RECOMMENDED
Hôtel de l’Abbaye Saint Germain (Map; 01 45 44 38 11; www.hotelabbayeparis.com; 10 rue Cassette, 6e; r €215-340, ste €395-480; St-Sulpice) New to us, this four-star hotel southeast of Église St-Sulpice even impresses the experts (opposite).
Hôtel Le Petit Trianon (Map; 01 43 54 94 64; 2 rue de l’Ancienne Comédie, 6e; s €39, s with shower €50, d €60-65, tr €75; Odéon) This old standby has 13 very basic rooms dispersed over six floors, with rooms 17 and 20 catching a fleeting glimpse of Notre Dame.
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MONTPARNASSE
Located just to the east of Gare Montparnasse (the mammoth train station that also houses the Montparnasse Bienvenüe metro station), there are several two- and three-star places situated on rue Vandamme and rue de la Gaîté – though the latter is rife with sex shops and peep shows. Gare Montparnasse is served by Air France buses from both airports. Place Denfert Rochereau is also usefully linked to both airports by Orlybus, Orlyval and RER.
The budget places in the 14e don’t usually see many foreign tourists because of the dearth of sights in the area, but that means the accommodation is usually better value for money.
HÔTEL DELAMBRE Map Hotel €€
01 43 20 66 31; www.hoteldelambre.com; 35 rue Delambre, 14e; s & d €80-115, ste €150-160; Montparnasse Bienvenüe;
This very attractive 30-room hotel just east of Gare Montparnasse takes wrought iron as a theme and uses it both in functional pieces (bed frames, lamps, shelving) and decorative items throughout. Room 7 has its own little terrace while rooms 1 and 2 look onto a small private courtyard. The writer André Breton (1896–1966) lived here in the 1920s.
HÔTEL ODESSA Map Hotel €€
01 43 20 64 78; www.paris-hotel-odessa.com; 28 rue d’Odessa, 14e; s €75, d €90, tw €95, tr/q €110/120; Montparnasse Bienvenüe
This hotel on the street of crêperies has 42 unspectacular but bright and airy rooms. Double-glazing keeps out the racket