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Hôtel Esmeralda: 4 Rue St-Julien-le-Pauvre, 5th, M° Maubert-Mutualite, ☎ 01 43 54 19 20, fax 01 40 51 00 68 (€). No credit cards.
This is one of the city’s most popular budget hotels, with eclectic flea-market décor, wooden beam ceilings and views overlooking Notre Dame. The building itself is so old that space is an issue (no elevator), so unless you fork out for a larger room with a bathtub, you’ll be forced to squeeze into tiny closets to shower or relieve yourself. Still, it has lots of charm and personality lacking in most budget hotels. The friendly owner recommends booking at least three months in advance to secure one of the 19 rooms.
Hôtel St-Jacques: 35 Rue des Ecoles, 5th, M° Maubert-Mutualité, ☎ 01 44 07 45 45, fax 01 43 25 65 50, www.hotel-saintjacques.com (€€).
This Latin Quarter hotel has plenty of charm and comfort. The elegant 19th-century-style lobby and breakfast room is decorated with painted murals, a crystal chandelier, antique staircase, molded ceilings and dainty furnishings. An elevator leads to the 35 soundproofed rooms, each equipped with satellite TV, telephone, private bathrooms with shower or bathtub, hair dryer, in-room safe, and modem Internet access. Many rooms have views over the Panthéon and Notre Dame, and room #25 even has a corner balcony. Some people may not like the hotel’s location on the busy Rue des Ecoles, but it’s ideally located for those who want to be in the center of the Latin Quarter.
Hôtel Marignan: 13 Rue du Sommerand, 5th, M° Maubert-Mutualité, ☎ 01 43 54 63 81, fax 01 43 25 16 69, www.hotel-marignan.com (€€).
This hotel is a bit like a hostel (without the dorm rooms), with a friendly, service-oriented staff, free breakfast, laundry room, fully equipped kitchen, Internet access and a library full of guidebooks. There are 30 rooms, including quads and quintuples, each with functional furniture and a sink, and either private or shared shower and toilet facilities. The hotel is on a small street near the Sorbonne and the Panthéon, just 10 minutes from Notre Dame, the Jardins du Luxembourg or St-Germain-des-Prés. Rates vary throughout the year; check the web site for current promotions.
Hôtel des Grandes Ecoles: 75 Rue Cardinal Lemoine, 5th, M° Cardinal Lemoine, ☎ 01 43 26 79 23, fax 01 43 25 28 15, www.hotel-grandesecoles.com (€€€).
Looking for floral cottage ambience? Then this adorable hotel with its cobblestone courtyard entrance and window boxes is a must. The hotel has 51 rooms (and an elevator), all lovingly decorated in Laura Ashley prints, with en-suite bathrooms, hair dryer, and direct-dial phone (sorry, no TVs). Continental breakfast (€8) is served in a bright dining room with parquet floors and crochet lace tablecloths, or out in the garden during warmer weather. Indoor parking is available for €30. The hotel is just a few blocks from the Panthéon, the Sorbonne, and the most adorable market street in Paris, Rue Mouffetard (open every day except Monday and Sunday afternoon).
Hôtel Sully St-Germain: 31 Rue des Ecoles, 5th, M° Maubert-Mutualité, ☎ 01 43 26 56 02, fax 01 43 29 74 42, www.hotel-paris-sully.com (€€€€).
This Latin Quarter hotel pleases those who want a bit of medieval atmosphere without sacrificing modern comforts such as air conditioning and private parking (€26). The hotel has a fitness room with sauna and Jacuzzi, and 61 bright rooms with private bathroom, hair dryer, minibar, cable TV, direct-dial phone (some with modem connections), and in-room safe. The buffet breakfast is served in the lounge, but there’s no restaurant. Guests have access to the billiards room in the sister hotel next door. Check the web site for seasonal promotions.
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