Ask for a room with a view of Notre Dame, on an upper floor.

Pay no attention to bathrooms in need of renovation and enjoy the flea-market kind of décor. If you don’t mind climbing stairs and you do want to lie in bed in the morning listening to the bells of the cathedral, then you will be comfortable here. To book, contact the hotel directly. Esmeralda was the tragic heroine in Victor Hugo’s masterpiece, Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Hotel Esmeralda (* One Star)
4, rue St-Julien-le-Pauvre
5th Arrondisement
Metro: St-Michel
Phone: 01 43 54 19 20

The above listing is a hotel in the center of Paris, in which a room may be reserved for 100 euros or less. It adheres to a standard of cleanliness and courteous service, and maybe even throw in continental breakfast, a budget-conscious way to start the day. Grab a piece of fruit to carry with you as you explore the city, and you’ll get all the way to lunch without having spent a penny on food…that is, if you manage to resist the mouth-watering, tempting pastries on display in the local patisseries!

This is a hotel geared towards the traveler who wants a clean room near a Metro station at a good price. Be sure to enquire about current construction on-site or nearby (can severely impact noise level), air-conditioning if you need it during warm months, elevators if that is critical, and any other factor considered an essential element of your stay. Request non-smoking, if desired and rooms off the street, for quieter nights (bring ear plugs just in case). It is also wise to contact the hotel a week before arrival to make sure the reservation is intact and to avert nasty surprises upon arrival. It is not uncommon for a guest checking in at a budget hotel, to discover that for one reason or another, there is indeed no room available. The hotel will have made other accommodation arrangements at a different location, which might turn out to be unacceptable.

As prices change periodically, and vary according to room size and amenities, go to the website listed for rates and more information about each hotel. Remember, not all beds are created equal. Not all rooms come with televisions and mini-fridges. Be content with a bit of imperfection and use that money saved to bring home a sweet memento.