Hotels

Paris boasts some 2,000 hotels -- with about 80,000 rooms -- spread across its 20 arrondissements. They range from the Ritz and the Crillon to dives so repellent that even George Orwell, author of Down and Out in Paris and London, wouldn't have considered checking in. (Of course, you won't find those in this guide!) We've included deluxe places for those who can afford to live like the Sultan of Brunei, as well as a wide range of moderate and inexpensive choices for the rest of us.

Most visitors, at least those from North America, come to Paris in July and August. Many French people are on vacation, and trade fairs and conventions come to a halt, so there are usually plenty of rooms, even though these months are traditionally the peak season for European travel. In most hotels, February is as busy as April or September, due to the volume of business travelers and tourists taking advantage of off-season discounts.

Because hot weather rarely lasts long in Paris, few hotels, except the deluxe ones, provide air-conditioning. If you're trapped in a garret on a hot summer night, you'll have to sweat it out. You can open your window to get cooler air, but you also may get noise from outside. To avoid this, request a room in back when reserving.

Splish, Splash -- Taking a Bath -- Throughout the hotels, expect the bathrooms in very expensive and expensive hotels to be a bit larger than normal, with fine toiletries, plush towels, and perhaps bathrobes. The bathrooms in moderate and inexpensive hotels tend to be cramped but still acceptable, with towels that are less plush than those at expensive places.

Be aware that some hotels offer tub/shower combinations, some offer shower stalls, and some offer a mix. If something particular is important to you, request your preference when reserving. Almost all hotels, except the inexpensive ones, include hair dryers in the bathrooms.

Reading the Government Ratings

The French government grades hotels with a star system, ranging from one star for a simple inn to four stars for a deluxe hotel. Moderately priced hotels usually get two or three stars. This system is based on a complex formula of room sizes, facilities, plumbing, elevators, dining options, renovations, and so on. In one-star hotels, the bathrooms are often shared, the facilities are extremely limited (such as no elevator), the rooms may not have phones or TVs, and breakfast is often the only meal served. Two- or three-star hotels usually have elevators, and rooms will likely have baths, phones, and TVs. In four-star hotels, you'll get all the amenities plus facilities and services such as room service, 24-hour concierges, elevators, and perhaps even health clubs.

However, the system is a bit misleading. For tax reasons, a four-star hotel might elect to have a three-star rating, which, with the hotel's permission, is granted by the government. The government won't add a star where it's not merited, but will remove one at the hotel's request.

Which Bank is for You?

The river dividing Paris geographically and culturally demands that you make a choice. Are you more Left Bank, wanting a room in the heart of Saint-Germain, where Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir once spent their nights? Or are you more Right Bank, preferring sumptuous quarters such as those at the Crillon, where Tom Cruise once slept? Would you rather look for that special old curio in a dusty shop on the Left Bank's rue Jacob, or inspect the latest Lagerfeld or Dior couture on the Right Bank's avenue Montaigne? Each of Paris's neighborhoods has its own flavor, and your experiences and memories of the city will likely be formed by where you choose to stay.

If you desire chic surroundings, choose a Right Bank hotel. That puts you near the most elegant shops and within walking distance of major sights such as the Arc de Triomphe, place de la Concorde, the Jardin des Tuileries, the Opéra Garnier, and the Louvre. The best Right Bank hotels are near the Arc de Triomphe in the 8th arrondissement, though many first-class lodgings cluster near the Trocadéro and Bois de Boulogne in the 16th or near the Palais des Congrès in the 17th. If you'd like to be near place Vendôme, try for a hotel in the 1st. Also popular are the increasingly fashionable Marais and Bastille in the 3rd, 4th, and 11th arrondissements, and Les Halles/Beaubourg, home of the Centre Pompidou and Les Halles shopping mall, in the 1st.

If you want less formality and tiny bohemian streets, head for the Left Bank, where prices are traditionally lower. Hotels that cater to students are found in the 5th and 6th arrondissements, the 5th being known as the Latin Quarter. These areas, with their literary overtones, are home to the Sorbonne, the Panthéon, the Jardin du Luxembourg, cafe life, bookstores, and publishing houses. The 6th arrondissement provides a touch of avant-garde St-Germain.

North American and Canadian chain hotels include Marriott, Hilton, Radisson, Holiday Inn, and Four Seasons, plus Starwood (encompassing Westin and Sheraton). The French also have chain hotels or hotel associations that feature Sofitel, Mercure, Ibis, Novotel, and, in some cases, Logis de France and Relais de Silence. The latter two are mostly in the countryside.

For apartment or cottage stays of 2 weeks or more, Idyll Untours (tel. 888/868-6871; www.untours.com) provides exceptional lodgings for a reasonable price -- which includes air/ground transportation, cooking facilities, and on-call support from a local resident. Best of all: Untours -- named the "Most Generous Company in America" by Newman's Own -- donates most profits to provide low-interest loans to underprivileged entrepreneurs around the world (visit the website for details).

Alternatives to Hotels

If you want to stay somewhere more intimate (and in some cases, more restrictive) than a hotel, consider booking a room within a private home. An agency promoting upmarket B&B accommodations in Paris is Alcôve & Agapes, 8 bis rue Coysevox, 75018 Paris (tel. 01-44-85-06-05; fax 01-44-85-06-14; www.bed-and-breakfast-in-paris.com). Reservations are made through the Internet only.

This outfit is a bridge between travelers who seek rooms in private homes and Parisians who wish to welcome visitors. Most hosts speak at least some English, range in age from 30 to 75, and have at least some points of view about entertainment and dining options within the neighborhood. Available options include individual bedrooms, usually within large, old-fashioned private apartments, as well as "unhosted" accommodations where the apartment is otherwise empty and without the benefit (or restrictions) of a live-in host.

Rates for occupancy by either one or two persons, with breakfast included, range from 65€ to 195€ ($94-$283) per unit, depending on the apartment, the neighborhood, the setup, and the plumbing. In cases where a client occupies an unhosted apartment, the refrigerators will be stocked with sufficient breakfast supplies for the number of days you are staying (3-night minimum). The city government of Paris has launched a program seeking residents willing to rent rooms in their homes similar to a B&B. The site, Hotes Qualité Paris (www.hqp.fr) encourages locals to make available their spare rooms at prices that begin around 100€ ($145) a night. It's strictly pot luck; you might end up on a house barge docked between the Louvre and the place de la Concorde or else in an old-fashioned bedroom near the Bois de Boulogne with a host who happens to be a passionate history lecturer, as you'll find out at breakfast the next morning.

Coach House Rentals (www.rentals.chsparis.com) has expanded its private homes for rent to include addresses in Paris. Its website has pictures and full descriptions of the properties, with an English-speaking reservation team to handle bookings and to deal with any questions. A company representative will meet guests at their rental to show them the ropes. The company usually arranges a car to meet guests at the airport and take them to their prearranged rental.

The aptly named Good Morning Paris, 43 rue Lacépède, 75005 Paris (www.goodmorningparis.fr) is yet another bed-and-breakfast agency with carefully inspected rooms to rent. Prices start around 69€ ($100) for two persons with a shared bathroom or 79€ ($115) for two with private bathroom, including breakfast. A few apartments are also rented, housing two to four persons from 106€ ($154) a night. A minimum of 2 nights is required for all rentals. Arrangements are possible in apartments right off the Champs-Elysées or in more romantic sectors, including the Latin Quarter, even Montmartre.

It's a bit more risky than the previously inspected and approved recommendations, but there is a budget option for rental apartments which can be pursued by checking out the classified ads in FUSAC (France-USA Contacts), a free biweekly magazine that is widely distributed in bookstores, cafes, or restaurants catering to English-speaking visitors.

Using FUSAC is like taking pot luck if you want an apartment. A safer bet is Paris Attitude at 6 rue de Sentier, 75002 Paris (tel. 01-42-96-31-46; fax 01-42-96-27-86; www.parisattitude.com). Apartments are centrally located and are furnished and well-equipped; short- or long-term rentals are available. A studio for two people right off the Champs-Elysées might rent for 910€ ($1,320) per week.

Parisian Home, 12 rue Mandar, 75002 (tel. 01-45-08-03-37; www.parisianhome.com), has a large selection of apartments available in central Paris, ranging from cramped studios to spacious, three-bedroom apartments for more luxurious and expensive living. Don't expect elegant furnishings, however, though the rentals, both short- and long-term, are well-equipped with linen, dishes, and the like. The agency's website is detailed with lots of pictures and descriptions of the services available. You deal with the agency, not the owners. The minimum stay is 1 week.

Unlike Parisian Home, France Lodge, 2 rue Meissonier, 75017 (tel. 01-56-33-85-85; www.francelodge.fr), has both hosted and unhosted apartments, some 100 in all sprinkled across the central arrondissements of Paris. The agency's roster ranges from B&Bs to small studios, or even luxurious five-room apartments if you want to spread out or have a big family. The cheapest rentals, rather cramped, begin at 400€ ($580) a week, but 800€ ($1,160) is more average.

Parisian Home and France Lodge rent apartments that owners use only occasionally. However, Appartement de Ville (tel. 01-42-45-09-08; www.appartementdeville.com) rents more upmarket apartments that owners use as their primary residences. Lodgings under this agency have more atmosphere and give you a feeling that you're living more as a Parisian, which you are, of course. Many of the apartments are owned by those in the arts, including actors and dancers who have to be away from Paris for extended periods for engagements. There are some 200 apartments, most of them quite unusual, in the agency's roster. Although most apartments are in the very heart of Paris, you can make better deals by booking into one of the unchic arrondissements, including the 10th, 11th, and 12th. Studios can range from 450€ to 700€ ($653-$1,015) per week, with larger apartments costing much more, perhaps 2,000€ ($2,900) for a three-bedroom choice.

Finally, some good deals are possible if you'll go for an aparthotel, a cross between a hotel and an apartment. Short on charm, these rentals are good on convenience, each with a kitchenette. Although rates are more than short-term studios, you get more of the services of a hotel, including fresh towels and a reception desk. The best known agency renting aparthotels is Citadines (tel. 08-25-33-33-32; www.citadines.com). The cheapest rentals are the studios with pull-out beds. A studio for two might range from 120€ ($174) a night to 225€ ($326) per night in such highly prized locations as the Louvre area or St-Germain-des-Prés on the Left Bank.