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One thing you’ll truly appreciate is that finding a cheap hotel in Paris doesn’t have to be a sentence to spend your vacation in a lousy area. I personally love the fact that Paris center is a pretty homogeneous place. Sure, you have your pricey neighborhoods, but it doesn’t mean that to find a cheap hotel in Paris, you have to only look in less opulent areas.
The reality is that some “modest” neighborhoods will offer exclusive luxury boutique hotels and, thankfully, some posh areas will have affordable, economic hotels as well. It is up to each person to work at finding the hotels with characteristics he or she is after. Obviously, depending on what you can afford, you will not get the same level of amenities in a cheaper hotel than in a luxury one, even if located in the same area. But I find it gratifying that you can find a cheap hotel in Paris 7th Arrondissement near the prestigious Eiffel Tower, and likewise, a luxury 4-star hotel can be found in “bohemian” Montmartre in the 18th Arrondissement. That said, a cheap hotel in Paris in these days where all Paris hotels strive to offer a standard level of quality and comfort, means you could get beaten to the punch. The best deals might be gone by the time you get there, so you have to be resourceful and flexible. This is usually not an issue during slow season, but at the height of peak season things can get merciless, enough to make you want to pull your hair out in frustration. Lol… (Side note: If you ever get yourself caught in this predicament, don’t panic, just relax and be persistent! Find an internet café, get on the Web and you will find something if only for one night, even if it’s not in your preferred area. The next day, be first off the starting blocks).
You may have noticed that I intentionally avoid offering a selection of “recommended hotels”. It makes more sense to use technology and calibrate your hotel search to your own preferences than to take someone’s recommendation whose budget or neighborhood choices may be totally different from yours. These days, there are no hidden surprises. Even the diminutive size of some rooms in older buildings, which used to shock American travelers who are accustomed to spacious amenities back home, can now be detected with a quick look at the photos on most hotel Web sites.
Kayak.com is a great resource that enables you to geographically center your search around specific areas and city landmarks. But if you're anything like me, you're interested in more first-hand been-there type of details. Finding the lowest hotel rates is one thing, finding the right hotel at a low price is quite another. You want search resources that give you a chance to view photos of the hotels, location and area maps as well as offering recent customer reviews. Read a few just to get a general feel for what other travelers are saying about the property, and weigh the positives and negatives. When booking an online reservation, be sure to carefully review terms of cancellation before handing over your money. I personally prefer bookings that hold your reservation but give you the option of paying when you arrive at the hotel. This also gives you an out if you completely misjudge the hotel or encounter a really sketchy staff. Management may not always be up to par with the standards you expect. Keep those search tips in mind and you should have no trouble scoring a cheap hotel in Paris you'll be happy with. I think that's a much smarter way to go than to rely on another person’s idea of a good hotel, unless it’s a close friend, or perhaps your older sister... ;=)
Score Cheap or Boutique hotels in Paris @ Anytrip.com See also Paris Discount Hotels
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