Was a bit worried about staying in my first 2-star hotel ever, but my boyfriend and I decided to cheap out on accommodations for our first stay in Paris... so we could save our hard-earned money for other things... like pain au chocolat--which we ate 6 of within 2 days. :P
We needn't have worried, since it was actually fine. The room was quite small (about 12 sq m) but clean and tastefully furnished. We actually had a double bed (not 2 twins pushed together), which wasn't the most comfortable--I wouldn't recommend for a week--but fine for a weekend. A small wardrobe with 4 hangers, a cute carved writing desk with chair, 2 night stands, a small balcony, and a wall-mounted flat-screen tv rounded out the room. The bathroom was recently renovated and the shower/body gel combo came out of fantastic wall-mounted squeeze bottles that squirted without leaving a drippy mess, made a lovely lather, and actually left my skin feeling silky smooth. :)
I liked how they provided an electric kettle to boil water, but they didn't replenish our coffee supplies adequately. :(
CONS: The free wi-fi was defunct the first day and then spotty the remaining 2 days. The breakfast buffet for 9 EUR looked shabby, so we skipped it. Walls were a bit thin, so you could hear the neighbor's doors opening/shutting, but it was quiet enough to get a good night's sleep even over a busy Easter weekend.
PROS: Location was in a relatively quiet part of town where I think locals live, so filled with cute markets selling fresh bread, fruits, seafood, meats, etc. But also within walking distance to the Eiffel Tower and convenient to access via public transit. Total price was only 261 EUR for 3 nights in the heart of Paris. read more