My mom and I stayed at Hôtel des Ecrivains on our first trip to Paris in April 2015 so this review is a bit skewed towards that season (i.e., I can't comment much on A/C or heating as we didn't require either of those during our trip).
For the price and location, this hotel can't be beat. For reference, we booked a bit last minute through a booking website (and not directly with the hotel) and paid approx. $100/night.
It's a small old-school type hotel (the kind w/ a concierge at the front desk that keeps all the room keys, and where you drop them off before you leave every morning and pick them up when you come back for the night). The room was very clean and the beds comfortable. When we went, they were doing some construction on the building across from the street, so if you're really noise-averse, ask for a room that faces the inner courtyard. The staff were also v. friendly and helpful. We didn't pay extra for breakfast at the hotel, so I can't comment on that. But there are so many bakeries/ restaurants surrounding the area, that unless you're planning a really early-start to your day, you probably don't have to. On that note, I really recommend checking out Le Chant du Pain for breakfast. It's a little boulangerie down the street from the hotel with the tastiest (and best-priced!!) croissants in the area!
As for the location, the hotel is in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, about a 5 minute walk from Place d'Italie square and metro station. It's a non-touristy, very residential area of Paris, with lots of local business and restaurants. Knowing a few basic french words would help when dining out in the area as we found not everyone working in the restaurants spoke English. Also, across the street from the Place d'Italie metro station is a big modern shopping mall (Italie 2).
So in summary - the hotel was clean, comfortable, good value, in a great location, and I would definitely recommend! read more