I'll be giving a reading at Shakespeare & Co
in Paris on Nov 6th and I am looking about for hotels in the area ( or even apts) for a five day stay. I need minumum of comfort
(bathroom with shower) but not too expensive.
Someone has recommended the Esmeralda or the Hotel Degres Notre Dame - Does anyone know either of those - or do you have any other suggestions. Also looking for suggestions for inexpensive places to eat. Thanks

We've stayed at Esmeralda several times and loved it. It's not fancy, but it was decent, the price was reasonable and you can't beat the location. We've spent a number of evenings sipping wine in our window overlooking Notre Dame ! Definitely try to get a room on the front - it can be a little noisy but the view is worth it.

Hi LL,

I was talking over dinner with American friends last night. They may soon be adding two apartments to a handful they manage in Paris. The new ones, quite small, would be on rue Maitre Albert in the 5th arrondissement, a stone's throw from the Seine, an excellent location. The rents they mentioned were in the neighborhood of $500 a week. You might want to contact them to see whether these will indeed become available through their agency. Paula and Darrin are great people, very conscientious:

http://www.frenchyrentals.com/index.html

Dave

Happy, that sounds splendid. I was chatting with a friend who is recently widowed, after years as a caregiver - we are trying to convince her that a trip abroad (she and her late husband already lived in Scotland and in France) would be "vitamin voyage"! Of course I sent her the site for your Garret; she thinks it is adorable, and affordable, but the problem is, madame is a smoker, and while she would certainly respect the (wise) non-smoking rules for your property, could not see descending and ascending seven flights of stairs to get her fix.

I'm glad to see that there are a few offings available now for those of us (often in the arts) of limited means!

I want to add my opinion about the Esmerelda -
We stayed there once and I couldn't agree more. It is quirky and funky, but you will really feel that you are in Paris. I don't think it even has a website. The view of Notre Dame from the rooms overlooking the street is amazing.
Linda

I'm another Esmeralda fan, though my stay there was 5 years ago. Here's a link to a previous thread: there's a further link within that thread to a review with photo.

Jonathan

This may be out of your price range (195 Euro/night), unless you are able to double up with someone, but take a look at this apartment let by "At Home Abroad": rue de la huchette apartment

It's very close to Shakespeare and Co., and the agency gets good reviews on this site.

This cheap place in the Marais (other side of the river, but walkable) sounds lovely for the price; wonder if it is nice as it says?

http://www.eurocheapo.com/paris/hotel/hotel-du-sejour.html

Also wondering if, as a visiting scholar, you couldn't get a good rate in the Cité Universitaire at the southern edge of Paris proper? At a bit of a remove from the Quartier latin, but should be easily reachable by public transport?