Last summer I tried out the concept of staying at a bed-and-breakfast in Paris. I found the experience a bit odd. I researched and secured a lovely apartment, beautifully decorated and around the corner from the Musée Picasso in the Marais, which is a perfect location. The proprietor was a very charming gay guy who had to move out in order to move me in. The whole apartment still smelled of his cologne. It seemed I was staying in his only bedroom. Maybe it was a way of making a few bucks (he moved across the street to his boyfriend’s house), but it seemed a bit unsettling to me. He was perfectly nice and brought me excellent croissants each morning, but the experience was not what I had expected. I had assumed (you know what they say about that) that I’d be staying in an extra bedroom. I’m not giving up, though—this is probably the cheapest way to stay in the city and has the potential to be a unique and charming experience that will allow you to really get to know a local. I recommend it for the adventurous and the friendly, not for those who feel privacy is paramount. Do ask a lot of questions before you book.
Here are a few other B and Bs I found that are worth sampling:
Paris Oasis, on rue André del Sarte, close to Sacré-Coeur, is 100–150 euros per night (depending on the room) for two. Prices are slightly more for more people, and there's a three-night minimum. It pays to have friends. This maison in the 18th Arrondissement (Montmartre) has an indoor pool and a lovely exterior garden. There are six bedrooms, some with kitchenettes, but no breakfast. Guess you’d call it a bed sans breakfast. Some rooms are better decorated than others, so be choosy.
La Villa Paris has been exquisitely designed in an art deco style, and the owner is very helpful. It might be interesting to discover this part of the 13th. We like the Concorde room.
Paris Chic Near the Champs in the 17th sits this lovely B and B for 140 euros a night for two. It's nicely decorated and situated in a Haussmann-style building, sporting a Jacuzzi tub with views of the rooftops of Paris. Your host is a musician.
B&B Folie Oberkampf is a cute guest apartment in the 11th (the owners have two other places for rent), run as a B and B starting at 85 euros per night. Now that’s a bargain—you’ll have your own apartment complete with a kitchen and living room. These owners like color, and you’ll have to walk up the stairs, but it’s the best deal in town short of a hostel.
Villa Clara is a luxurious B and B in the 9th for around 200 euros, but you’ll sleep in a mansion and receive a bottle of champagne. Not too shabby.
Nouvelle Athènes B and B is a great choice in the 9th, if you don’t mind climbing up to the fourth floor. The Chambre d’Hôtes St. Georges has been superbly decorated. Only 75 euros a night for two.
Commerce B and B in the 15th, from Meeting the French, is a sophisticated and charming place for only 169 euros for three, which works out to 56.33 euros per person. Now you can’t beat that price!
Bonne Nuit Paris will set you up in an ancient building in the Marais, on the wonderful rue Charlot. Rates for two start at 125 euros a night, with a breakfast of bread/croissants and homemade jam. Owned by a French man and an American woman; you’ll enjoy their hospitality.
Bateau Pytheas is a fun one—for 170 euros enjoy a weeknight stay on a boat in the 8th (360 euros for Friday and Saturday nights combined). Breakfast included.
Bateau Johanna is another boat, close to the Tuileries, with two rooms. Rate for two: 100 euros. Two-night minimum.
There are countless companies, so enjoy the search and let us know how you find B and B-ing in Paris.
Behind a large door in the 14th Arrondissement, Jim Haynes, an American
writer in his 70s, holds a kind of salon or open house with a meal
every Sunday night.
Here's the good news—the economy may be looking up. The bad news is
that everyone and her brother has lost 30 to 50 percent in the market. That said, we
still think a trip to Paris is doable and affordable if you are careful
with your euro.
If you don’t know about the passages, you must learn. I don’t mean to sound professorial, but I made the same mistake—coming to Paris for an embarrassingly long time before I finally made the discovery.
RSS
Staying at a B and B in Paris
by Lamar C
Friday, March 05, 2010 at 09:55 AM
By Doni Belau
Photo: Bonne Nuit Paris.
Last summer I tried out the concept of staying at a bed-and-breakfast in Paris. I found the experience a bit odd. I researched and secured a lovely apartment, beautifully decorated and around the corner from the Musée Picasso in the Marais, which is a perfect location. The proprietor was a very charming gay guy who had to move out in order to move me in. The whole apartment still smelled of his cologne. It seemed I was staying in his only bedroom. Maybe it was a way of making a few bucks (he moved across the street to his boyfriend’s house), but it seemed a bit unsettling to me. He was perfectly nice and brought me excellent croissants each morning, but the experience was not what I had expected. I had assumed (you know what they say about that) that I’d be staying in an extra bedroom. I’m not giving up, though—this is probably the cheapest way to stay in the city and has the potential to be a unique and charming experience that will allow you to really get to know a local. I recommend it for the adventurous and the friendly, not for those who feel privacy is paramount. Do ask a lot of questions before you book.
Here are a few other B and Bs I found that are worth sampling:
Paris Oasis, on rue André del Sarte, close to Sacré-Coeur, is 100–150 euros per night (depending on the room) for two. Prices are slightly more for more people, and there's a three-night minimum. It pays to have friends. This maison in the 18th Arrondissement (Montmartre) has an indoor pool and a lovely exterior garden. There are six bedrooms, some with kitchenettes, but no breakfast. Guess you’d call it a bed sans breakfast. Some rooms are better decorated than others, so be choosy.
La Villa Paris has been exquisitely designed in an art deco style, and the owner is very helpful. It might be interesting to discover this part of the 13th. We like the Concorde room.
Paris Chic Near the Champs in the 17th sits this lovely B and B for 140 euros a night for two.It's nicely decorated and situated in a Haussmann-style building, sporting a Jacuzzi tub with views of the rooftops of Paris. Your host is a musician.
B&B Folie Oberkampf is a cute guest apartment in the 11th (the owners have two other places for rent), run as a B and Bstarting at 85 euros per night. Now that’s a bargain—you’ll have your own apartment complete with a kitchen and living room. These owners like color, and you’ll have to walk up the stairs, but it’s the best deal in town short of a hostel.
Villa Clara is a luxurious B and B in the 9th for around 200 euros, but you’ll sleep in a mansion and receive a bottle of champagne. Not too shabby.
Nouvelle Athènes B and B is a great choice in the 9th, if you don’t mind climbing up to the fourth floor. The Chambre d’Hôtes St. Georges has been superbly decorated. Only 75 euros a night for two.
Commerce B and B in the 15th, from Meeting the French, is a sophisticated and charming place for only 169 euros for three, which works out to 56.33 euros per person. Now you can’t beat that price!
Bonne Nuit Paris will set you up in an ancient building in the Marais, on the wonderful rue Charlot. Rates for two start at 125 euros a night, with a breakfast of bread/croissants and homemade jam. Owned by a French man and an American woman; you’ll enjoy their hospitality.
Bateau Pytheas is a fun one—for 170 euros enjoy a weeknight stay on a boat in the 8th (360 euros for Friday and Saturday nights combined). Breakfast included.
Bateau Johanna is another boat, close to the Tuileries, with two rooms. Rate for two: 100 euros. Two-night minimum.
There are countless companies, so enjoy the search and let us know how you find B and B-ing in Paris.
BB Paris
Meeting the French
Fleurs de Soleil
Bed and Breakfast
GoodMorningParis
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