February 14, 2023
To afford a stay in Paris, you don’t need a trust fund or stock options. The 10 budget-friendly lodgings that follow may not be known for their chic décor and high thread counts, but all are clean, comfortable, and, most important, not likely to leave you with insufficient funds to try out that cool restaurant you spied near rue Montorgueil.
A rule of thumb for budget accommodations in Paris: the farther you stay from the city center, the higher the comfort level. So if you simply must be within walking distance of Notre-Dame, be prepared for tiny rooms and so-so mattresses. But if you are willing to spend a few minutes on a Métro train, bus, or Vélib’ shared bike to reach your hotel, the rooms may still be smallish, but the furnishings and services will improve substantially.
Remember that Paris is small and the public transit system efficient (provided there’s no strike on, of course). Don’t feel obligated to stay in the city center—venturing beyond could get you away from tourist-laden areas and help you discover cute neighborhoods where real Parisians live.
All of the following accommodations are near public transportation and/or things you want to see and do. And with so much to do in Paris, you will probably be too busy to obsess about your hotel’s design flaws or lack of high-end toiletries.
Let’s start on the LEFT BANK.
Unless otherwise noted, all of the following accommodations have private bathrooms, air-conditioning, TVs, and Wi-Fi.
Pictured above: Hôtel Henriette