Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sleeping
Paris has a huge choice of accommodation, from hostels through to deluxe
hotels, some of which rank among the world's finest. Yet, although the city
has in excess of 1500 establishments, you'll still need to book well ahead
during the warmer months (April to October) and all public and school holi-
days.
BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE
For more accommodation reviews by Lonely Planet authors, check out
ht-
tp://lonelyplanet.com/hotels/
. You'll find independent reviews, as well as recommend-
ations on the best places to stay. Best of all, you can book online.
Hotels
Hotels in Paris are inspected by government authorities and classified into six categories,
from no star to five stars. The vast majority are two- and three-star hotels, which are gener-
ally well equipped. All hotels must display their rates, including TVA (
taxe sur la valeur
ajoutée;
valued-added tax), though you'll often get much cheaper prices online, even on the
hotels' own websites.
Parisian hotel rooms tend to be small by international standards. Families will probably
need connecting rooms but if children are too young to stay in their own room, it's possible to
make do with triples, quads or suites in some places.
Cheaper hotels may not have lifts/elevators and/or air-conditioning. Some don't accept
credit cards.
Breakfast is rarely included in hotel rates; heading to a cafe often works out to be better
value.
Hostels
Paris is awash with hostels, and standards are consistently improving. A wave of state-of-the-
art hostels have recently opened their doors, with more in the works, including a 950-bed
'megahostel' by leading hostel chain Generator (
www.generatorhostels.com
)
near Canal St-
Martin, 10e.
