PARIS - France 2014 - page 225

$$ Hôtel Eiffel Turenne** is a fair two-star bet with comfortable rooms at OK
rates and a lobby with windows on the world. There are five true singles and several
connecting rooms good for families (Sb-€130, Db-€150-200, Tb-€190-230, Wi-Fi only,
20 Avenue de Tourville, tel. [phone], www.hotel-turenne.com , reserva-
[e-mail] ).
$ Hôtel Royal Phare**, facing the busy Ecole Militaire Métro stop, is a humble
place with 34 unimaginative but perfectly sleepable rooms. Rooms on the courtyard are
quietest, with peek-a-boo views of the Eiffel Tower from the fifth floor up (Sb-€100, Db
with shower-€125, Tb-€140, fridges in rooms, no air-con but fans, no Wi-Fi, 40 Avenue
de la Motte-Picquet, tel. [phone], www.hotel-royalphare-paris.com , hotel-royal-
[e-mail] , friendly manager Hocin).
Near Rue Cler, Closer to Rue St. Dominique (and the Seine)
$$ Hôtel de Londres Eiffel*** is my closest listing to the Eiffel Tower and the Champ
de Mars park. Here you get immaculate, warmly decorated rooms (several are connecting
for families), snazzy public spaces, and a service-oriented staff. Some rooms are pretty
small—requestabiggerroom.It'slessconvenienttotheMétro(10-minutewalk),butvery
handy to buses #69, #80, #87, and #92, and to RER-C: Pont de l'Alma (Sb-€175, small
Db-€190, bigger Db-€205, Db with Eiffel Tower view-€230, Tb-€270, 1 Rue Augereau,
tel. [phone], www.hotel-paris-londres-eiffel.com , [e-mail] , helpful
Cédric and Arnaud). The owners also run a good two-star hotel with similar comfort in
the cheaper Montparnasse area, $$ Hôtel Apollon Montparnasse (Db-€140-170, look for
Webdeals,91Ruedel'Ouest,Mo:Pernety,tel.[phone], www.apollon-montparnas-
se.com , [e-mail] ) .
$$ Hôtel de la Tulipe***, three blocks from Rue Cler toward the river, has great
street appeal. The 20 small and simple rooms surround a seductive, wood-beamed lounge
and a small, leafy courtyard (no picnics, please). The owners promise at least a 10 percent
discount when you book direct with this topic in 2014 (Sb-€170, Db-€170-210, Tb-
€195-240,4-personapartment-€270-350,2-roomsuiteforupto5people-€400,noair-con,
no elevator, 33 Rue Malar, tel. [phone], www.paris-hotel-tulipe.com , hoteldelat-
[e-mail] ).
$ Hôtel de la Tour Eiffel** is a good two-star value on a quiet street near several of
myfavoriterestaurants.Theroomsarewell-designedandcomfortable,butsomehavethin
walls and none have air-conditioning (snug Db-€110, bigger Db-€120-140, Wi-Fi only, 17
Rue de l'Exposition, tel. [phone], www.hotel-toureiffel.com , [e-mail] ).
$ Hôtel Kensington** is a good budget value close to the Eiffel Tower and run by
elegant, though formal, Daniele. It's an unpretentious place with mostly small, basic, but