Hôtel Esméralda in Paris

My old haunt in Paris is Hôtel Esméralda (4 rue St. Julien-le-Pauvre 5e, Paris, 75005, France; phone 33-1-43-54-19-20). Its location on the Left Bank just across from Notre Dame is ideal, but the hotel has gone downhill over the years.

On my visit in June ’07, Room 12 had torn wallpaper and the toilet seat was not working well. Worst, the room smelled of mold, to which I am extremely allergic. However much I regret it, I can’t stay there the next time I am in Paris.

If you don’t have mold allergies, it is a delightful old place, built in the 17th century. The “good” rooms are 12, 14, 17, 9 and 7, which are reasonably large (by Paris standards), have private baths, cost €95 (about $139) double and have a view of Notre Dame Cathedral that is fantastic when it’s lit up.

Room 19 on the top floor is very large and will sleep four. Never stay in rooms 1, 5, 6, 10 or 11, as they are minuscule even for a single person and you need a shoehorn to get in.

Because I will need different lodging in Paris, I decided to visit various hotels in the same Left Bank neighborhood as the Esméralda. The area has lots of good cafés, restaurants and shops as well as proximity to many Métros, plus it’s a nice walk to the Luxembourg Gardens.

The results of my search are eight hotels that each pass the test for being reasonably priced, having a nice lobby if you want to get out of your room and relax somewhere else, and having rooms with private bath and, depending on the hotel, some other amenities like Internet, TV, AC or hair dryer.

All the rooms are small, typical of Paris hotels in this price range. Most of these hotels have some rooms with balconies. Prices given below are before promotions and usually can be negotiated.

• California St. Germain Hotel (32 rue des Ecoles; phone 33 1 46 34 76 52 or fax 34 75 52, www.california-paris-hotel.com). From €140 ($205) double.

• Hotel Le Home Latin (15-17 rue du Sommerard; phone 33 1 43 26 25 21, fax 29 87 04, www.homelatin-paris-hotel.com) — one block from St. Germain on the corner of rue Thenard, off rue des Ecoles. From €106 ($155) double.

• Hotel Familia (11 rue des Ecoles; phone 33 1 43 54 55 27) and its sister hotel, Hotel Minerve (13 rue des Ecoles; phone 33 1 43 26 26 04, www.hotel-paris-minerve.com). From €104 double.

• Claude Bernard Hotel, (43 rue des Ecoles; phone 33 1 43 26 32 52). €138-€168 ($202-$246) double. My sons stayed here in May ’07 at a discounted Internet rate of €108 double.

• Hotel Saint Jacques (35 rue des Ecoles; phone 33 1 44 07 45 45, www.hotel-saintjacques.com). From €130 double.

• Hotel Abbatial Saint-Germain (46 Blvd St.Germain; phone 33 1 46 34 02 12, www.abbatial-paris-hotel. com). Average price, €150 ($220) double.

• Best Western Le Jardin de Cluny (9 rue du Sommerard; phone 33 1 43 54 22 66 , www.paris-jardin decluny.com). From €180 ($264), at the high end of my list.

At the Maubert-Mutualité Métro stop at the corner of St. Germain and La Grange there is a large signboard showing all the hotels in this area.

• Finally, if you need a room for the night at the Charles de Gaulle airport, the Comfort Hotel Airport CDG (1 bis, rue de Paris, Le Mesnil-Amelot, 77990, France; phone 33 1 60 036 565, www.choicehotelseurope.com) provides a shuttle at Terminal 2E. The Internet price was €60 ($88) double.

J. BERNSTEIN

Albuquerque, NM