Paris Châtelet-Les Halles

While affordable hotels in this trendy neighborhood tend to be pretty hard to come by, there are a few high-quality budget addresses that are worth checking out. Be sure to make your reservations far in advance—cheap spots in such a central location fill up rapidly at any time of the year. Also, be sure to watch yourself around Chatelet. Other tourists will not stick up for you (or even tell you) when a pickpocket or mugger is about to pounce.

Hotel de Rouen, 42 rue Croix des Petits Champs (☎01 42 61 38 21; www.hotelderouen.net), This cozy two-star boasts the lowest prices you'll find in the 1st arrondissement for hotel accommodations. The friendly owner speaks English and is more than happy to tell you about the virtues of all the different rooms. Some of the rooms are decorated with liberated Metro signs and maps, so you won't even have to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi to plan your itinerary. While most rooms come equipped with showers, beware of getting the room without the shower on the first floor; you'll have to walk up five floors (the hotel doesn't have an elevator) to the hallway shower. Free Wi-Fi. Singles €40-60; doubles €45-75. Breakfast €6. Reception 24hr. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Has internet.
Hotel Tiquetonne, 6 rue Tiquetonne (☎01 42 36 94 58), Located a stone's throw from Marché Montorgueil and rue St-Denis' sex shops, Hotel Tiquetonne is surrounded by so many hip shopping spots it could send its hipster clientele into bankruptcy. Simple rooms are generously sized and boast unusually high ceilings (by Parisian standards). Amenities can be hit or miss; the hotel has an elevator, but some rooms don't have showers. Unbeatable prices for this location. Breakfast €6. Hall showers €6. Singles €35, with shower €45; doubles with shower €55. Reception 24hr. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access.
Centre Internationale de Paris (BVJ): Paris Louvre, 20 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau (☎01 53 00 90 90), In an unbeatable location right down the street from the Louvre, this massive hostel has taken over three buildings in total. All guests must be younger than 35, ensuring a young and international crowd. The decor in the lobby, dining hall, and rooms is utilitarian and vaguely influenced by the '60s. Spacious single-sex dorms are available with two to eight beds. A new location is coming to the Opéra district, so stay tuned. Breakfast included. Reservations can be made no more than 15 days in advance by phone or internet, except Jul-Aug, when they can be made 2 months in advance. Wi-Fi in dining hall €2 per hr., €3 per 2hr. Dorms €29. Extra bed €35. Reception 24hr. 3-day max. stay; extensions can be arranged on arrival. Does not take credit cards. Has internet.
Hotel Montpensier, 12 rue de Richelieu (☎01 42 96 28 50; www.montpensierparis.com), Hotel Montpensier is a swanky yet affordable option on a relatively quiet street, only a few blocks from the Louvre and other sights of the 2ème. Tall ceilings and old-school decor grace the first two floors of the hotel. While the rooms upstairs aren't quite as gracefully decorated (and have spots on the walls), they offer much lovelier views of rue de Richelieu, if you can negotiate the doors' complex locks. The staff is warm and eager to help you get around the arrondissement, and Paris at large. Thirty-five of the hotel's forty-three rooms have ensuite bath. Free Wi-Fi. Singles €71; doubles €76-118; triples €139; quads €159. Petit Dej €9. Reception 24hr. Takes credit cards. Has internet.
Hotel du Lion d'Or, 5 Rue de La Sourdière 01 42 60 79 04 (www.hotel-louvre-paris.com), Hotel du Lion d'Or isn't a budget hotel, but its location on a deliciously tranquil street in the 1st arrondissement is worth the price. The breakfast area and rooms are richly decorated and sunny. All rooms equipped with a full bathroom. There are some great deals available for three-night stays; check the website. 24-hr. reception. Takes credit cards. Has internet.
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Hotel Henri-IV, 25 Pl. Dauphine 01 43 54 44 53 (henri4hotel.fr), Located on the beautiful, leafy place Dauphine, Hotel Henri-IV has been a family business since 1937, so expect a warm welcome. All rooms come with shower and all except for the cheapest single with a toilet. There's no elevator, but the view from the 5th floor of place Dauphine's treetops and the Cathedral of Notre Dame is spectacular. Takes credit cards.
Hotel des Boulevards, 10 rue de la Ville-Neuve 01 42 36 02 29 (www.hoteldesboulevards.com), Located on the outskirts of the 2éme ‘s fabric and rug district, Hotel des Boulevards keeps it simple, with sparse and generously sized rooms at rock-bottom prices (for the Chatelet-Les Halles, anyway). Expect a warm welcome from the personable staff. Takes credit cards. Has internet.
Hotel Vivienne, 40 rue Vivienne 01 42 33 13 26 (www.hotel-vivienne.com), Located on a quiet street in the 2éme, Hotel Vivienne boasts lush decor, a very warm welcome, and showers in every room. The owner is proud of the hotel's rooms; six are renovated per year. Several of the rooms include lovely balconies that overlook rue Vivienne. If you want one of these—or a room period—you'll have to make your reservations up to several months in advance. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access.