Hôtel Du Globe 18

The only good thing about this place was its two very sweet lobby cats, one skinny and one fat. Everything else was bad. We spent a week there in midsummer with no AC, a fan that didn’t work, and a broken shower. It was the most uncomfortable sleep I’ve ever had in a hotel, hostel, or even while camping. The staff were incredibly rude and kept saying they’d fix the shower or fan “tomorrow,” then didn’t. I had to pay extra to shower at a local gym. They charge 500 euros a night. This place would be overpriced at 50.

The owner was really kind and accommodating, and our room was large with a nice clean bed. We only stayed two nights, and it worked out perfectly. The hostel seemed quite clean, with what looked like recent renovation and cleaning. For what you pay, you get exactly that and a little more. Say hello to Gigi the cat if you stay.

I booked this for a last minute night in Paris and paid just $75 for a same day reservation. For that price, it was what I expected and I was pleased. The room was a little tired but clean, the staff were friendly, and the hotel felt secure, with a front door code after hours and security cameras. There’s also a deadbolt on the room door. The walls are thin, though, and I could hear neighbors coming and going. I tend to feel uncomfortable alone in hotel rooms, so that didn’t help, but it’s a personal quirk. If I’d been with my husband or a friend, I wouldn’t have worried. You can walk to Paris metro line 4, which makes it easy to get to Gare du Nord and Chatelet-Les Halles and transfer to other routes. The hotel is north of Gare du Nord, in a more affordable area with large immigrant communities. It can be noisy, with plenty of people around even late at night. It’s not the postcard version of Paris that some Americans expect, with grands boulevards in the center. There are street hawkers and open air markets, and it feels like a lived in neighborhood. Having traveled widely in Africa, I loved the culture here, though visitors who haven’t been may be surprised. Keep an eye on your wallet and be careful walking alone after dark. I didn’t find it less safe than many other cities I’ve visited, but use your judgment. And there are two very fat guard cats at the hotel.

The breakfast included butter that had expired more than a month earlier. In our room, the old radiator heated on one side only, so the room was terribly cold, with basically no heat. It was also very dirty, the door barely shut, and cold air came in. The walls had no soundproofing at all. We could even hear the neighbors switching the lights on and off. Staying there was really unpleasant.