Hotel Henri Iv Rive Gauche

The price was amazing, and the location is hard to beat. We were new to Paris, but from Place Dauphine on Ile De La Cite we could walk everywhere, with the RER entrance just around the corner. Notre Dame, Musée du Louvre, and The Latin Quarter are only a few blocks away. Place Dauphine is a quiet little park where locals play bocci ball and couples cuddle. There are restaurants right outside; we ate at Ma Salle à Manger across the street on our second-last night, and wished we’d gone there sooner. The food was perfect and the price wasn’t bad. Getting to the airport by train was easy even though we didn’t know how to use it, and it saved us about 80€ compared with a cab, 40€ each way. The train goes right to all three airport terminals. The staff were friendly and helpful, and most speak English, which helped since I don’t. Our renovated room, number 9, was quaint and spacious for Paris, with a decent bathroom and a window that opened for fresh air. It wasn’t spotless, with dust in the vents and along the pipes, but it was clean enough for an average person, and cleaner than my house. The sheets looked brand new, and towels and tissue were refreshed as needed. Breakfast was light, just coffee with milk and a baguette with butter and jam, but it was a good start. For all six mornings, we never waited for a seat or service, which was instant. There’s no elevator, and our room on the third floor was four floors up from the ground. The stairs were tiring, especially with heavy bags, so keep that in mind if you have mobility challenges. If you’re able-bodied, it’s worth the climb. The other downside was no Wi-Fi. We had trouble connecting at the free Wi-Fi in Starbucks and McDonalds, which are everywhere, so I’d have gladly paid a little extra for hotel Wi-Fi. Still, being unplugged was a bit freeing while my wife and I celebrated our 20th anniversary and the kids stayed home with their grandparents. Read the reviews and look at the Tripadvisor photos so you know what to expect. If you’re a budget traveler who’d rather spend time out than in your room, you’ll love Hotel Henri IV. I highly recommend it and would stay again if I return to Paris.

I called on 3 Oct. 2013 to book a room for June 2014 and was told the hotel had been sold and would stop operating as a hotel in January 2014. If you want to stay there, you’d better go before the end of that year. I would have liked to stay, since the location was perfect and there was a great restaurant almost next door, Le Caveau du Palais.

If location matters to you, this is a great spot.