I am happy to report that I am back in France and, if you are looking for the best cheap hotel in Paris, the Castex Hotel is what you want. Well, the rooms are nothing special, but the hotel's central location and budget prices are what keep people coming back.
Centrally Located Hotel in Paris
This is my third stay at the Castex, so that tells you what I think of it. You can walk to most of the cool Parisian attractions from this hotel. And, for the places that are too far to manage by foot power, the Paris Metro subway (Bastille Station) is only about two blocks away.
From the Castex Hotel, you can walk to:
- The Louvre Museum (old masters)
- Orsay Museum (impressionists)
- Notre Dame Cathedral (Today, we stumbled onto a beautiful noontime mass, made more magical by the mystery of the French language.)
- Sainte Chapelle
- Seine river cruises
- Orangerie Museum (Monet's waterlilies)
- Beautiful parks
- Major department stores and small boutiques
- The train to Versailles
- Oodles of little patisseries, sidewalk cafes, bistros, and restaurants
From the nearby Bastille Metro stop, you can get to:
- The Eiffel Tower
- Champs-Elysees and Arc de Triomphe
- Montmartre and Sacre-Coeur Basilica
Everyone Walks in Paris
The Castex Hotel is in the Marais Arrondissement (district). So, when I say that you can walk to the main tourist attractions, like the Louvre Museum, I must tell you that it is a bit of a hike. It's about two miles. However, part of the charm of Old Paris is that everyone walks everywhere.
You should bring some nice, comfortable (broken in) shoes because you will be trekking alongside little old ladies in mink coats, businessmen with briefcases, moms with strollers, and kids on old-fashioned scooters. Sometimes, it looks easier to take the Metro, but if you're only going a few stops, you might as well walk, along with everyone else.
Friendly People at Hotel Castex
Hotel Castex is a small 30-room, family-owned accommodation. It's nothing fancy. However, if you want to know how to get to get to Montmarte by Metro or you want to find an inexpensive little café, ask Eskender or one of other helpful dudes at the front desk.
My husband and I wanted to see Sacre Coeur Basilica in Montmarte but we couldn't remember how to get there. Eskender printed out directions for the Metro and explained the trains (and how to change lines) several times until we understood everything.
Hey, I'm in my late 50s and my husband is in his late 60s. We don't want to get lost. And, paying hundreds of dollars for taxis or fancy restaurants is not part of our plan. (We would rather spend our money on other adventures.)
The Marais Arrondissement
I love the Marais Arrondissement (district) because I like to pretend that I am a Parisian for a week or so, and this sweet little neighborhood works perfectly. Sometimes, we go to a truly fabulous little park (Place des Vosges) for hot chocolate and to watch the oldsters sit on benches and the toddlers play on swings. Other times, we sip coffee at a sidewalk cafe and watch the fashion parade.
The little streets of Marais are a peachy place to go window shopping. The fashions are mostly for the young and skinny, but you can find other goodies to lust after. And, the architecture is exactly like a perfect little urbane village. However, if we wander in the other direction we can watch the boats go up and down the Seine.
If we want to be tourists, and we don't feel like rambling too far, there are cool museums nearby:
- Victor Hugo's house (free)
- Carnavalet Museum (free)
- Jewish Art and History Museum
- Pompidou Center (modern art)
Castex Hotel Paris Is a Bargain
When I say that this hotel is inexpensive, I should explain that nothing in Paris is truly cheap, but compared to the big name hotels, this is a bargain. At Castex, you get a tiny room for two with a double bed for 130 Euros in the mid-off-season (March, for example). Actually, our room was 123.50 Euros, including free breakfast, because we had a Rick Steves' Paris book, for which we got a discounted room.
In the true off-season, prices start at 78 Euros for a single and 84 Euros for a double. In summer, rates are around 160 Euros for a double. However, Castex sits on a quiet, neighbourhood street that is gratifyingly close to a few high-energy boulevards.
Would I rather stay in a deluxe accommodation like the Hotel Plaza Athenee Paris? You bet. Would I like to spend 795 Euros a night? No way. So, I'll stick with my little non-glamorous Castex hideaway. At this point, it feels like my little Parisian home away from home.
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Christina Gregoire - Christina Gregoire writes about divorce, fashion, and baby boomers. Her forte is explaining complex ideas in simple language.
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