Cluny Sorbonne

Located across the street from the Université de la Sorbonne in the Latin Quarter, the friendly Hotel Cluny Sorbonne possesses a prime location and low rates.

The Cluny Sorbonne has been one of our “go to” Cheapo hotels for years, as it has consistently offered some of the lowest rates in town for charming, old-fashioned rooms across from the Sorbonne. In our latest price analysis, we found average nightly rates for a double around €120, a great deal for Paris. Just note that while that is certainly a wallet-friendly price, you get what you pay for: rooms here are some of the smallest we’ve seen at just under 97 square feet (including the bathroom, now that’s a tight squeeze!).

The 23 recently renovated rooms feature nice carpets, floral bedspreads, and matching curtains. Along with classic wooden tables and chairs, rooms have new flat-screen TVs, while bathrooms have been neatly tiled and have hair dryers. 

The rooms on the fifth and sixth floors provide dreamy rooftop views of the historic Latin Quarter. There is no air conditioning (fans are offered during warm weather), and the hotel’s free Wi-Fi reaches “most” of the rooms.

Breakfast is available in a bright and sunny breakfast room for €9. Notably, the hotel has an elevator.

Location

The Cluny Sorbonne is located across the narrow rue Victor Cousin from the Sorbonne University (Université de Paris IV) in the academic heart of the Latin Quarter (as opposed to the “tourist heart” near Place St-Michel, about 5-10 minutes away). The lovely Jardin du Luxembourg is also about a five-minute walk from the hotel.

Poetic History

We’ve long thought that the Cluny Sorbonne had a certain “starving poet” quality to it. In fact, upon his return to Paris in 1872, the dashing Rimbaud wrote by candlelight in room 62, overlooking the hotel’s “bottomless courtyard.”

And speaking of Rimbaud’s poem, “Eternité,” keep your eyes peeled for friendly spirits! The hotel is rumored to be haunted.