Hotel Stella

Located just around the corner from the Odéon theater and the Jardin du Luxembourg, the one-star Hotel Stella is old-fashioned, cheap and charming. What it lacks in amenities, it makes up for in romantic touches and a top Left Bank location.

The Hotel Stella is one of our old favorites (with the emphasis on “old”). It’s been hosting guests since it was built as a pension in 1748! The stairs are steep and worn, the carpeting has seen so much traffic it seems plastered to the floor, and the gigantic wooden beams seem to be the only thing holding up the place.

And these are all the reasons we love this place! It might be getting on its years, but it hasn’t lost its charm, and it doesn't look rundown. And it offers some of the cheapest rooms in the entire Latin Quarter / St. Germain des Pres neighborhood.

Its 20 guest rooms are truly large (how often do you get to say that about Paris hotel rooms?) and sport some truly antique furnishings, including an upright piano in two rooms. “Thirty years ago the piano used to work, but that was another era,” the owner told us. (We tried it—it still plays.) Some of the old-fashioned pieces, like antique wooden desks and armoires, are actually quite lovely.

To be clear, the rooms here are simple and offer only the basics. There’s a bed, a table, some chairs, a bathroom (in all rooms), and some old photos and prints. You will not find a TV, and no, the hotel really does not have Wi-Fi.

But those rates! €85 for a single and €95 for a double, with private bath. A cheapo through and through.

Note: Unsurprisingly, the Hotel Stella doesn’t accept credit cards, and reception hours are limited. The hotel does not have an elevator.

Location

Set back from the busy Boulevard St-Germain, the Hotel Stella is in the heart of Paris and close to most major attractions. A quick walk in any direction will leave you at the Luxembourg Gardens, the Cluny Museum, Notre Dame, and the St-Germain-des-Près neighborhood.