They're out there. Despite its reputation as one of the most expensive cities in the world, Paris has a good selection of budget hotels, many of them intimate, offbeat and family-run. While some take reservations by e-mail, many prefer to advertise by word of mouth. Some won't accept credit cards.
None offers air conditioning or room service, never mind laptop-friendly phone lines.
No two are alike, but that's part of their charm. At a time when chain hotels are so homogenized you may wake up wondering if you're in Toronto, Cleveland or Tivoli, it's nice to be able to count on Paris for a genuine change of scenery. That's one thing you'll get at the following addresses. You may not mind. You came to Paris to walk around and see the sights, and you can always stretch out on the sofa when you get back home.