Paris Great Values

It doesn’t get much hipper than Mama Shelter, the first budget hotel designed by Philippe Starck. If you’re lucky enough to score one of the bargain rooms (starting from under €100), it’s well worth the trek to bed down in the 20th arrondissement, the burgeoning epicenter of cool on the outskirts of the city center. The 172 sleek rooms, decked out with a gray-and-black color scheme, come with iMacs (which double as DVD and CD players), free WiFi, and kitschy touches like Chewbacca or Batman bedside lamps. The hotel restaurant dishes out homey French dishes, and is run by top chef (Alain Senderens), while the Chic Chic Bar attracts local hipsters and artists who sip cocktails under a graffitied ceiling.

You’d be hard-pressed to find more atmosphere for your euro than at the charming, somewhat off-the-beaten-path Hotel Langlois, located just off the serene Place de la Trinité, a few blocks north of Opéra Garnier. Radiating typical Parisian refinement, the circa-1870 building has enjoyed stints as a 19th century bank and as a film set for the 2002 film The Truth About Charlie (a remake of Charade). Guests encounter a splendid wood-paneled reception area upon entry, and access the upper level guest rooms via antique wrought-iron elevator. Well-proportioned rooms are done up in Ecole de Nancy (a form of Art Nouveau) style, with fine touches like mahogany and sycamore headboards, period art and antiques, and even a few marble fireplaces. Rooms on the top floor offer lovely views over the rooftops of Paris. The hotel is conveniently situated near the metro (line 12) and the department stores on the Boulevard Haussmann.

The price is right at this budget hotel near the bustling restaurant-and-bar scene stemming off of Place de la République. Renovated in 2006, the 58 sound-proofed rooms here are comfortable, if a wee bit on the bland side – expect floral bedding (with matching drapes), light-wood furnishings, and green-and-yellow color schemes. Ask for one that overlooks the cheery garden; guest can also eat breakfast here. Doubles are on the small side, so spring for a triple if you want more space. (Note: Beware the summer months, as there is no air-conditioning.) Internet access is in the lobby only, where a guest computer is provided free of charge.

More like visiting with friends than staying in a hotel, this eight-room former private mansion sits near the center of the 16th Arrondissment’s chic Passy district. Each unique room in the quirky property has been done up with gorgeous pieces all individually picked by the designer Eric Chaillou – one is red all around with antique wood accents, another has puce-colored wall paneling and Napoleonic touches, while a third is papered with blindingly bright Starburst-candy-colored stripes. Though you might occasionally feel like a houseguest in your eccentric old uncle’s Parisian pad, the good news is that the rooms are equipped with four-star conveniences including modern bathrooms, flat-screen TVs, and Internet access.

Tucked away on a quiet street in charming Montmartre, this friendly hotel is perfect for the budget-minded who don’t mind a 20-minute subway ride to the city center. Then again, it’s only a 10-minute walk to the stunning Sacré-Coeur Basilica, by way of hilly, cobbled streets that once served as the haunt for artists such as Picasso and Renoir. The 30 rooms are on the small side, but a gradual refurbishment has spruced up the eclectic, somewhat outdated interiors with bright, patterned bedding and colorful artwork in gilded frames. A couple of top-floor rooms, accessible by a tiny elevator, offer distant views of the Eiffel Tower. Internet access is free by way of two computers stationed in the lobby; there is also a small dining room where breakfast is served at an additional charge.

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Shoppers head to Boulevard Haussman for mega-department stores Galeries Lafayette (#40)and Printemps (#64), which sell everything from home fashions to clothing – the former hosts fashion shows (check website for schedules). Galeries Lafayette: 011-33-1-42-85-12-00; www.galerieslafayette.com; Printemps: 011-33-1-42-82-50-00; www.printemps.com