Finally, the streets around the centrally-located Place de l’Opera contain several good budget finds for older tourists. There are three such streets, which rıı list in my own order of preference.
The Rue d’Antin, just off the broad Avenue de l’Opera, is where you’ll find the recently-remodeled Hotel de France, at 22 Rue d’Antin, possessing an elevator, two breakfasts included. Next door, the really lovely Hotel des Etats Unis, 16 Rue d’Antin, and the Hotel d’Antin, 18 Rue d’Antin (the latter possessing a particularly fine, mediumpriced restaurant), are just slightly outside our range, breakfast and all else included. Both hotels have elevators, and both were refurbished, when the entire block underwent a face-lifting. It is only two short blocks from here to the Opera.
Only one block from the Opera, the beautifully-furnished, elevator-equipped Paris-Centre Hotel, 11 bis Rue St. Anne, is another superb two-star hotel, for which reservations will probably be necessary. Elevator in the building, and three nearby metro stops: Pyramides, Palais-Royale, Opera.
Two other little side streets which run off the Avenue de l’Opera are the Rue Daunou and the Rue Gaillon. Just 10 yards in from the Avenue, at 1 Rue Daunou, the Hotel d’Egypte et de Choiseul. Breakfast, service and taxes included; is managed by the same people who own the Hotel de France; has a somewhat shabby exterior, but comfortable, clean rooms; and is off a segment of the Avenue de l’Opera very near to the Opera.
Further down the Avenue de l’Opera, on the way to the Louvre, is the little Rue Gaillon, which runs into the tiny “Place Gaillon,” site of the famous and expensive Restaurant Drouant. Running off the Place Gaillon is then the equally tiny Rue St. Augustin. The Hotel Gaillon, at 9 Rue Gaillon, is aneat, little one-star hotel with no elevator and no lobby to speak of, but with a knowledgeable French-and-international clientele who know a value. Better, however, is the Hotel de l’Ile de France, 26 Rue St. Augustin, which is “two-star-B” (slightly lower than the Hotel de France on the Rue d’Antin), and has an elevator. Despite the complex street instructions for finding the Gaillon, it’s only a long black from here to the Opera, breakfast and all else included.
A less expensive street is the Rue du Helder, again near American Express, and running between the Blvd. des ltaliens and the Boulevard Haussmann, east of the Opera. Our first choice here would be the Hotel du Nil, 10 Rue du Helder, followed closely by the Hotel de l’Opera, 16 Rue du Helder, with slightly higher rates; and the Hotel du Helder, 4 Rue du Helder, about the same. This is a pleasant, well-located street, with three good budget hotels.
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