We stayed at the Berlin Suitehotel in May, loved it and so couldn't resist the email they sent us offering 4 nights for 2 over December and January.We decided to visit Paris for 4 nights over New Year and selected La Chapelle as the nearest Suiehotel to the Gare du Nord and Eurostar.

The location is not pretty...but 2 layers of double glazing with a massive gap between them shut out traffic noise. We were on the 10th floor and could actually see Sacre Couer from our room...and the top of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Room facilities are as described elsewhere and standard across all their hotels...plenty of room...dividing shutter gave our 4 year old her own space. The hardish bed suited us.

The walk to the metro was a pain...we couldn't find our way at first through the interchange... The trick is to take the left exit as you leave the Metro and head straight ahead following the signposted pedestrian route to St Denis...there are plenty of pedestrian crossings so although these slowed our progress they kept us safe! With a 4 year old the journey was closer to 10 minutes to the Metro.

With hindsight I might try the St Denis hotel next time...although marginally further it is closer to an RER station so central Paris would be quicker but we got around pretty well on the Metro. The quickest way to the Hotel from Gare du Nord is probably the bus but we felt more confident about the metro and it was pretty quick despite the need to change lines. We got Paris Visite passes for 3 days plus a carnet to cover the first and last day of our visit and found the metro a fantastic way of getting around Paris quickly.

Downsides? The location obviously. We did venture to Montmartre for a great meal at Le Restaurant - but decided to eat at lunchtime and retreat to our room at night...there was nowhere close to the hotel that looked worth popping out to. The other bugbear was the electronic card we needed to operate the lift and get into our room. We failed to operate the lift pretty regularly and had to get them reset at reception a couple of times...so keep them well away from other cards or metal objects.

But we only paid 60 Euros a night for the 3 of us...it was comfortable, clean and well -equipped with good coffee and assorted goodies for breakfast. The staff were friendly and helpful. What more could you reasonably expect in a capital city?

We chose this hotel because the reviews we read said it was close to the subway station and had nice rooms.

Close in my opinion is one block or so... this hotel was several blocks from the subway station (and across three MAJOR intersections two with no crosswalks). The walk wouldn't have been so bad if the neighborhood was nicer. One afternoon, we tried the other side of the street (to avoid running in front of traffic) and almost got pick pocketed by a group of teenagers squatting on the side of the road.
The neighborhood was so bad we turned around after walking one block at night to find a restaurant one night.

The rooms were nicely sized (it is a suite hotel) but the shower was tiny. The rooms did have a microwave and a fridge which came in handy because we refused to go out after dark.

My final recommendation for this hotel would be not good for tourists using public transportation. The walk was dangerous and too far to the subway station (and the bus) and was ten times worse with luggage.

To conclude our summer vacation we gave our daughters (9 & 13) Paris as a treat. Looking for a hotel that was easy to reach by car with good access to the Paris metro (you definitely do not want to drive in Paris itself!) we found this very recently built hotel providing us a single room with 4 beds.

The formula of the hotel is simple but efficient - provide a good room with a clean, not too small bathroom and separate toilet for a fair price. Coffee and some cake were served free as breakfast, and one could buy some 'add-ons' in the lobby. Such a combination is much cheaper than the full-breakfast at 12.00 Eur. And we were definitely not the only ones doing it!

The hotel provides indoor, secured parking at a fair price - a convenience when traveling through France with a loaded car.

Just at the other side of the periferique, not more than 3 minutes to walk along the quite busy street, is the end station of metro line 12. A perfect connection to the sites within the city!

I'll get it out of the way just like the others - - - the location is not pretty to look at: highway overpasses, waste collection depot and concrete all around. That said, it is indeed a short walk to the metro and more importantly, it felt safe...or at least not dangerous.

It gets better though. My mom, partner and I had a really good 3-night stay at Suitehotel for a very reasonable rate. The staff was friendly and extra helpful after my wallet was pick-pocketed on our first night.

The room was clean, comfortable and spacious (even for 3 adults) with a small kitchenette (fridge, microwave and sink), a bath/shower separate from the toilet and beds that were comfortable. The single bed listed in the hotel info on the internet was a proper single bed (No "springy" fold out bed for the third person. ) that was on the opposite side of the room and could easily be sectioned off by a pull out bamboo screen for some privacy. Even the "extra" bed which is stored under the double bed looked comfortable!

The "breakfast" included in the rate leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe the cafe around the corner would do...but we didn't discover it until the taxi came to take us to Gare du Nord. We didn't go for the cold buffet - looked overpriced and not at all appetizing.

Suitehotel is ideal for families and those who want to share a room to be more economical...but there are certainly more picturesque areas in Paris... Your call.