The Secret Hotels of Paris

44 rue Madame, 6th arr., St. Germain, tel. 011-33/45-48-02-81, fax 011-33/1-45-44-85-73, france-hotelguide.com. Metro: St-Sulpice. 34 rooms, all with private bath. Doubles ¬80-¬85 ($72-$76), breakfast ¬7 ($6.25).

Hiding out in the tony neighborhood of St-Germain amongst designer boutiques and stylish hair salons, this smart hotel dishes up high-quality comfort at impressively low prices. An elegant country theme pervades - rooms have plush blue carpets, carved wood headboards, and fluffy yellow bedspreads. Many have flowers in the window boxes, and those on the top floor have little terraces. Several face a pretty courtyard where breakfast is served in nice weather. The bathrooms have that just-unwrapped look, complete with hair-dryers and "old-fashioned" sinks. Easy strolls include the gorgeous Jardin du Luxembourg and the Place St-Sulpice, an excellent spot for cafe-squatting and watching the world go by.

Hotel Amelie

5 rue Amelie, 7th arr., Eiffel Tower/Invalides, tel. 011-33/1-45-51-74-75, fax /1-45-56-93-55, 123france.com. Metro: La Tour Maubourg. 16 rooms, all with private bath. No elevator. Doubles ¬80-¬89 ($72-$80), breakfast ¬6 ($5.50).

This tiny hotel is on a tiny street overshadowed by the hulking presence of the Eiffel Tower. Though you can't see the tower from the rooms, you can enjoy amenities like cable TV, minibar, and hair-dryers, not to mention geraniums in the window boxes and cushy new carpets. The rooms all look like they were renovated yesterday, with rich colors on the walls and pristine bedspreads and draperies. Rooms are small but not claustrophobic, and those facing the courtyard get loads of light and a nice view of Parisian rooftops. Though slightly pricier than some of our other finds, these rates are quite low for this high-and-mighty neighborhood.

Hotel Langlois

63 rue St-Lazare, 9th arr., Grands Boulevards, tel. 011-33/1-48-74-78-24, fax /1-49-95-04-43. Metro: Trinite. 28 rooms, all with private bath. Doubles ¬83-¬90 ($73-$80), breakfast ¬7 ($6.25).

Formerly the Hotel des Croises, it has proudly taken the name it was given as a setting of this year's upcoming Jonathan Demme film The Truth About Charlie (a remake of 1963's Charade). It's easy to see Demme's reasoning - not only are the rooms huge and airy, but they also have authentic period furniture and detailing. You won't find many hotels in this price range with inlayed armoires and Art Deco ceramic fireplaces. Furnishings on the first four floors are from the 1940s to 1950s; the top two cover the Belle Epoque - would you believe Art Nouveau woodwork and Second Empire headboards? As if this weren't enough, the carpets and towels are as plush as the bathrooms are sparkling. If you can tear yourself away from your surroundings, you'll find you are minutes from the Opera and the grands magasins.

Hotel de l'Esperance

15 rue Pascal, 5th arr., Mouffetard/Gobelins, tel. 011-33/1-47-07-10-99, fax /1-43-37-56-19. Metro: Censier-Daubenton. 38 rooms, all with private bath. Doubles ¬84 ($74), breakfast ¬6 ($5.50).

If canopy beds are your thing, this is l'hotel for you. Each bed in this enthusiastically decorated hotel is crowned with a small bundle of drapery that gently slopes to the floor. The proprietress takes great pride in the hotel's decor, which includes thick new carpets, matching bedspreads and curtains, and a breakfast room with period prints and hand-crocheted tablecloths. If the doll collection in the lobby strikes you as over the top, no matter; what's important here is that accommodations are comfortable, well maintained, and clean. Rooms are relatively spacious and have cable TV, and all bathrooms have tubs--you'll have to shower with the famous French shower-hose. Your proximity to a wonderful open-air market on rue Mouffetard should make up for this minor inconvenience.

Hotel du Cygne