Port-Royal Hotel

Situated one minute from the Gobelins Metro stop in the bottom of the 5th arrondissement, the Port-Royal Hotel offers old-fashioned rooms with a grandmotherly touch. The hotel presents an especially good deal to travelers willing to share facilities (as long as they don’t take long showers).

Quick read

Pros: Clean and cozy accommodations. Family feel.
Cons: Extra charge for shower in shared bathrooms. No Wi-Fi.

Rooms

Rooms at the Port-Royal are furnished with simple wooden or metal beds, handsome armoires and desks, and a telephone (no TV). Wallpaper varies from room to room (sometimes a solid color, sometimes a floral pattern), giving the hotel an especially homey ambiance. Old-fashioned touches, like restored crown molding, make things even more inviting.

Some rooms are equipped with a private bathroom, neatly tiled, spotless and featuring either a shower or bathtub. Many rooms, however, have only a sink for washing up and share a toilet and shower in the hallway. It’s important to note that the hotel charges €2.50 for a shower token—which provides just five minutes of water. (Hey, it’s one way to keep the line short!)

We preferred the rooms that look out to the Boulevard Port-Royal, as they’re brighter (and double-paned windows should keep the traffic noise down). However, lighter sleepers should request a room overlooking the small courtyard.

Hotel Facilities

The Port-Royal Hotel has a family feel about it, which makes sense given that it’s been run by the same family since 1931. Breakfast is served (for a reasonable €6) in the cozy stone-lined breakfast room downstairs.

The hotel does not currently offer Wi-Fi. There is, however, a McDonald’s across the street. Rooms facing the boulevard might be able to pick up a signal if the wind is blowing in their favor, but we’d recommend just stopping over for a coffee when you need to check your emails.

Notes: The entire hotel is non-smoking. Happily, it has a normal-sized elevator. The hotel accepts cash and travelers checks (in euros) only. Repeat: No credit cards.