I have stayed in Paris 3-star properties several times and this one is the absolute worse. It should probably be a 2-star (at best). I paid more for this place and got the least. The room was small with the foot of my bed extending into the doorway. The place was not very clean (dusty) and furniture was in poor condition (e.g. crumpled lampshade, door in closet wouldn't close). The decor (if one can call it that) was lacking. There were holes in the one picture hanging on the wall. My non-smoking room was really a "second hand" smoking room since the fumes of cigarette smoke came through the vent from another room.

The staff members were not that helpful. I requested assistance in arranging a taxi to the airport which ended up costing me 60 euro instead of 40 euro that I paid to get from the airport to the hotel. The taxi driver explained to me that the hotel uses a "private" taxi company which costs more.

I definitely recommend staying away from this run-down facility!!!

This Hotel was ok. My husband and I booked two rooms, one for our daughters and one for us. The price was reasonable so it was well worth it. The hotel is OLD so if you are into history and historic furniture, this is for you. The kids loved their room that faced the street. The rooms were big for Paris and the bathrooms were really nice. Both of our rooms had HUGE modern bathtubs.
Breakfast was ok, but the whole bread/roll/jam thing get's old after 3 days.
The staff was friendly and spoke English fairly well. They helped us book our dinner on the Siene, etc.
If you use this hotel, take some time learn your location. Look at the map, walk around, it really is in a nice location in the Latin Quarter.
For the price, the hotel is fine. However, I probably would not stay their again, Henry the IV hotel is a better value and a better location in the Latin Quarter.

Stayed at this hotel 9/8 through 9/12. Other reviews have testified to the worn carpet and old furnishings, but we still found it to be quite charming. We wanted an economical hotel in a good location, and were very pleased with the Hotel de l'Universite. If they renovated it, the price would double, and I think it would lose a bit of it's atmosphere. Had one of the 2 terrace rooms on the top floor, #51 (ask for the other room with terrace; it's bigger). The tiny elevator only goes up to 4th floor, then small staircase to the 5th, so you do have to haul bags up one flight for a terrace room. Peeked into room #31 and it looked very nice and was quite large; bigger than our room. It was a bit like staying in your grandparents home, in which the furniture and wallpaper is the same as when they first married! Nice-sized room, particularly for Europe, and at 205 euros for the terrace room, we thought it well worth it. Comfortable bed, but not huge (bigger than a double, smaller than a queen), with in room safe and mini-frige. The terrace was not fancy, but you could see the top 1/3 of the Eiffel tower, which was lit up at night. Marble bath room with huge clawfoot tub and bidet, but toilet with seat was in a separate room off the entry to the room -nice for privacy. Shower not attached to wall, but hand-held, so we had to get used to showering while sitting down in the tub. Baths in the old fashioned tub were very nice in the evenings after walking all day, as was relaxing on terrace with a nice French cognac. Reasonably priced wine/liquor store around the corner, as well as a supermarket to stock up on water, etc. - Turn right out of the hotel door, then right again on Rue de Bac going toward the Seine. Best part of hotel was desk staff - Michael, Rino, and Olivier. In advance of our visit, via email, these wonderful employees made reservations for our Seine dinner cruise as well as a delightful (but very expensive) lunch at Paris' newest, hottest gourmet restaurant, L'Astrance (hard to find, but the most amazing gourmet experience in Paris -read the online reviews and splurge; it's worth it). They had even called the day before each outing to re-confirm reservations. Excellent staff. Hotel is in St. Germain des Pres, and it is absolutely the best location. Far preferred it to the ritzy Champs de Elysees area - St. Germain des Pres is more like what you'd expect of Parisian life. 3 block walk to metro stop from hotel, but they're small blocks. Other tips: get a metro pass (3 or 5 day), a metro map, and learn the metro; it goes everywhere you want to go. To get on the train that's going the right direction, find the very last stop of the train that takes you to the site you're headed for - that's how your train will be listed on the overhead signs at the actual stations - by the end stops. If you get on one going the wrong way, just get off at the next stop and catch another one. The metro trains connect to the RER trains, which you need if you want to go up to Sacre Couer and the Montmarte area - that's the only place we found local artists selling their work - beautiful oils. Cafes in Montmarte are also excellent, and were the only reasonably priced cafes we found. The renowned Les Deux Magots is at the corner by the metro stop closest to the hotel (St. Germain des Pres stop) - nice to say you've been there, but just have a drink; food only so-so. Onion soup is great everywhere, tho. Site tips: you don't have to get to the Eiffel tower 30 min before it opens, but don't go later than 10:30am or so or the lines get very long. Buy the ticket and climb the stairs to the top of the Arc de Triomphe; it's beautiful. If you're into the churches, take a 2nd camera loaded with 1600 speed film (digitals don't do well in dark churches unless you have a top-of-the-line one) and use that for inside the churches. Notre Dame in particular is very dark inside and the flash is useless for trying to capture the immense nave in all it's beauty. Catholics should not miss the Miraculous Medal Chapel at 140 Rue de Bac - bit of a walk from the hotel (turn left on Rue de Bac off of Rue de Universite), but nice shops along this street - chapel opens at 2:30pm daily and it is quite amazing; breath-taking experience.

Other reviewers have given the essence. It is, except for splendid bathrooms, rather rundown. The other real positive is its location near Musees d'Orsay, Luxembourg and Rodin plus the restaurants, shops and other great attractions of St. Germain. Two blocks to the Pont Royal and the best attractions on the right bank are also within walking distance. You will like hotels Bourgogne et Montana, L'Angleterre, and des Marronniers much better. But the worst is that Universite overbooked us and wouldn't admit it. We had confirmed reservations for two rooms, four people, four nights and they said they had never heard of two of us. They also said that all of the hotels in their area were totally booked even though we were able to find rooms immediately within two blocks at L'Angleterre and Marronniers.