Before this visit to Paris I had previously stayed in budget hotels in Central London and I knew that convenience in major cities either comes at a hefty price or at the expense of luxury and quality, especially for NYE. So when I saw that the Carladez Cambronne was significantly cheaper than any London offerings, I feared the worst. But was I mistaken!

The hotel is situated in a non-touristy road in the predominantly residential Vaugirard neighbourhood in the 15th Arr. Upon arriving, we were pleased to confirm what we had discovered on Google Street View: every amenity you might need during your stay is just a stone's throw away, either a few doors away or just across the road. There's a bakery; butcher shops; greengrocers; Asian and other eateries; fish shops; a handful of pharmacies; two pubs; a very well-stocked book shop (pity the books are mostly in French!); a laundry. All this within a 15-meter radius from the hotel. Walk further up the road or round the corner, and you'll find even more. Besides, watching the Parisians get on with their morning shopping activities added a touch of authenticity to our holiday like no other.

The hotel itself is rather small with the corridors quite cramped, but the size of the rooms is acceptable (otherwise just rent an apartment if you're looking for space). The bathrooms are actually quite nice and always immaculately clean. So much so that there was nothing really to fault with the room, except maybe for the uncomfortable pillows. This might bug some people with back/neck pains, but to be fair, I did not bother reporting this to front desk. After all, I reckon that if you are going to play The Princess and the Pea in a 3-star hotel, you might as well carry your own pillow when travelling, or book a room at the Hilton next time round.

Staff are courteous, available round the clock, and always happy to help.

The walk from the closest métro station – Vaugirard on line 12, direction Mairie d'Issy typically – is a short and pleasant one, even at 2am on NYE. If anything, you'll come across some more eateries serving Lebanese, Indian, and Greek cuisines. The neighbourhood is extremely safe at all times of day and it's no wonder – there's a police department a couple hundred meters up the road from the hotel!

This is a hotel you should seriously consider. I know I'll be staying here on successive trips to Paris. I guess some things are too good to be true, but then you'll find a gem which truly is too good.