Though the Montebello is not listed on this site, it was reccomended my Let's Go Paris guide. We booked for four nights in April, using the email address in the book. Response was quick, and we were able to get a double room with a shower and toilet (not all rooms have both, and some may not have either, leaving you to use the WC on the stair landing) for 50 Euros a night.

The location is good, as it's two blocks from the Vaneau stop in the 7th arrondissment, though I might have hoped for a more exciting neighborhood (though the close proximity to Au Bon Marche will surely delight some). There are some grocery stores nearby (though they close very early), as well as quiet restaurants and a bakery.

The room we were given was room 6, on the third (or, in Europe, second) floor. When we walked in, we were somewhat put off by the faded comforter, stained carpet, and beat-up furniture. Nothing matched. We've stayed in European budget hotels before, and expected things like a small room and a climb-up-into-it shower, but the general shabbiness of the room was a disappointment. Not wanting to spend any of our four days searching for a new hotel, we stayed.

The first night, we were exhausted, having been on a plane all night, before wearing ourselves out touring the city. Despite this, we were unable to get a good night's sleep on the mattress, which felt remarkably like a sack of bones. We were swiched to room nine the next day, with a hard but fairly bone-free mattress that served us well, after a stop at the bar du vin down the street.

One other issue was the key. You only get one, and it's needed to lock the door from either side. In other words, if one occupant wants to leave, the other must either remain in an unlocked room, or consent to being locked in. This may not be a problem if the remaining guest plans to keep the key and let the other in, but the front door is also locked at night.

All in all, I'll choose some other hotel on my next trip, but this one is okay in a pinch.

Pros: Clean, cheap, quiet street, friendly English-speaking owners, recently renovated bathrooms, email reservations

Cons: Shabby, lumpy mattresses, dull area, no TV or hair dryer, no elevator, hall noise, no website