Many thanks for advice on eating places in Paris - your further advice is sought on a Paris hotel for a night.

We are staying a fortnight in Paris, then a fortnight in the country near the Loire, then we have two nights before we depart from Charles de Gaulle airport on 14 July. In particular because it is Bastille Day, I feel we should be staying in Paris to minimise the transfer to the airport hassles and also we would then get the chance to see the parade.

I was thinking of the Hotel du Phare on the basis of a good experience there that I read of on the Travelzine (Megan from Australia). However, I was also tempted by the Hotel Esmerelda. I thought we should use the opportunity for some atmosphere.

The Hotel Esmerelda features in a book called Linnea in Monet's Garden. The book is very lovely and my children have enjoyed it. I was further inspired by a story in the Travellers Tale volume on Family Travel (A Storybook Adventure by Ann Banks) where the author and her daughter based their Paris trip (including their hotel choice) on this book of Linnea's adventure.

The hotel is well reviewed on various web sites - eg charms in spite of its slightly worn state. Rooms are cheap and cheerful or a funky old one-star wonder, located directly across the Seine from Notre Dame and offering wacked-out rooms with incredible views at very low prices.

Have any Travelziners experienced a stay there in recent times?

Regards Anne 34 days to go :-) Canberra, Australia