Originally Posted by
jpdx
Have stayed a bunch of times at the ICs and Indigo, but am now looking at the cheaper HI options. Opera-Grands Boulevards, Gare de Lyon, and Gare de l'Est are under EUR100 for my dates. Which is the best, considering that I value (in this order) modern room of reasonable size (Spire upgrade), and good location for getting around.
It depends on where you like to be. I often stay at Gare de l'Est or Gare de Lyon and both hotels have large rooms and suites IF you manage to get upgraded to those. It depends on how busy they are. Both are convenient to public transport, but they are in rather different neighborhoods. I think the Grands Boulevards has almost entirely tiny rooms, even though I like the neighborhood. Note that there is very little that is modern about these hotels.