Cambrai Hotel

If your requirements are the basic need for a bed, toilet, and bath and you’re on a budget, this place is for you. 1.5 stars
Highlights:
— Price: under $ 100 a night
— Proximity to train station: a few minutes walk
— Firm bed and good weighted comforter
— Staff: friendly
— Rooms were clean
— Wifi: free in lobby and partial in room
Lowlights:
— General accommodations: old and bit sketchy
— Not the best Parisian neighborhood. Reminds me of the tenderloin area of Market Street in SF
— Décor: bright neon green walls and old tv
— Toilet: seat was not attached
— Shower: tub with a spout which was hard for a normal sized person to stand in
— Tile: cracked and loose in bathroom
— Room size: hardly had room for 2 hand carry luggages and need to squish by the other person
— Elevator: small and didn’t seem too reliable as it started
— No real lobby: front desk with cheesy Eiffel Tower wallpaper and a few chairs and coffee vending machine
— Wifi: free is limited to web surfing, need to renew every hour, and slow.
— Key card turn in: need to leave it at the front desk every time you go out
Not quite what we were looking for to start our weekend in France so we’d book elsewhere next time.

When my wife and I went to France in August of 2014 for our delayed honeymoon, we did two days on the front and two days on the back end in Paris. Cambrai served as our lodging for our final three days in Paris, and we had a decidedly good experience. Categorically:
Location: 4 out of 5
You really can’t beat the location of this hotel. It’s within a literal stone’s throw away from Gare du Nord, so if you need to get to/​from the airport via the RER B or just go out and about on the RER, Metro, or bus system, this is a perfect spot. There’s a Monoprix kitty corner from the hotel if you need quick lunch items or bottled water (1.5 liters of their «generic» water is only .29 euro). If you walk about 5 minutes in any direction, you’ll find a plethora of quick dining options such as cafes and brasseries. As I mentioned though — you CAN get lunch items from the Monoprix. I would mention that as Suzanne noted, the windows that face Blvd de Magenta are notorious for street noise. If you’re used to city street noise, e.g., people talking, ambulances, general hubbub, it won’t bother you a bit. Having spent all of my adult life in the hustle and bustle of Chicago and Milwaukee, I found the street noise to be a minor distraction, but was still able to get a good night’s rest with the windows open.
Customer Service: 4 out of 5
Towards the end of our trip, all the years of French I took in middle school, high school, and college came back to me, so I was able to converse quickly and efficiently with the staff in French. However, there were still a few moments when I couldn’t think of certain words, and I’d have to revert to English. Stereotypes aside, we found that the staff here were extremely gracious, helpful, and friendly towards us.
Amenities: 2.5 out of 5
No frills hotel. There’s free wifi in the lobby at all times, and you get a 20 minute voucher if you want to use the wifi in your room. The linens, toiletries, furniture, and bed are what you’d find either at a Motel 6 or Red Roof Inn. Nothing fantastic, bed slightly soft, but hey — if you’re young and traveling on a budget, you really can’t complain. As a plus, they do have free and secure luggage storage if you arrive early or are leaving late. There’s a breakfast buffet available with advance notice, but honestly — either go to the convenience store or a small café (make sure to eat at the bar to get the «comptoir», literally «counter» prices) and you’ll likely be better off. I don’t know if you can request fans, but because this hotel didn’t seem to have AC in the rooms, those that are not used to high’ish temperatures or those that are not in the best shape may struggle a bit to be comfortable, particularly if s/​he refuses to open the windows due to the street noise.
Value: 4 out of 5
Everything in Paris is expensive, so it’s sort of unreasonable to say, «I paid 75 $ a night for a double room, I should have a huge room with a jacuzzi, etc. if this were in Sioux Falls, SD.» I found 75 $/​night in the middle of August to be quite reasonable, considering the ease of access to Gare du Nord.
Overall: 4 out of 5. Would return and book here the next time I’m back in Paris.

My French is not up to the task of reviewing this hotel, but: it’s cheap, clean, pretty, conveniently located, and a lot friendlier than it was under the former owners in the early 1990s. The rooms over Blvd. de Magenta can be noisy in the summer because of ambulances headed to the hospital nearby, but that’s the only drawback. It seems to have been gently remodelled in a way that preserves its retro lobby. Very easy access to the Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est, and a nice walk to the Rive Gauche along what starts as the Rue du Faubourg Poissoniere and then becomes the Rue Montorgueil. Also close to Montmartre, Tati, the Arab quarter and other cool places in northern Paris.