On the outskirts of touristy Paris in the 14th Arrondissement, the three-pearl Hotel du Parc offers attractive, modern accommodations at affordable rates. It's situated on a quiet street in the local neighborhood of Montparnasse, and it's close to excellent public transportation. The property's 36 units are clean and polished, with flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi, but no minibars or coffee and tea provisions. Most bathrooms, however, are drab and in need of updating. The hotel has a breakfast room with lively decor and pretty views of the park across the street, although "petit dejeuner" isn't included. As an alternative, the nearby Hotel des Bains is a budget property with a slightly lower rate that has charming traditional furnishings and units with sleeker bathrooms. 

The two-pearl Hotel Helvetia is a simple budget property without pretense or any attempt to offer much beyond its functional rooms with desks, showers, small flat-screen TVs. Spaces are comfortable and generally well-kept, but bathrooms, while tidy, have stall showers with stained grout. The hotel is close to cafes, bars, and restaurants around the Place de la Bastille, and it's also just a block away from the massive Gare de Lyon train station, making it a convenient spot for travelers planning day trips. There's a breakfast room and free Wi-Fi througout, but no other on-site facilities. Compare with the Hôtel du Prince Eugene, a boutique with similar rates and amenities, but much more style.  

The two-and-a-half-pearl Welcome Hotel offers considerable charm and affordably priced rooms in the heart of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood. The property is surrounded by cafes, restaurants, and boutiques, and top attractions are within a short walk or metro ride. Features are minimal, but include a well-reviewed continental breakfast (for a fee) with warm-weather sidewalk dining available, and free Wi-Fi throughout. The 29 well-maintained guest rooms are colorful, and while they lack electric kettles and mini-fridges, all have AC, desks, flat-screen TVs, safes, and free Wi-Fi. Some rooms are a bit snug. The nearby Hotel Saint Germain des Pres is another affordably priced hotel in the area, and it offers mini-fridges and electric kettles in its guest rooms.  

The upper-middle-range First Hotel, a boutique property in Paris' largely residential 15th Arrondissement, is about a 20-minute walk south of the Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars. Its 43 rooms, stocked with minibars and flat-screen TVs, have a starkly chic black-and-white decor, but they're on the small side. Some rooms face the metro, but they're quiet. Rooms with Eiffel Tower views come with a surcharge -- other add-ons include macarons and Champagne on arrival or French Gastronomic Boxes. The hotel has a small lounge -- all black and white like the rooms -- and a sleek restaurant with two outdoor tables that's open weekdays. Another chic, upscale option could be La Maison Favart, a boutique in the 2nd Arrondissement.

The 44-room Hotel Pulitzer is a chic and sophisticated -- but still cozy -- boutique hotel, conveniently located in Paris’s 9th arrondissement, within walking distance of the Grands Boulevards and other popular tourist attractions. Rooms are small but clean and beautifully designed with a 1950s industrial-chic vibe, and the bathrooms are dark and stylish. Unlike many Paris hotels, the Pulitzer provides spacious and inviting common areas for socializing or working, and even offers a daily happy hour with free wine. A cooked breakfast is available in rooms or common areas, but there's no restaurant for lunch and dinner. 

The newest hotel on Atlantic City's boardwalk, Revel is a pristine luxury property with a smoke-free policy that helps keep its casino fresh and airy. The spacious rooms are top-notch: All feature ocean views from floor-to-ceiling windows, sexy bathrooms with double vanities and large showers, and tech-friendly amenities such as massive flat-screen TVs, remote-controlled lights and shades, free Wi-Fi, and even door sensors that let staff know when room service carts have been pushed into the hallway. The resort has everything that other luxury properties in Atlantic City offer, such as numerous celebrity chef-helmed restaurants, several nightclubs, a theater, a pool, and a beautiful spa, but Revel offers a more serene vibe. Like at other resorts, however, the restaurants are overpriced and there are long lines at the nightclubs, but fist-pumping locals and visiting bachelor and bachelorette parties would argue that it's worth the wait.

Villa Novarina is a three-and-a-half-pearl, 24-room boutique property in a quiet residential location -- the vast Parc de l'Orangerie is just around the corner. The hotel is a bit far from Strasbourg's main attractions, but a bus and tram stop are both within a five-minute walk. Design is a big deal here, and interiors have a bright, modernist style, with several vintage pieces of furniture. Rooms embody the same aesthetic, and include minibars, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs -- some are a bit spartan. The hotel also features an outdoor pool, spa, breakfast buffet (for a fee), and cocktail bar. Travelers seeking to be closer to sights and shopping might want to consider the similarly stylish Hotel D, but it lacks a pool and full-service restaurant.