Those who travel to Paris theses days are spoiled for choice when it comes to accommodations. Thanks to a flurry of new boutique hotels, apartment rentals and a much anticipated luxury hotel unveiling, there has never been a wider variety of options in the city and great choices exist in every quartier. Each stay described here is unique and appeals to a different type of traveler. Here’s how to decide which one is right for you.
If you are an old soul
This is a traveler who appreciates history and classic elegance. They want the traditional amenities of a grand dame hotel. They might venture out to see museums and other sites but they will also want to spend quite a bit of time at the property and indulge in spa treatments, afternoon tea and dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.
Why The Ritz Paris?
The famed Place Vendôme hotel reopened in June 2016 following a more than three-year closure and a fire that pushed back the opening. It has retained its classic French look and feel (80% of the original furniture was restored) while still adding the amenities and technology that guests expect from today’s best luxury hotels. Bedside panels allow guests to control temperature, lights and service and have been discreetly added to the guest rooms. The Bar Hemingway, the Imperial Suite, a historic monument, and the Salon Proust have been immaculately restored, but there is plenty of new to compliment the old including the first ever Chanel Spa and a courtyard restaurant with a retractable roof.
If you are adventurous
This is the type of traveler who wants to feel like a local when they travel. In Paris, they will want to shop the markets and visit the wine shops so they will probably choose to stay in an apartment over a hotel. They might also be open to the idea of using silent vibrating underwear when out with their partner. They will also want to immerse themselves in interesting experiences like taking a cooking class or going to a concert.
Why 25 Place Dauphine?
One of Paris’s oldest and smallest hotels the Henri IV, opened by order of King Henry IV in 1610, has been turned into six apartments by Paris Perfect. Two apartments are penthouses with large balconies overlooking Place Dauphine and a cellar with original limestone arches has been transformed into a communal living area for guests with space for cooking classes and wine tastings. The fact that it’s located on Place Dauphine on the Île de La Cité means travelers will be able to walk virtually anywhere they want to go—the flower market, Notre Dame, butcher and cheese shops on Île Saint Louis as well as the Louvre and the Tuileries.
If you are a trendsetter
For this type of traveler, massive amounts of amenities come second to great style and a cool scene. A good restaurant and bar is paramount and they also want keen design and a great location. While they’ll spend some time at the hotel they’ll spend the majority of time out and about exploring the latest and greatest.
Why Hotel Panache?
This hotel near the Palais Garnier has a small plates restaurant on the ground floor from David Lanher, the restaurateur behind many of Paris’s most of-the-moment restaurants including Racine, Café Stern and Vivant. The hotel was designed by Dorothee Meilichzon, a Maison et Objet Designer of the Year, and her inspiration is Art Nouveau as well as the unique triangle footprint of the hotel. Rooms at Hotel Panache are very affordable and start at around $150 a night.
If you are a go-getter
Type A travelers like getting things done and they want a well-organized, sunny hotel with a good location, and great amenities like a gym and a nice breakfast but without all the bells and whistles.
Why Le Saint Hotel Paris?
This hotel in Saint-Germain-des-Prés opened in January 2016 and has a state-of-the-art fitness room with a vaulted stone ceiling and the reception team is able to recommend 5km, 10km or 15 km runs from the hotel that take guests past the city’s most beautiful monuments. Located on a quiet street, the hotel is meant to evoke the feeling of a French bourgeois home so the style is timeless, not trendy. The hotel also has a spa with a hammam.
If you are indie-minded
These days hipster is a bit of a cliché, but the indie-minded traveler does want to feel like they’re supporting local, independent businesses and they want to stay at a hotel that feels completely void of cookie cutter hotel characteristics and mass production.
Why Le Pigalle Paris?
The hotel’s eclectic style evokes the feel of a home more than a hotel and everyone involved in the project is one big neighborhood family. The croissants are supplied by the nearby bakery, the books selected by the local bookstore and the music chosen by a DJ who was born and bred in Pigalle. There’s no check-in desk in the lobby, but there is a DJ booth and an island with a coffee bar. The lobby lounge really does feel like Pigalle’s living room open to all. Guest rooms are decorated with souvenirs, records, books and second-hand furniture.
If you are an escapist
An escapist wants a dreamy retreat where they can read a good book, order room service and just escape a bit from reality. They may venture out, but they will also want to take full advantage of their room and what the hotel has to offer. These travelers also appreciate the finer things and have an affinity for the past.
The House of Hackney velvet wallpaper, claw foot bathtubs and custom black lacquered cocktail bars in each room make this discreet hotel in the 10th arrondissement a sexy choice and the type of room you could easily spend a lot of time in. The Providence’s buzzy bar, excellent wood-fired grill restaurant and rooftop terrace mean there’s plenty to do on property or if guests do go out they can easily explore the trendy boutiques of the Haute Marais and Canal Saint Martin. Food and alcohol connoisseurs will appreciate the dessert trolley from Pâtisserie des Rêves, room service menu featuring a lobster sandwich on brioche and the copper shaker and cocktail recipes in each room that allow them to explore their inner mixologist.
If you are artsy
Creative types prize art and design above all and will look for an aesthetically appealing and uncluttered accommodation. They also appreciate the avant garde and something a little rebellious.
Why Hotel Le Montana?
Serge Gainsbourg would likely approve of the Left Bank hotel Le Montana. The famed ground floor nightclub remains, but what was once a crummy hotel has been turned into a small luxury property designed by Vincent Darré, a former artistic director at Moschino and Ungaro. The hotel only has six suites and each one has a different surrealist motif. The Bleu Acide suite is a nod to Georges Braque and Picasso with hand-painted Picasso-inspired panels on the walls and moody blue furnishings. A caviar bar on the first floor completes the quirky luxury vibe.
Other hotels I recommend in Paris are the Generator Hostel, Grand Pigalle and Le Roch Hotel & Spa.
Do you have a favorite hotel in Paris? Please let me know in the comments below.