Luxury comes at a price, and nowhere is the old chestnut more true than in the rarified world of Paris boutique hotels. But between the weak euro and the strong dollar, the city‘s most delightful indulgences have suddenly become a lot more affordable. There hasn’t been a better time to visit the French capital in decades. Go now.
Hôtel Providence.
Black walls, subway-tiled bathrooms, velvet counterpanes, and vintage furniture set the tone. Housed in an 1854 townhouse, the interiors at this intimate hotel in the Tenth district are a design maven’s fantasy. Amenities in each of the hotel’s eighteen guest rooms include an i-Pad and a marble cocktail bar. The location is fashionable, too, ideally placed to the hip restaurants and superior boulangeries and bobo cafés of the Canal St. Martin. hotelprovidenceparis.com
Hôtel and Spa la Belle Juliette.
Only in Paris will you find a hotel that pays homage to an eighteenth century literary muse. Juliette Récamier was a pal of Chateaubriand and Madame de Staël, and the room interiors are a tribute to their friendship. Along with period furniture, leather-bound editions of the works of the authors who Récamier inspired, and bergère chairs, you’ll find all the mod cons of a top-drawer boutique hotel (personal i-Pads, an in-house spa, and more). Located on the ultra-fashionable rue du Cherche-Midi, the hotel is the perfect staging ground for the shops and cafes of St. Germain des Près. hotel-belle-juliette-paris.com
Hôtel des Académies et des Arts.
Located in the Sixth district, this quirky hotel takes its inspiration from the quartier’s art scene in the 1920’s. More, it is located in a building that is perfectly qualified to do so since Modigliani’s former studio is on the top floor! Expect loads of character, vintage furniture, modern sculpture, and art books. hoteldesacademies.com
Hôtel Relais Saint-Sulpice.
Tucked away on a narrow street behind the Church of Saint-Sulpice, this 26-room hotel retains the feel of a posh eighteenth-century private home. The interiors are wonderfully appointed with Art Nouveau and Empire-era furniture and curios throughout. relais-saint-sulpice.com
Hôtel Jules et Jim.
Named after the Truffaut masterpiece, a film theme runs through this delightful hotel in the northern Marais. (If you’re lucky, you can catch a flick in the improvised basement screening room.) There’s a cozy courtyard with a crackling fire in cold weather and a cocktail bar in a converted silversmith’s workshop. Rooms are austere yet lovely, and it’s clear that each design element was chosen with care. hoteljulesetjim.com
Le Nolinski.
Architecture fans will want to check out Le Nolinksi whose owners commissioned Jean-Louis Deniot (the architect behind the Chanel spa at the Ritz) to transform the Hausmannian office building into a glitzy pleasure palace. Also on the premises: a spa, a chic bistro, and an indoor swimming pool. Best of all, the Louvre and the Opera Garniér are just steps away. nolinskiparis.com
