Paris Boutique Hotels, I need suggestions for a stay on the left bank.?

Question

I am going to Paris in July with my girlfriend and would like to stay in a boutique hotel, three or four stars on the left bank. I don’t want to spend more than €300 per night if possible. Anyone has experiences with small designer or contemporary trendy hotels in that area? Please share.

If you could also advise on a romantic restaurant, even if romantic might be suggestive somewhere you felt like you could have popped “The Question”:-)), maybe along the river or on the river? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

First of all, congratulations!!!

Does it have to be on the Left Bank? Near Place Vendome, in the poshest part of Paris, there is Hotel Costes, famous modern trendy lounge/club hotel.

The following will be what you are looking for on the left bank: Hotel Bel Ami, The Five Hotel, Hotel Montalembert, Hotel Le Bellechasse. These are all designer/trendy hotels... and all have websites.

Bigger hotels (palaces), not as modern or trendy, but among the world's most prestigious are George V (a Four Seasons hotel), the Plaza Athénée, the Ritz, the Royal Monceau, the Raphael, the Crillon.

The national French system actually goes from 0 stars to 4 stars, with a special category for "palaces" (4 stars luxury). The latter are also lobbying the government to add a 5 star category.

To "pop the question", as mentioned, the Jules Verne is famous: its new chef is Alain Ducasse, arguably the best chef in the world. I believe you now have to book around 2 months in advance. It is of course very expensive, and I wouldn't have recommended it a few months ago, as people paid for the view above all. But that has changed since Ducasse took over. There is also a smaller/cheaper restaurant on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower... check the tower's website.

You can also have dinner on the river, aboard a Bateau-Mouche. The food isn't as good, tbu the view can't be beaten. Another top restaurant with a view is La Tour d'Argent, very expensive, fairly good, with a killer view as well. Otherwise, the restaurant at the Ritz is a wow, is without a view, but is very chic.

For shows, the Lido, on the Champs-Elysées, is very touristic but is lots of fun. I believe you can even have a bateau-mouche/lido combo at some places.

Answer 2

Hi Regis

Paris is a great choice and I am sure you will love St Germain des Pres - Latin Quarter area. Staying at a contemporary boutique hotel will definitively enhance your Paris experience.

Bel Ami, Le Five and Le Bellechasse hotel mentioned here will all respond to your expectations in terms of style and price. On the other hand Montalembert hotel, even though it is a fantastic place, will exceed your price limit.

Bel Ami hotel has a relaxing ambience with earth and sky tones. I am sure your girlfriend will love Le Bellechasse hotel. It is designed by fashion designer Christian Lacroix, each room has a unique theme and is very colorful. The Five hotel is more on the modern art design style. It has the lowest rates of all mentioned here.

I will add to this list Le Walt hotel. It is a colorful contemporary boutique hotel with a romantic artistic touch and a dominant purple tone.

Whichever you choose make sure you have a look at the photos on the hotels official websites to see if the style suits your taste.

Once you have made your choice, you need to compare rates a little. What you can do is go to the search engines and run a search for “Paris boutique hotels”. You will find a number of booking websites specialized in this market segment. Compare their offers with what you can get if you book direct with the hotel. Don’t forget to check the hotel special offers, they can cut the bill significantly.

If you want to have a look at other places, this resource site has a comprehensive list of Paris boutique hotels sorted by area. It also indicates the official website for each hotel as well as a link for each to the Tripadvisor customer reviews, a time saver:

http://paris-boutique-hotels.blogspot.co...

Answer 3

The Hotel Left Bank St. Germain is what you are looking for. A lovely little 3 star (by the way, the French hotel star rating system only goes to three) http://www.paris-paris.com/hotel_left-ba...

Right next door is the Cafe Procope which is the oldest restaurant in Paris. It has been serving food in the same location since 1686. http://www.procope.com/

Le coupe chou is also a very cozy place. http://www.lecoupechou.com/index.php?PHP...

P.S. I am sure that at least one person will suggest the Jules Verne in the Eiffel Tower. For the record, let me say I hate it but here is the website: http://www.lejulesverne-paris.com/