When it comes to hotels, Paris appears as rather classy & traditional. 5-star properties, known as Palaces de Paris seem to predominate the hotel landscape with their mostly heavy & classical decor. They are glamorous and represent "l'élégance parisienne". In the movie Sex in the City, Carrie seemed to truly enjoy this style, but it's maybe not everyone's cup of tea. Apart from being comfortable, somewhat affordable and charming, the sort of hotels that I personally enjoy staying at need to have personality & esprit!
If you're looking for some more vibrant breeze and a laid-back atmosphere, then you might like the type and spirit of the following Parisian hotels. Let's move away from Les Champs-Élysées and wonder around the vibrant neon-light neighborhood of Montmartre.
Le Pigalle
It is currently THE trendy neighborhood hotel in the 9ème arrondissement! The location is perfect if you want to discover the artistic area of Montmartre. It's only a 7 minutes walk to the Moulin Rouge, 15 minutes to Sacré-Coeur and the famous square Place du Tertre. In the evening I'd recommend drinks at Café des Deux Moulins where they shot the movie Amélie (only 8 minutes walking from the hotel). Josephine Baker opened her first nightclub in the area in the 1920s followed by many more.
Each of the 40 rooms are tastefully decorated and none of them seem to look alike - they all have this special vintage collection underlining "la touche rétro". I've rarely seen a hotel with as much attention to decorational detail as this place.
Here are some pictures to get you in an instant Le Pigalle mood:
In most of the rooms you'll find those sublime Vinyl record players and other beautiful ornaments reflecting the artistic atmosphere of the area.
The photographies & illustrations on the walls are all different, artful and subtly provocative but always discreet.
The restaurant's atmosphere also attracts locals who come and mingle for lunch & dinner. Le Pigalle offers a delicious seasonal menu and serves "all day long breakfast" until 4pm on Sundays which sounds like heaven to those who share "petit déjeuner" as their favorite dish of the day.
To me Le Pigalle has a charismatic Parisian identity. They call themselve a neighborhood hotel and that's exactly how it feels like!
Le Marais in the 3rd arrondissement is another of my favorite areas in Paris between the modern & contemporary art museum Centre Pompidou, la Place des Vosges, one of the oldest and most beautiful squares in Paris and Place de la Bastille. The neigborhood is not only well known for its rich historical part but also for all the charming streets, beautiful boutiques, art galleries and the special atmosphere. Since its opening in 2009 the concept store MERCI has probably become one of the most popular attractions in the northern part of Le Marais. You should stop by and have a coffee in their "Used Book Café", it's really charming. When it comes to food I recommend walking around Rue des Rosiers where you can enjoy delicious Jewish cuisine until Rue Vieille du Temple where you'll cross many great French restaurants & bars. In this picturesque Parisian arrondissement you'll find another favorite of mine, Les Bains.
Les Bains
This is probably the most iconic hotel I have seen so far. Located in the mystical scene of Le Marais, the former private bathhouse and legendary Parisian nightclub Les Bains Douches was transformed into a stunning hotel by the French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Marois. The Haussmannian building has kept a special aura & charm that you immediatly feel when entering the lobby. The old tiles and vintage ornaments reflect the era of La Belle Époque and at the same time you feel the rock-and-roll vibes of the past days when Mick Jagger and David Bowie shaped the nightclub scene.
In all of the 39 rooms you'll feel the mélange of contemporary design and bohemian elegance. I really liked details such as the vintage phones on the bedside tables, the velvet retro sofas, the Gainsbourienne carpets and the selected care products from Le Labo in the white marble bathrooms. Les Bains' hotel rooms are really comfortable and have esprit!
The iconic bar and the restaurant La Salle-à-Manger are true eye-catchers with their impressive ceiling domes and rotundas. The colors are very warm and the velvet tapestry style on the restaurant's wall is a real piece of art. You'll find French finesse in each of the seasonal dishes that they serve at La Salle-à-Manger and the drinks at the bar are definitely worth a visit.
Les Bains deserves its reputation as beeing amongst the most legendary & outstanding places the Parisian hotel scene has currently to offer!
Should you now be in the mood to start planning a trip to Paris, make sure to choose the right neigborhood and accomodation to make the most out of your stay.
Bon voyage!
