Little wonders: Paris’s loveliest small hotels, as recommended by FT readers

Original FT Article

FT readers JULY 12 2021

This article is part of a guide to Paris from FT Globetrotter

Whether you’re visiting Paris for business or for pleasure, there’s a hotel to suit your style, interests and itinerary. From cool boutique hideaways to the ultra-luxe grandes dames, travellers here are spoiled for choice.

But in a city set up to accommodate more than 30m tourists per year — with more than 2,000 hotels to choose from — narrowing down the list of options can be overwhelming. So we asked FT readers to share their favourite small but perfectly formed hotels in the French capital. Here are a few.

The full Conti

H ôtel Prince de Conti, a small hotel in the Latin Quarter close to the Seine, is within

walking distance of the Louvre, Notre-Dame and other nearby sights. The rooms are distinct: each one is different, and there’s also a lovely interior courtyard. With very helpful staff, the hotel is quirky in the good sense. It offers a morning breakfast and a light selection of food in the evening. Several nearby Metro stations enable easy transport around the city.

— Jaime Cummins, technology, Seattle, US

Jewel in the town

Montalembert Hotel: exquisite service, small, jewel-box rooms. The restaurant is tiny

with only about eight tables, which makes it almost seem as if it is your own private dining area. The location is ideal if you want to be able to walk to the Seine or visit the Louvre, and the hotel is surrounded by many antique shops.

— Charles Bonas, commodities, London, UK

A welcome site

© Christophe Bielsa

I recommend Maison Bréguet in the 11th arrondissement. The lovely rooms have a

clean but warm design, and some have step-out balconies with views over les toits parisiens. The excellent location is just off the Bastille, within walking distance of the Canal Saint-Martin, Quartier Latin and all in between. It also has a bijou pool and spa. Very Parisian, and welcoming to international travellers: the attentive and friendly staff went to great lengths to help me recover my iPhone after I left it in an Uber.

• Andreas Kyriakos, management consulting, London, UK

A kind of magic

I have stayed at H ôtel de l’Abbaye in Saint-Germain-des-Prés several times and never tire of returning. What I love about it are its tastefully decorated rooms and friendly service, which extends to solving any challenge to your visit — you are a guest, not a room occupant.

Breakfast in the conservatory overlooking a small walled garden and fountain is perhaps the best part of the hotel. The breakfast is of very-good-French-pastry quality, but the relaxing magic of that little garden and fountain sets you up in good spirits for the rest of the day.

• Charles Cronin, CFA, Dingli, Malta

Palace peer

My favourite hotel in Paris is L a Réserve, near the Elysée Palace and the Grand Palais. It’s the smallest “ Palace” hotel in the French capital, with just 40 rooms and suites, though the rooms are large and exquisitely decorated. It also has a nice lounge and bar, and a real library with hundreds of books. It’s a civilised and elegant place with impeccable service. The two-Michelin-starred Le Gabriel restaurant is a must. The hotel is close to the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, with its many fantastic art galleries and fashion boutiques.

• Jean-Pierre Merlet, creative consultant, Paris, France

All points Nord

I recommend the Hôtel du Pré in the 9th arrondissement — and the two other hotels

along the same quiet street (Rue Pierre Semard) that are owned by the same people. If the Hotel is full, they may be able to get you into the Relais du Pré or the Résidence du Pré. They’re all near the Gare du Nord.

• Ian Malkin, classical-music agent, Paris, France
  

Home from home

Hôtel Pas de Calais is a small, family-run hotel that feels like a home away from home.

The team is superb on every level.

• Natasha Sesum Brandler, student, London, UK

In 7th heaven

The Duc de Saint-Simon in the 7th arrondissement is a small and quaint hotel with a great location. It’s quiet, the decor is tasteful and the staff are friendly — it’s a perfect base for exploring Paris.

• Stuart Milne, banker, Malaysia

Alfred the Great

© David Duchon-Doris

Hôtel Alfred Sommier in the 8th arrondissement is a beautiful mansion built by the

Sommier family, famous 19th-century industrialists who also acquired the magnificent

Vaux-le-Vicomte castle, near Paris. The hotel is right in the centre of Paris and features a mix of historic and modern decoration, as well as a private garden. The site and the service make you feel like a privileged guest. It has no equal.

• Richard de Rosanbo, business, Paris, France

Where are your favourite places to stay in the F rench capital? Tell us in the comments

For more stories like this, visit ft.com/globetrotter, or follow FT Globetrotter on Instagram at @FTGlobetrotter

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2021. All rights reserved.