Parisian hotels are notoriously tiny, but good design can certainly distract you from that. Boutique hotels across the city have done a particularly good job drawing travelers away from those tacky gold-gilded rooms and into accommodation that is effortlessly chic. Here, we highlight 5 Parisian boutique hotels that do just that: from evocative 19th century expeditions to rustic French getaways and modern, sexy retreats.
Hotel Monte Cristo Paris
For those who crave elegance and history, look no further than Hotel Monte Cristo, a unique boutique hotel that was directly inspired by the adventures of Monte Cristo in Alexandre Dumas’ famous novel.
Location: This 4-star hotel is located on a quiet street in the 5th arrondissement, a short walk to the city’s famous botanic garden, Jardin des Plantes and the Museum of Natural History.
Interior: Wall murals, patterned wallpapers, and antique tables are juxtaposed with Japanese-revival hanging lamps with clean lines and velvet furniture in contemporary shapes.
Cost per night: Starting €163/$180
Things you should know: If you manage to pull yourself out of your cozy room, we suggest heading to Rum Bar (the in-house bar that serves cocktails composed exclusively of quality rum) or taking a dip the hotel’s steamy palm-fringed pool. The Hotel Monte Cristo is perfectly pet-friendly, too.
Hotel Grand Powers
An institution for well-appointed travelers since the 20’s, the Hotel Grand Powers reopened its doors with a total redesign in January 2019, nearly a century after it first opened. Thankfully, they’ve kept many of the hotel’s historic features, but they are now contrasted with modern furnishings that walk the line between classic and cutting edge.
Location: Located in Paris’ Golden Triangle in the 8th arrondissement, this 5-star boutique hotel is truly at the center of it all: just one block south of the Champs Elysees and minutes from the Lido de Paris.
Interior: The headboards fold out like a tryptic and are adorned in rich colors like slate blue and blushing burgundy. Bespoke, geometric side tables, asymmetrical-colored rugs, and curvy sitting chairs infuse the rooms with a contemporary flair. High ceilings and windows flood the space with endless light. There are also brassy finishes, floor-to-ceiling drapes, and decorative ceiling moldings that fill you with pride.
Cost per night: Starting €418/$471
Things you should know: One third of the Hotel Grand Powers’ 50 rooms face the Eiffel tower, so keep that in mind while booking if you’re willing to splash out a little extra cash for a room with the view.
Grand Pigalle
Welcome to the Grand Pigalle, a chic, 37-room boutique hotel where you’re welcomed by staff at a gilded front desk and then handed a leather-fringed skeleton key to get in your room, just like the old days.
Location: A brand new addition to the notoriously colorful So-Pi neighborhood in Paris’ 9th-arrondissement, the Grand Pigalle is at home amongst a recent infusion of cocktail bars and gastro pubs, which draw spirited adventurers to see a different side of Paris.
Interior: Each room is decked out with sexy and plush headboards, impossibly-white sheets and an old-school telephone that will remind you of the days when you’d curl the cord around your fingers and chat for hours on end (does that make me sound old?). Be sure to ask for a room with a balcony facing the street: you’ll have an amazing view of the sunrise of Montmartre.
Cost per night: Starting €138/$155.58
Things you should know: The team behind the Grand Pigalle is responsible for some of the best mixology in Paris (the hotel was originally imagined as a “bed and beverage”), so don’t forget to visit the Hotel’s restaurant and bar for an impeccable meal and one-of-a-kind cocktail.
Hôtel National Des Arts et Métiers
Named after the famous engineering school nearby, the Hotel National des Arts & Métiers, combines industrial elements alongside elegant French design inside two renovated Haussmann buildings.
Location: Overlooking the Marias in the 3rd arrondissement, the Hotel National des Arts & Métiers is a short walk from the Seine, Pompidou Centre, and Place de la République.
Interior: The Hotel National des Arts & Métiers is stunningly modern and feels Scandinavian-slick, with the warmth of velvet furniture and honeycomb-colored oak herringbone floors. Every detail has been carefully considered in these rooms — from the amorphous hanging mirrors to the walls behind the headboards which evoke the cool feeling of concrete. And have you seen those common spaces? We can’t get enough of the minimalistic industrial black structures that sit in a lush jungle of green plants.
Cost per night: Starting €176/$198.57
Things you should know: Two words: rooftop deck. The rooftop of the Hotel National des Arts & Métiers has a breathtaking 360-degree view of the city.
Hotel des Grands Boulevards
It’s easy to see why the Hotel des Grands Boulevards has become Insta-famous since it opened its doors in 2018. This chic, 50-room boutique hotel is home to a secret garden, glass-enclosed cocktail bar, and uses only locally sourced, organic and fair-trade cleaning supplies, products, and ingredients.
Location: Located in the historic (and central) 2nd, the Hotel des Grands Boulevards is a quick stroll from the Louvre, the Seine and the Tuileries Gardens.
Interior: The Hotel des Grands Boulevards’ design heavily relies on its revolution-era 18th century building, but has been infused with delicate modern touches and rustic charm. Each room features one of these romantic, plush headboards flanked by canopy drapes. Who wouldn’t want to wake up feeling like Parisian royalty, right? The rest of the room is decidedly down-to-earth. Featuring simple, bench-like side tables and veined-marble accents, the design is rich and punchy with jewel-toned color, yet makes you feel like you’ve been whisked to the French countryside.
Cost per night: Starting €157.80/$177.98
Things you should know: The building was erected shortly before the French Revolution and built on the foundation of an old garden, which is now a secret garden only reached by private passageway. And if you’re digging that garden countryside vibe, the hotel’s glass-enclosed restaurant features a French-Italian fusion menu with ingredients that are locally and ethically sourced.