We stayed here for one night at New Year. The hotel itself was clean, comfortable and welcoming, our room was suprisingly big for a Paris hotel. The staff were all friendly and helpful - they helped find us a table at a local restaurant at short notice on NYE. The location of the hotel is near perfect - in a quiet street but only a few hundred yards from 2 metro stops that get you to almost any of the major tourist sights. I will stay here next time I come to Paris.

We first stayed here on a long winter weekend trip out of New York in 1996. We had previously stayed at 7 or 8 hotels, mostly on the Left Bank and spent a month in an apartment on Rue de Grenelle. Since that first stay, it would be painful to stay anywhere else. We have been back at least half a dozen times. There are certainly more luxurious places, more "economical" ones, more "in" places.

The public areas in the hotel are inviting, intimate and endearing. Wish we could take the lower level arched ceiling breakfast room home with us! The rooms are of reasonable size, considering it is an old building and this is Paris. All 20 rooms have unique items in them. The beds are comfortable, the bathrooms bright and clean with a little pampering from the toiletry selections. There is a very nice continental breakfast with superb quality freshly squeezed orange juice, various breads and jams, etc. and very good coffee (tea for those so inclined). Don't expect an American buffet. It is certainly quite adequate and makes room for the more serious meals of the day.

What really makes the hotel, though are the people. Francois is the consummate hotelier/manager. When he is on the desk, his Bon Jour lights the place up like a Christmas tree. His suggestions on restaurants, art exhibits and the like are always spot on. Full disclosure, after many stays we consider him a friend. Christine and Marie are knowledgeable, personable and cheerful ambassadors. The night staff is certainly courteous and competent, although when we shuffle in late evening all we are looking for is our key and a Bon Nuit.

Our Paris routine is to wander around through all the arrondisements, trying obscure restaurants, usually including some museums and concerts. Our stays are usually 7-10 days, and that is like having two or three potato chips. The small neighborhood around the hotel is pretty much our favorite, Cherche Midi, Raspail.Montparnasse, the Luxembourg Gardens are all a very short walk. There are three metro stops on several different lines nearby that can take you to every point in the city, many without "correspondance".

The double pane glass really keeps it quiet, especially if you ask for a room in the back. the back rooms require negotiating four or five small steps, more an annoyance than an obstacle. The elevator is small, but takes you quickly from -1 (the breakfast room) to any of the 7 levels (if memory serves me correctly).

This hotel exemplifies what we like in Paris. Could we find another small hotel to stay in? Sure? But as long as the present crew is there, we wouldn't think of it..

Thanks to the incredible kindness and caring of Francois, Marie, and the night desk staff, my husband and I had the trip of a lifetime. Francois couldn't have been more helpful with tips to get around the city. He and Marie called places for us, set up reservations for wonderful dinners, and all of the people in that hotel, including the maids, were friendly, and the sort of people you want to go back to see. Strongly recommend this hotel. Marilyn and Ron.

I have been staying at this hotel for years for a few reasons: it is reasonably priced for Paris, the rooms are comfortable and a good size, and the location is great. The metro is just a few minutes walk away (and it is a direct line to the Gare du Nord) and the staff are very helpful and pleasant and come up with great suggestions for restaurants and cafes to try in the area. Plus there are indeed tons of cafes and restaurants in the area that you can just check out on your own.