Hotel Astra Opera - Astotel

The Hotel Astra Opera is situated in an elegant, seven-story stone town house dating back to the early 1900s. The lobby is simple and somewhat generic -- white tiled floors and white walls accented with wood panels. A carpeted sitting area under a small glass atrium features gray micro-suede armchairs, potted plants, and a small red bar, which, though it doesn't served alcoholic beverages, is piled with free snacks in the afternoons. Though the lobby lacks some of the warmth and personality guests might expect from a Parisian hotel, the breakfast room offers a little more charm with velvety red dining chairs and booths, wood tables, and modern spherical pendant lights in white. The Astra certainly isn't a style icon, but it's well-maintained, clean, and tasteful making it a solid mid-range choice for tourists and business travelers who are on the lookout for low-frills digs and a reasonable rate in the heart of Paris.

Hotel Astra Opera -- located in the 9th arrondissement, right on the border of the 8th -- is situated in a major theater and business hub in central Paris featuring plenty of high-end shopping establishments and eateries. Major attractions are also nearby, some in easy walking distance, like the Opera Garnier (four-minute walk), Galeries Lafayette Haussmann (six-minute walk), and Tuileries Garden and Champs-Élysées (11-minute walk). Major attractions like The Louvre and Musee d'Orsay are also reachable on foot in about 20 minutes. For sights farther out, the Opéra metro line is only a five-minute walk and provides service on lines 3, 7, and 8. The regional Auber RER station is even closer, a two-minute walk, and takes guests to the Arc de Triomphe in mere minutes. Guests can get to the Eiffel Tower in about 25 minutes and Charles de Gaulle Airport in about 50 minutes via public transit.

The rooms at Astra Opera are pleasant, albeit a bit plain, with neutral or striped wall-to-wall carpeting and drapes, brown or beige faux leather headboards, wood furniture, and white walls and bedding. Bed runners and pillows in pink, red, or blue add a pop of color. Decor isn't quite modern, but it's tasteful enough and certainly functional. Bathrooms may be small, but they're clean and contemporary with white tiled floors and walls and granite countertops. Most rooms include combination showers and tubs. All rooms are air-conditioned and include desks and safes plus modern amenities like iPod docks, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms have hairdryers and nice Algotherm individual toiletries. Guests favorite amenity, though, is the minibar, which comes stocked with free non-alcoholic drinks like water, juice, and soda. There is no in-room coffee/tea service and irons and ironing boards are available on request.Rooms are sized to Paris standards -- that is, small -- though upgraded Superior and Deluxe Rooms are surprisingly roomy considering the area. Room sizes include Single Rooms (130 square feet), Standard Rooms (170 square feet), Superior Rooms (215 square feet), and Deluxe Rooms (270 Square feet). Most rooms overlooking the street have French balconies; other rooms overlook the courtyard/atrium. Guests find that double-glazed windows protect the room fairly well against street noise.

Like most mid-range Paris hotels, this one has limited extra property features. There's a pleasant breakfast room where a daily buffet is served with a nice range of hot and cold standards such as scrambled eggs and meat dishes, cereal, bread, pastries, and fruit -- but it may cost an extra fee. The hotel does offer a food freebie, though -- in the afternoon and evening nice snacks like fresh fruit, pastries, and macaroons are served along with non-alcoholic beverages like soft drinks and coffee. The hotel has a business center with a desk, a few chairs, and a computer for guest use. There's also a meeting room on-site and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. The hotel lacks fitness facilities or a full-service bar or restaurant, though that's typical for a three-pearl Paris property. The front desk is open 24 hours and helpful staff can provide some concierge services, luggage storage, and dry-cleaning and laundry service.