Hotel Marais Bastille

In a classically Parisian building with ornate, wrought-iron balconies, this hotel provides an intimate base for couples, solo travelers, and families in a wildly trendy corner of the city. The hotel’s small lobby is packed with brightly colored contemporary furniture with retro lines set across light tiled floors. There are plenty of cozy spots to linger with a coffee just off the lobby, including the hotel’s “living room,” a wood-floored nook filled with objets d’art, a comfortable sofa, and a small table looking out onto a plant-filled (but seatless) courtyard. A computer for guest use can be found in the Living Room along with newspapers and a small library, while the breakfast room -- a blend of dark wood and soft green accents -- is a cozy, light-filled space that’s a fine way to start the day.

On a tree-lined boulevard set within the 11th Arrondissement, the hotel is within walking distance of the legendary nightlife of the Bastille and the trend-happy boutiques, cafes, galleries, and cobblestoned streets of the Marais (a 10-minute walk west). The largest outdoor market in Paris, Marche Bastille, takes place outside the hotel’s front door on Thursdays and Sundays, featuring an array of food stalls and artisanal goods. The closest metro stations are at Richard-Lenoir (a five-minute walk north) and Bastille (a seven-minute walk south) for destinations like Montmartre, the Musee d’Orsay, and the Louvre. Of course, Paris is built for walking, though sights like Notre Dame and the Centre Pompidou will take 20 to 30 minutes to reach by foot. Charles de Gaulle Airport is about 35 minutes northeast by taxi, or an hour using RER trains and the metro, while Orly Airport can be reached using the same trains in 40 minutes, a trip that takes 20 to 25 minutes by cab barring traffic.

The Michel Jouannet-designed rooms here go way beyond usual bland chain hotel standards, with industrial-chic elements and contemporary comforts coming together to create a warm, inviting effect. Bright jewel tone accents in throw pillows and ottomans complement striped carpets, dark wood veneer furniture, and brightly painted ceilings. Heavy damask curtains bring an intentionally antique vibe to the rooms, amplifying other purposeful details like sliding bathroom doors that are mounted on exposed industrial hardware. The vibe is loft-meets-bedroom, and comfortable twin or queen beds sit between end tables with vintage light fixtures hanging on either side. Snapshots from around Paris give the space a specific, local charm, and some rooms either have windows that open out onto the street or small terraces looking onto a park.

All rooms include desks, safes, mini-fridges with minibars, telephones, individually controlled air-conditioning, and flat-screen TVs. However, the televisions in some Standard Rooms are mounted adjacent to the beds; screens are thus hard to see as the only real seating in the room is one retro-style chair on the opposite wall (which is a single pull-out chair bed in larger Superior Rooms). Bathrooms have contemporary gray tiles, marble vanities, Damana toiletries, and walk-in showers or tub/shower combos with contemporary fixtures depending on category of booking. (Keep in mind we did notice some dirty grout.) Guests should also know that air-conditioning only works during certain months of the year. And though the street outside can be busy, rooms are well soundproofed, except of course if the windows need to be opened to cool rooms down.

The hotel’s Living Room and breakfast room are two of its best features, and both are warm and inviting places to gear up for, or recover from, a day in Paris. The breakfast buffet features hot and cold options, including some typically American items like scrambled eggs, but isn’t included with bookings and can be expensive. Breakfast can also be ordered in guest rooms, with room service available during later hours from an off-site caterer. The hotel’s front desk is staffed 24 hours and can arrange bicycle, moto, and car rentals as well as tour bookings and left-luggage service. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property with laundry service also offered. Cribs are available free of charge for guests with small children.