Ermitage Hotel Sacre-Coeur

Originally a gift from a banker to his mistress, this relatively small building was built in 1885 in typical Napoleon III style. The hotel is infused with the tastes and personalities of its owners, who have dedicated around 40 years of their lives to it and incorporated personal family heirlooms into the decor (such as the grandfather clock). Beyond the lobby and tiny reception area, the house has dark walls, in contrast to the bedrooms which are bright and decorated in Elizabethan style floral motifs.

This hotel is situated at the foot of the second most-visited monument in Paris: the Sacré Coeur Basilica. This is a perfect starting point for discovering the Montmartre neighborhood, made famous during the XIXth Century by its rich cultural and political life, and which also served as the backdrop for the 2001 film Amélie. The vicinity has a wealth of famous 19th century sights and tourist attractions, such as the Place de Tertre, where you can still see artists at work; Le Lapin Agile one of the most well-known, absinth-soaked cabarets and the haunt of many a renowned painter, poet, musician or thinker; and the Moulin Rouge cabaret in the adjoining Pigalle quarter. For the other Parisian monuments you will need to take the metro. Line 12 is 500 meters from the hotel, and can take visitors to the Louvre and Le Concorde in about 20 minutes, or Les Champs Elysees and la Place de L'Etoile in about 25 minutes.

Guests will not find the standard comforts of big hotel chains at the Ermitage. The rooms are individually decorated in traditional but basic style; the heavy use of English floral fabrics for the walls and upholstery may strike guests as quaint or dowdy, depending on their tastes. There are no TVs or radios, which helps keep noise issues between rooms to a minimum. The bathrooms are small, but adequate, and some of them are equipped with old-fashioned hip baths -- just note that no toiletries are provided aside from soap. This hotel has been kept with dedication by the same owners for the last 40 or so years; the spirit of its history has been thoughtfully preserved.

Guests will likely get plenty of personal attention at this small, family-run guesthouse. It lacks the services offered by large hotel chains, but it does offer several excellent freebies. The free breakfast includes croissants and jams, and guests can enjoy it in their rooms or on the pretty garden terrace. Wi-Fi is also free throughout, though the signal may not always be strong.