Grand Hotel Saint-Michel

Popular with tourists for its prime location, the Grand Hotel Saint Michel is more of a boutique hotel than its name would suggest. Decor is modern and stylish, with lots of black leather furniture, crystal chandeliers, and bright magenta accents. The gray hallway walls are designed to resemble crocodile skin and the elevator is lined with silver mosaic tile, creating a shimmering, luxe atmosphere. Breakfast is served on the lower level, and the cave-like room has vaulted brick ceilings, a garden mural, and beautiful stone walls. Furnishings include black and gray leather armchairs studded with rivets. Even the meeting room is sleek and stylish, with a long black table and black-and-grey striped curtains. Guests here are primarily couples on holiday, though families pass through as well.

The Grand Hotel is located across from the Sorbonne in Paris’ Latin Quarter. The location really can't be beat, and there is an enormous amount of shops, restaurants, and bars within a quick walk of the hotel. The Cluny-Sorbonne Metro station is a six-minute walk from the hotel for easy access to farther flung destinations like the Eiffel Tower (35 minutes) and Sacre-Coeur Basilica (35 minutes). There are walkable sights and attractions near the hotel including the Pantheon (five-minutes), Luxembourg Gardens (10 minutes), and Notre Dame Cathedral (15 minutes). Charles de Gaulle Airport is a 40-minute drive depending on traffic, or an hour and 20 minutes on the RER train. Orly Airport can be reached in 20 minutes by car or taxi, or 30 minutes via RER train.

The hotel's 47 rooms include Classic, Superior, Relax, and Deluxe Rooms, as well as big Family Rooms and multi-room apartments. All are stylishly decorated in a chocolate brown and white palette with bold teal accents and large white padded headboards. While they are stylish, there's also a plush warmth to rooms, with chocolate brown carpets and matching bed runners and throw pillows. Some of the lower-category rooms are tiny, with just 13 square meters of space (140 square feet), but larger units for families and groups are also available. All rooms feature air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, minibars, and safes. Bathrooms have trendy rectangular vessel sinks and large glass walk-in showers or jetted shower/tub combos. Hairdryers, bathrobes, and luxurious Hermes bath products are provided. Bathrooms in some rooms are only separated by glass windows from the main room, though water closets are private. Rooms on the top floors have lovely views of the surrounding area and small Juliet balconies, but the rooms that face a school courtyard can pick up noise if the windows are open. 

The hotel serves a buffet breakfast with various hot and cold dishes, but it's not included in most room rates and there is no lunch or dinner service. However, a free afternoon tea (with pastries) is served in the lobby every day. There's also a gym with a selection of cardio and weight machines, plus an attached steam room. There's no spa, but massages can be booked through the hotel. Other features include a sophisticated meeting room that can fit up to 22 people for meetings and presentations and up to 35 people for cocktail parties. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel and there’s a computer station off the lobby. Laundry and babysitting services can be arranged through the 24-hour front desk.