Hotel Amour

Hotel Amour was designed to to pay homage to the past of the Pigalle quarter, formerly renowned as a place of sensual pleasure and now little more than a cemetery of sex shops. In its heyday, Pigalle was famous for its brothels and for the raunchy Moulin Rouge, where wealthy Parisians would go for a bit of saucy lowlife.Situated in a street perpendicular to La Rue des Martyrs at the heart of a busy neighborhood, the doors of the Hotel Amour open onto a hip restaurant and bar. Guests must circumvent the tables and not a few customers (with all their baggage) to find the tiny reception area in a corner. The common areas are somber and adorned with sexy works of art. The rooms are individually decorated, but all reflect the main concept and intention of the hotel -- to arouse couples through the display of erotic decor. It should be noted that some art is closely related to pornography.

The hotel is appropriately situated in the heart of the Pigalle quarter, which is known among tourists for its sex shops and adult theaters (the Moulin Rouge is a 10-minute walk away). It is just next to the Rue des Martyrs (the main shopping street in the neighborhood) and at the foot of the Montmartre hill, making it a good starting point for visiting the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and its charming neighborhood, Montmarte. Access to transport is easy; Metro Line 12 and Line 2 are both less than five minutes from the hotel entrance. The neighborhood also has a good range of restaurants; guests can find popular national dishes, as well as the most refined gastronomy, not to mention the many little bakeries, cake shops and cheese shops.

Each room at the hotel has individual style and erotic artwork. Some have bright, cheerful colors while others are painted black; expect quirky, trendy details such as stenciling on the walls, a ceiling covered with disco balls, or display cases of odd collectibles. But there are no TVs and no coffee or tea trays, bathrooms are very small in the single and double categories, and breakfast is not included (in fact, the continental breakfast is quite pricey). Certain aspects of some rooms are looking a bit worn. Rooms are on the pricey side for this category of hotel, but some may find it worth it for the originality of the decoration.

The trendy restaurant and bar are the highlight of this hotel. They are frequented by many, and known to all young, fashionable Parisians. Decorated with vintage seats and old photographs, the bar has an exceptionally pretty patio, which is a fun place to have a drink while watching the nonchalant Koï carp swimming in a little pond. The restaurant has a good reputation for simple, quality food in generous quantities.