Hotel Ares Paris

With snug rooms, and few public spaces outside of a small lobby lounge area and the breakfast room, this sophisticated and stylish boutique is best suited for discerning guests who plan to spend most of their time out exploring Paris but want upscale comforts to return to at night. A privately owned hotel, the Hotel Ares Paris is decorated with care under the stylish eyes of the its owners and features hardwood floors, classically chic furniture, and fresh flowers. While most of the decor is elegant and classic, contemporary flair can be seen in bright pops of color and animal print rugs. 

Unfortunately, even though the hotel isn't on a very busy street, noise can find a way through the walls; whether from the lobby, the pipes, or the outside street. 

On of the best features of the Hotel Ares Paris is its location in the 15th Arrondissement, a 15-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars. It is also located right across from a famous antiques shop known as Village Suisse. Most sights will require a metro ride; luckily there are three stations nearby, including the La Motte Picquet - Grenelle station, a three-minute walk away. It takes about 20 minutes by metro to reach Right Bank attractions such as the Louvre and Jardin des Tuileries, or 45 minutes on foot. There are plenty of restaurants and bars within walking distance, and the Charles de Galle airport is a 30-minute drive away. 

All 40 of the rooms at Hotel Ares Paris are tiny. Some guests have even had to side-step around the bed to reach the bathroom. These snug rooms are stylish, though, thanks to the upscale decor and fixtures by Poltrona Frau. Expect classic style and touches like velvety drapes, striped wallpaper, and eye-catching patterned headboards. All rooms come with slippers, 26-inch Bang&Olufsen flat-screen TVs with international channels and on-demand movies, a comfy double bed (or two twins), and minibars stocked with soft drinks. Bathrooms are contemporary with rainfall showerheads over teensy tubs, separate hand-held nozzles, thick towels, bowl sinks, and large decorative mirrors. The basic selection of Hermes toiletries and the Versace tiling are highlights. There's also a basic vanity kit, sewing kit, hairdryer, and stylish mounted makeup mirror. 

Deluxe Rooms are the smallest, with barely enough room for the bed, while going up a few categories up to Deluxe will get you a dedicated extra seating area. Executive Rooms feature an extra one-person pull-out sofa and are the only room that can accommodate three people -- but it's tight. For the most space (which still isn't much), you can go for the Junior Suite, which will get you a chic leather chaise lounge and a round bed. 

Our room got a decent amount of noise during our visit; guests may want to request a room on a higher floor away from the street. 

This small boutique doesn't have much by way of features, though it does offer a small honesty bar. Breakfast comes with an extra fee, and is served in an elegant and chic dining area with red leather dining chairs set around a row of tables. There's a self-serve buffet with hot and cold items, such as scrambled eggs, sausages, pastries, cereal, and fruit. 

A big bonus here is that the hotel accepts pets -- and at no additional charge. There's also free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and in the guest rooms. Services include a laundry service, photocopying and faxing, and baggage storage if you have a few hours to kill between the midday checkout and your flight. Guests can also make dinner and show reservations and rent cars, bikes, or mopeds through the hotel staff.