Hotel Duc de Saint Simon

In many ways, the French-family-owned Hotel Duc de Saint Simon is the quintessential Parisian boutique hotel. The historic property has charm and atmosphere to spare, and most of its guests find it the perfect Paris experience. Even its quiet, two-block-long street feels like a model Paris thoroughfare, with residents walking their dogs and pushing their children in strollers. A discreet pair of green doors opens to a stone courtyard with patio furniture, flower boxes, green awnings, and French doors. Once guests enter the centuries-old townhouse in which the hotel resides, they are transported to a lost Parisian world filled with oil paintings, Persian rugs, fresh orchids, the faint smell of honey, and the soft sound of classical music. Many of the halls, doors, and ceilings are painted by hand. A sitting room off of the reception area looks like a period room at a museum: it brims with red velvet drapes, floral fabric wallpaper, marble floors, and French antiques (that tufted burgundy sofa is gorgeous, but not exactly comfy to sit on). There are Gaillard lithographs on the walls and leather-bound books on the history of Paris on the shelves. Time-worn stone stairs go down to the original vault, an underground cave-like space where breakfast and cocktails are served. An original spiral staircase leads to the rooms, and there is also an elevator. The hotel attracts couples of a certain age and means, many of whom stay here and only here every time they come to Paris.

This boutique hotel has a great location on the Left Bank in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, home to luxury boutiques, bookstores, and art galleries. Guests can while away the day with a long walk along the Seine, and then visit one of the bistros, patisseries, and fruit stands in the area. From the hotel, it's an eight-minute walk to Musee d'Orsay, and about a 20-minute walk across the river to the Tuileries, the Louvre, and the Grand Palais. The Montparnasse metro station is within easy reach, and staff at the hotel will arrange a shuttle or private driver for trips to the airport or day tours. The hotel is about a 45-minute drive to/from Charles de Gaulle International Airport, and a 25-minute drive to/from Orly Airport.

Like other areas of the hotel, the 34 rooms and suites are decorated in rich fabrics and antique or period-style furniture and decor, such as roll-top desks, period wallpaper, and gold-framed paintings and prints. Even the keys are antique. Rooms come in three categories -- Standard, Superior, and Suite -- all of which have flat-screen TVs, safes, large bathrooms (by European standards), and free fiber-optic Wi-Fi. Minibars are stocked with Evian, Moet & Chandon champagne, crackers, and other drinks and snacks. Three Standards and one Superior offer a private terrace or balcony. Bathrooms have either showers or tubs (Suites have both), as well as plush bathrobes, hairdryers, and toiletries. Cinephiles might try to book Suite One, where Lauren Bacall always stayed.

It's worth paying for breakfast or drinks just to experience the atmospheric coziness of Hotel Duc de Saint Simon's underground cave. The original stone vault has a series of seating nooks filled with rugs and paintings, giving it a labyrinthine and intimate feel. For breakfast, the hotel puts out pastries, fresh juices, jams, and cereals; prepares cafe au laits; and pours glasses of Champagne. Guests can pick up a copy of "The New York Times" and have breakfast in the vault, among the gilded mirrors and books, or eat in their rooms or outside in the courtyard. This space is a great place to come at the end of a long, Paris-attractions-filled day for a nightcap.

The hotel will arrange airport pick-ups or drop-offs. There is a Mac computer and printer in the lobby for guests to use, and fiber-optic Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.