Hotel Eiffel Trocadero

Housed in a long, triangular-shaped, 18th-century building, the Eiffel Trocadero has a distinct style. The glass canopy over the entrance and wrought-iron doors connect the building's 21st-century look with its classical roots. Its compact lobby is a melange of Old World influences and forward-thinking design: A wood reception desk is painted silver-gray, space-age light fixtures hang from the ceiling, and a web of branches support a side table. The restaurant has black-and-white, neoclassical chairs set around shiny black tables, and a ceiling dotted with lights that suggest stars. The lounge is a hodgepodge of chairs from different eras suggesting a decorating free-for-all. Individually, all the choices are interesting; together it's a lot of clashing styles at once. 

Hotel Eiffel Tower Trocadero is within walking distance of several of the city's popular monuments. True to its name, the hotel is a 13-minute walk away from the Eiffel Tower. The Trocadero Gardens (Jardins du Trocadero), a 23-acre sculpted landscape created in 1878 for the Paris World's Fair, is a three-minute walk. The gardens house the Palais de Chaillot (four minutes away on foot), which is home to the Musee National de la Marine and the Musee National des Monuments Francais. L'Arc de Triomphe is a five-minute drive, or taxi ride away, and the Louvre is a nine-minute ride. For business travelers, La Defense is about a 15-minute drive, depending on the destination in the neighborhood, or about a half-hour on the metro. Charles de Gaulle Airport is about a half-hour drive.

The 19 rooms at Hotel Eiffel Trocadero come in a range of sizes -- from 130 to 269 square feet or 12 to 25 square meters -- and mix various styles, including traditional French, contemporary, and modern. The Superior Room is compact, with only a few feet around the bed, and a desk. Its flat-screen TV is mounted on the wall above the doors. The Deluxe Room is slightly larger, and pink flowers accent its white walls. A glowing light illuminates the baseboard. Some rooms have views of the Eiffel Tower, while others look out on the posh streets of the 16th Arrondissement. At the top of the guest room list is the Eiffel Suite, which comes with a telescope for watching people on the monument, and an accent wall designed to look like one leg of the Eiffel Tower. All rooms include minibars, safes, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi. The small bathrooms have luxurious marble-tile finishes; most have shower/tub combos with massaging water jets, others have shower stalls. 

This small boutique hotel tucks in a couple of extra features, including in-room massages. The restaurant fuses French and Asian influences in its cuisine, using organic ingredients. Guests give the breakfast buffet, which is not included, high marks, and the hotel lounge stays open late. Meeting facilities are available, and free Wi-Fi is available throughout, and self-parking is available for a fee.