Hotel Le Six

Hotel Le Six is a boutique hotel in Montparnasse with a strong sense of place and design. The hotel opened in summer 2008 (the building was originally a hostel) and, in 2017, underwent a renovation that brought in new furnishings, redid the wood floors, retiled many of the bathrooms, and installed tropical-leaf wallpaper by Christian Lacroix in the hallways and suites.The renovated lobby is just the first of many cozy relaxation areas designed for reading, drinking a glass of wine, or getting work done. Past the lobby and hotel bar is an all-season "winter garden," a lounge with natural light streaming through a glass roof. The renovation wisely didn't touch the space's amazing, 25-spoke chandelier, though the lounge itself was given a chic update, with sage-colored and exposed brick walls, forest green velvet seating, and marble tables topped with tufts of lavender. Large ferns separate seating areas, creating privacy and, combined with the glass roof, the feeling of a greenhouse. Hardback books on art, architecture, and photography books are arranged along a wood shelf on the wall. Black-and-white portraits of working-class Parisians -- taken by the hotel owner's grandfather -- are hung on the walls and display cases hold Lyonnaise earthenware and tinned pralines from Montargis. The pralines are a specialty of Mazet, a Parisian chocolate shop where the owner went as a child. Today, guests arrival chocolates come from the shop. The hotel celebrates its city and culture with weekly events demoing French products, such as wine and cheese.The hotel sees mostly business travelers during the week, and families in the summer and around Christmas. Many guests are repeaters from France, the U.S., the U.K., Scandinavia, and around the world. 

Hotel Le Six has a prime spot near Montparnasse and Saint-Germain-des-Pres. It's halfway between Jardin du Luxembourg and Cimetiere du Montparnasse, the final resting place of many notable French artists and intellectuals. To reach other Paris sites and neighborhoods, there are several metro stops within a short walk from the hotel, including Notre-Dame des Champs (line 12), which is around the corner, and Vavin (line 4). Budget at least an hour to get to Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG) from the hotel by car.

The 41 refined rooms come in four categories: Classic, Superior, Deluxe, and Suite. From a design perspective, all are subtle and streamlined, with sleek wood furniture, gray textured walls, and leather-topped desks. Throw pillows, side chairs, and curtains are in rich hues like crimson and marigold. Suites feature the graphic fern wallpaper by Lacroix. Black-and-white photographs depict classic French sites, such as the Eiffel Tower or the Palais du Luxembourg.All rooms have flat-screen TVs, safes, and espresso machines. Minibars contain still and sparkling water, Champagne, and chocolate from Mazet. In-room loaner smartphones can serve as a city guide and recommendation source, allow free calls to the U.S. and Europe. Rooms have USB ports and outlets that can accommodate U.S. devices. Windows are double-glazed and some rooms have balconies.Classic and Superior rooms have either a shower or a shower/tub combo, and the top two categories guarantee bathtubs. Suites have separate tubs and walk-in showers, as well as separate toilet rooms. Bathrobes, slippers, heated towel racks, and L'Occitane bath products -- milk soap, green tea lotion, individually wrapped verbena cloths -- are provided. The hotel also provides a mini argan hand cream by Melvita.High-speed Wi-Fi is free in the rooms. Connecting rooms are available. Turndown service is provided and baby cots are available on request.

For a 41-room boutique hotel in Paris, Hotel Le Six offers a surprisingly solid amount of features. Its 2017-renovated lobby is cozy enough to feel like a proper lounge and work space, with a deep blue-green chairs around a modern fireplace and a communal black-marble high-top table. Other chic lounge areas for working, reading, or chatting include the glass-roofed winter garden and a cozy library-like hangout. The hotel's bar serves wine, Champagne, cider, cocktails, and snacks like charcuterie plates, sardines, and salmon spread with rillettes.Hotel Le Six's breakfast, included in most base rates but not usually in promotional rates, is excellent. The buffet includes exclusively French-made and organic products, such as local and regional meats (bacon, a tray of cold cuts), croissants, yogurt, and cereals. Cheeses and eggs come from a small dairy farm just outside Paris. Juice, tea, and espresso are all available. Guests can opt to have breakfast delivered to the rooms; room service is available until after dinner and its menu includes cheeseburgers, Caesar salad, and a small selection of red and white wine. The hotel hosts afternoon tea with cakes and coffee, served with lovely Gien pottery, but it costs a small fee. Once a week, the hotel hosts a "French Hour," showcasing wines, cheeses, and other products from around the country. Guests' first French hour drink is free.The downstairs spa consists of a treatment room for massages or facials (two hours notice required) and a hammam with iridescent tiles and blue lighting. The steam room is free for guests to use, but also requires notice. There is also a fitness corner on the sixth floor.The hotel's Penthouse Luxembourg is a 1,225-square-foot, two-level space available for meetings, press events, photo shoots, and parties. There is also a traditional meeting room that can hold up to 20 people for seminars. High-speed Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.