Hotel Madeleine Plaza

Travelers who want to be in the heart of the city's business district but also very near tourist attractions will find a good choice in Hotel Madeleine Plaza. Housed in a 19th-century limestone building, the hotel blends comfort with elegance. The walls of its lobby and adjacent, family-style breakfast bar feature bold, contemporary wallpaper and faceted pendant lights, but the overall feel of the hotel is understated. The slate-gray front desk and breakfast bar keep the spaces feeling sophisticated and classic. The snug corner bar has distressed cognac-colored leather club chairs and dark-gray armchairs beside an exposed-stone wall, making for close yet decidedly cozy quarters in which to sip evening cocktails. With its charming interior courtyard, the Hotel Madeleine Plaza provides several stylish spaces for guests to mingle and escape the bustling neighborhood. 

The cafes, bookstores, dry cleaners, and markets that surround the Hotel Madeleine Plaza cater to the Parisians who live and work in the busy neighborhood, making the hotel a choice that will resonate with travelers seeking a more immersive, less touristic French experience. For instance, two doors down is a Nicolas bakery, a popular, well-priced chain that also serves wine. And yet, the hotel is also very close to major attractions. The Madeleine metro stop is a minute walk from the hotel; guests can reach The Madeleine Church in the same time. The Opera Garnier, a grand Second-Empire, Beaux-Arts building (and the setting for "Phantom of the Opera") is an eight-minute walk away. Just a 10-minute walk from the hotel are both the Jardin des Tuilleries and the Place de la Concorde. The Eiffel Tower is around 10 minutes' drive or a 30-minute train ride. The Louvre is a 20-minute walk or 15 minutes by train. Gare du Nord, with the Eurostar to London, is around 15 to 20 minutes by train or car. Charles de Gaulle Airport is around 30 to 40 minutes by car. 

Guest rooms' decor overall is more cozy than cool with classic red-and-white or pale-blue-and-white Toile de Jouy fabric, a favorite of romantic French-country style; matching curtains are tied back with tassels and coordinate with the headboards, chair upholstery, and bedspreads. The rooms have white or pastel-shade walls, jewel-tone wall-to-wall carpets, and country-French furnishings in either honey-brown wood or soft cream; some ceilings have rustic beams. However, some of the cabinetry is chipped and could use retouching or replacing. More expensive, upper-floor Duplex Rooms have views of the Madeleine Church and the Eiffel Tower and offer balconies or terraces. Some of the double or twin rooms look at an inner courtyard and may be a bit dark; others have balconies and/or street views. Each room has air-conditioning, a flat-screen TV, a minibar, a safe, and free Wi-Fi. Deluxe and Duplex Rooms have Nespresso machines, and other rooms have electric kettles. The bathrooms are clean-lined with white, large-block tile, and have shower/tub combos, contemporary lighting, traditional porcelain fixtures, modern hairdryers, and Algotherm toiletries in eco-friendly, recyclable packaging. 

A breakfast buffet is served for a fee, in a stylish dining room, and there's a small bar, but there's no full restaurant on-site offering lunch or dinner. Room service is offered, though it's not 24 hours. Guests wishing to stay active while in Paris may have to make due with long sightseeing walks as the hotel does not have a gym. It does have a business center, however, and a pretty courtyard. There is a concierge on-site for help with taxis, flights, and reservations for restaurants and the theater. Guests can also rent a car at the reception desk, get their clothes laundered, or have dry cleaning sent out while staying at the hotel. Small pets are allowed for a fee. Wi-Fi access is free.