Hotel Monge

On a quiet street in Paris' Latin Quarter, the hotel is peacefully removed from shops and restaurants of buzzing nearby streets, and 2016-renovated interiors really shine in an area packed with small hotels. The design combines classically elegant furnishings with bold decor, evident in the lobby's geometric artwork above gilded period dressers, original marble fireplace across from a tweed couch and sandwiched between two bookshelves with curios such as geodes and rhino figurines. It's a small establishment but attention to detail is evident and tasteful throughout. A breakfast area becomes an honesty bar at night, when guests can mingle and help themselves to wine and appetizers. The vibe throughout is refined and peaceful, aside from the occasional vibration due to passing subways. Guests are primarily vacationing couples, plus some families and business travelers.

The hotel may be far from major sights, but it's great for a feel of local and stylish Paris life. A partially reconstructed Roman amphitheater and now part of a park, Arenes de Lutece, is a one-minute walk, while charming Place de la Contrescarpe's terrace cafes are a four-minute walk. Two minutes farther is the buzzing Rue Mouffetard and an open-air market accompanies shops, bars, and restaurants. The iconic Pantheon, National Museum of Natural History, and botanical Jardin des Plantes are within an eight-minute walk and it's twice that for the Luxembourg Gardens. It's closer to 20 minutes on foot for Notre Dame Cathedral and Sainte Chapelle (or similar journey times by metro), and the hotel is a two-minute walk from both Place Monge and Cardinal Lemoine subway stations. Forty-minute metro rides are required for the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, while shopping at Galeries Lafayette takes 15 minutes by public transport. Orly Airport is a 20-minute drive or twice that by public transport, and Charles de Gaulle Airport is a 40-minute drive, or one hour by public transit.

Small but beautiful rooms have elegant white wooden furniture, dark carpeting, and velvet-accented fabrics (throw pillows, curtains, and bedding) in various color schemes -- think teal or burgundy. Wallpaper with tropical motifs such as butterflies or parrots are behind Glistening whites get bursts of blue or warm reds and browns from butterfly print wallpapers are behind white-leather studded headboards, and between illuminated bookshelves. The overall effect is chic and cozy.The lower-category Classic Rooms measure a tiny 15 square meters (161 square feet), while Deluxe Triple Rooms come in at 20 square meters (215 square feet). Double windows in Deluxe Rooms feel quintessentially Parisian, and guests in these units get robes and slippers. Some rooms have small balconies with views either of the street or courtyard, including Arenes de Lutece views in some upgraded rooms. The hotel's proximity to the metro means vibrations can be felt but guests haven't found it too intrusive and triple-glazed windows shut out street noise. Standard rooms have flat-screen TVs, desks or small round tables with chairs, minibars, safes, air-conditioning, and free Wi-Fi, but they lack tea- and coffee-making facilities. Marble bathrooms have pretty mosaic showers or shower/tub combos with rainfall showerheads, hairdryers, heated towel racks, and upmarket L'Occitane toiletries.

There are no full restaurant or fitness center here, but the provided facilities are excellent. A buffet breakfast (fee) consists of eggs, pancakes, and a great continental spread of breads and pastries with jams, smoked salmon, cold cheeses and meats, and fresh fruit. Yogurts in glass jars accompany cereals and gluten-free items, alongside tea and coffee. Room service is also available from a partner restaurant. The honesty bar is open until late for self-serve beverages and appetizers, while coffee, tea, and cakes are free all day. Various massages and body treatments are available at the small spa, which also has a free-to-use steam room. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.