Le Pavillon de la Reine

The Pavillon de la Reine sits hidden away on the Place de Vosges, the first planned square in Paris, which was commissioned by Henry IV and completed in 1612. The hotel dates from the same year. Today the stone chateau-turned-luxury hotel commands its own topiary- and ivy-covered courtyard, with the addition of modern statues set along the worn cobblestones. Inside, evidence of the late medieval era can be seen in the worn stone block columns and heavy wooden ceiling beams. Interiors are dramatically dark, with candle-like wall sconces and copper-colored velvet furnishings in a lobby that opens into a lounge where multiple wood-burning fireplaces kindle a cozy, somewhat romantic atmosphere

The Pavillon de la Reine is located in the Marais on the historic Place des Vosges, a tree-lined square surrounded by beautiful stone and red-brick arcaded buildings that today house art galleries, antiques shops, and cafes. The hotel stands across from Victor Hugo’s home, now a museum open to the public. The Musee Picasso is a seven-minute walk from the hotel, and the Musee Carnavelet, a fascinating museum on the history of Paris, is a four-minute walk. The shops along the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois and the Rue des Rosiers, once the heart of the Jewish quarter (the kosher bakeries and delis have given way to trendy boutiques, bars, and cafes), are a six- to eight-minute walk from the hotel. Notre Dame Cathedral on Ile de la Cite, Sainte-Chapelle, the lovely Ile Saint-Louis, with its wonderful 17th-century architecture, the Place de la Bastille, the Tuileries, and the Centre Pompidou are all less than a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Saint-Paul, Chemin Vert, and Bastille metro stations are a four- to six-minute walk from the hotel. Charles de Gaulle Airport is a 28-minute drive, and Orly Airport is a 22-minute drive.

The Pavillon de la Reine's 54 rooms, which include suites, are individually decorated in styles that range from classical French, highlighted by ornate toile wallpaper, antiques, and four-poster beds, to contemporary with warm earth-toned palettes and dark-wood furniture. Some feature Juliet balconies that overlook the courtyard, while others face the narrow street that leads to the Place des Vosges. The layouts and architectural details vary significantly, with some rooms having exposed wooden beams, or sharply vaulted ceilings. All rooms include flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, mini-fridges, and Nespresso machines upon request. Suites add separate living rooms with couches and coffee tables. The tiled bathrooms are modern, and even the smaller Classic Rooms have walk-in rainfall showers along with separate soaking tubs. 

The heart of the Pavillon de la Reine is its lobby lounge, with comfortable seating around wood-burning fireplaces and walls covered in either bookshelves or coppery toile wallpaper and somber oil paintings. There's no restaurant, or even a staffed bar here, but there's an honesty bar with tea, Champagne, and hard liquor, along with free snacks. Breakfast is available for an extra fee. Guests can sit inside on the velvet couches, or outside in the courtyard terrace. The posh Spa de la Reine by Carita has two treatment rooms, and it also houses a steam bath, along with a hot tub, and a small fitness room with a few cardio machines and weight-training equipment. A meeting room can accommodate up to 14 people, and the lobby has an internet corner with a laptop. Wi-Fi is free throughout, and iPads are available upon request from reception. The hotel rents bikes to guests at no charge, and on-site parking is free -- a true rarity in Paris.