4 rue de Liege, Paris, France | (618) 248-8274
Close to public transportation, dining options, and theaters
Tidy, contemporary rooms with flat-screen TVs and mini-fridges
Pretty outdoor patio with chairs, tables, and an umbrella
Breakfast buffet offers cold items (fee) and late serving hours
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Stay and breakfast free for kids up to 12 years of age
No restaurant, bar, gym, or on-site parking
Expensive breakfast with no hot items offered
Rooms lack coffee- and tea-making facilities
Even though soundproofed, rooms can be noisy
Wi-Fi signal can be slow and hot water is touch and go
With artsy details and lots of lipstick-red furniture in public spaces, the New Hotel Opera is a mid-range hotel with a touch of quirkiness located in Paris' 9th Arrondissement, just south of Montmartre. Its outdoor patio gives a pleasant spot for alfresco mingling, and a breakfast service of cold buffet items is available until late (although it's an extra fee). The 42 rooms are less stylish, but they have mini-fridges and air-conditioning, and some have small, unfurnished balconies. Travelers could also check out the Hotel Boronali -- it's closer to Montmartre, has a lounge with drinks and snacks available throughout the day, and the rates are similar.
Scene
Boutique-style hotel with artistic elements and a budget-friendly price
New Hotel Opera is an energetic hotel with quirky bursts of art livening up its 19th-century building. The tiled floors, sharp lines, and neutral color scheme are highlighted by interesting artwork placed here and there. The lobby features such art pieces as framed orange reflective jackets and colorful farm animal paintings, while stairways have balloon art pieces and exposed pipes wrapped in bright textiles. Art lovers and romantics might appreciate the hotel's location in Nouvelles-Athenes, an area known for its classical buildings and the artists and writers -- including Georges Sand and Gustave Moreau -- who settled there in the 19th century and built delightful town houses. Busy as the area is, it retains an air of old Paris. The hotel has a large choice of triple rooms, which are well-suited to families and groups.
Location
Within walking distance of the opera, theaters, restaurants, and public transportation
New Hotel Opera is located in the 9th Arrondissement, filled with artistic points of interest. It’s a 12-minute walk to Palais Garnier Opera, although other theaters like La Grand Comedie, Theater of Paris, and Casino de Paris can be reached within five minutes or so on foot. Much of the area's artistic past can be relived in the Musee de la Vie Romantique, which is about a six-minute walk from the hotel. Moulin Rouge is an eight-minute walk away. There’s plenty of shopping on Boulevard Haussmann, which takes 13 minutes to reach. Dining choices are available within five to 10-minute walks’ from the hotel. It's an eight minute walk to the metro station Liege. It’s a 50-minute drive to the Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Rooms
Contemporary rooms with flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and safes, though no coffee/tea facilities
While not as boldly decorated as the common spaces, the 42 rooms at New Hotel Opera blend contemporary furnishings with pops of color and artistic elements. White beds have gray bed runners and rectangular lime-green curtains acting as headboards. They complement yellow window curtains, blond-wood furniture, and colorful modern art above the beds, but it all clashes with the garish red-and-black zebra print carpet. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, free bottles of water, free Wi-Fi, and safes. They lack minibars and kettles or coffeemakers, and Wi-Fi can be slow. Nespresso machines are available upon request, but there's a charge for the espresso capsules. Some rooms have small unfurnished balconies. Bathrooms are generally spacious, though they vary in design -- some are sleek with dark-gray tile, others are a bit dated with white tile and some visible grime. Some bathrooms have shower/tub combos and others have showers only. Toiletries and hairdryers are provided. Though the rooms are theoretically sound-proofed, noise travels from the street and neighboring rooms, and hot water can be uneven.
Features
Little apart from an outdoor patio, free Wi-Fi, and a cold buffet breakfast
This hotel does not pack a lot of extras. A pricey breakfast of cold items -- meats, boiled eggs, cereals, and pastries -- is served late into the morning, and it can be taken on the patio, which has tables, chairs, and an umbrella for shade. There’s no on-site restaurant, bar, or gym. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property, but the signal can be weak. Paid parking is available at a nearby garage. Children up to age 12 stay free.