Paris Character

Photo by flickr user Problemkind

As the authors of the Charming Small Hotel Guide to Paris, we are often asked for addresses with at least a whiff of genuine, Gallic charm and character. Sadly such hotels are a dying breed, and some of our favourites are now too elderly to recommend wholeheartedly. For simple, family-run hotels, check out our list of budget hotels with Gallic charm (Paris Budget Chic). Try to book well in advance, and ask for the better rooms if you can. As for our favourite bedroom in Paris, we should tell you about the Parc St-Severin (www.espritdefrance.com), a pleasant enough Latin Quarter hotel, though not one of our top choices, but with a top floor suite that's circled by a broad private terrace with breathtaking views of the city, and which costs less than many small, viewless rooms in more expensive hotels. The best view of all, though, comes from the terrace of the Belle Etoile suite at the Meurice (see Paris Chic hotels). The order of the hotels in this list bears no reflection on our preference.

Written by Fiona Duncan