A welcoming place with a flickering fire in the sitting room and a day-lit interior patio. With the Luxembourg Gardens a stroll away, bustling Saint Germain at the end of the street, and exceptional service and attention to detail (such as little cakes and organic croissants at breakfast), it’s the favourite of many guests. Bedrooms come in different sizes – and that includes small, as with most Paris hotels. Those at the back have handsome views onto the classical façade of the famous Lycée St Louis, those in front look onto the ever-fascinating Rue Monsieur le Prince. Expect crisp white duvets and spotless bathrooms with real shower heads, L’Occitane en Provence soaps and towel heaters. There are stunning fabric wall coverings in each room; colours from these are picked out in the reupholstered period chairs; glass tables add a modern twist and some rooms have mobiles with free Europe use too. The little ground floor salon has quirky portraits with animal heads; the colourful breakfast cellar room can be used for meetings. The fourth generation of a Franco-British family has made the Saint Paul Rive Gauche a warm marriage of French elegance and English comfort.
Brilliant location, right by the Jardin du Luxemourg and deep in the Latin Quarter; also really near a Metro station with a direct link to Gare du Nord. An interesting old building; my room was at the back and very quiet and cosy and colourful. The breakfast spread was small but lovely (quality pastries and financiers!). Friendly staff too.