Paris is famous for its numerous “Palace Hotels,” those rated above 5-Star by the French government. Many of these are hospitality legends, such as the Ritz, Le Bristol, George V, Crillon, Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula, Park Hyatt Vendome and others. Most contain Michelin-starred restaurants and are steeped in luxury and grandeur.
I’ve stayed at many of them over the years, and definitely enjoyed most of these visits, but with the record-breaking resurgence of luxury travel since the pandemic lockdowns ended, prices have become staggering, and availability limited.
But beyond the price, there is a lot to be said for intimacy, and intimacy is something many of these grand hotels, some of which are tourist attractions in their own right, lack. Location is also a double-edged sword, as almost every one of them is on the Right Bank in what would be considered a good location for proximity to top sites such as the Arc d’ Triomphe, Louvre and Musee D’Orsay, as well as pricey shopping around the Champs Elysees, but which also means the most crowded and commercial parts of the city with little neighborhood feel.
In fact, the Palace lodging skews so heavily Right Bank that in all my many visits going back decades I had never stayed on the Left Bank, where the city began, before my most recent trip. At the advice of a knowledgeable acquaintance in London, who goes to Paris a lot more regularly than I do, my wife and I recently stayed at the newish (April 2022) Hotel Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain & Spa, a 5-Star (French system) boutique property. It had opend since my last visit to the City of Lights and sits on a quiet street otherwise occupied by art galleries in the 7th Arrondissement, the center of the Rive Gauche (Left Bank). But it is just across the Seine (three blocks) from the Tuileries Garden and near Ile de la Cite, the island that is home to Notre Dame. Heading away from the river it is just two blocks to the area’s vibrant main street, the Boulevard Saint-Germain.
This a real neighborhood, full of owner operated boutiques (and yes, Louis Vuitton et al), galleries, and best known as one of the top gourmand areas in the city, with award-winning boulangeries, patisseries, chocolatiers, and some of the most famous bistros and brasseries. The hotel is within easy walking distance of the Latin Quarter, Sorbonne and Pantheon, as well as many of the top Right Bank attractions just across the several nearby bridges. It’s closer to the Louvre than many hotels on the Louvre’s side of the river. The hotel also offers loaner bikes for those who prefer cycling to strolling.
In fact, the Palace lodging skews so heavily Right Bank that in all my many visits going back decades I had never stayed on the Left Bank, where the city began, before my most recent trip. At the advice of a knowledgeable acquaintance in London, who goes to Paris a lot more regularly than I do, my wife and I recently stayed at the newish (April 2022) Hotel Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain & Spa, a 5-Star (French system) boutique property. It had opend since my last visit to the City of Lights and sits on a quiet street otherwise occupied by art galleries in the 7th Arrondissement, the center of the Rive Gauche (Left Bank). But it is just across the Seine (three blocks) from the Tuileries Garden and near Ile de la Cite, the island that is home to Notre Dame. Heading away from the river it is just two blocks to the area’s vibrant main street, the Boulevard Saint-Germain.
This a real neighborhood, full of owner operated boutiques (and yes, Louis Vuitton et al), galleries, and best known as one of the top gourmand areas in the city, with award-winning boulangeries, patisseries, chocolatiers, and some of the most famous bistros and brasseries. The hotel is within easy walking distance of the Latin Quarter, Sorbonne and Pantheon, as well as many of the top Right Bank attractions just across the several nearby bridges. It’s closer to the Louvre than many hotels on the Louvre’s side of the river. The hotel also offers loaner bikes for those who prefer cycling to strolling.
The property is one of four in the Chevalier Paris boutique hotel group, each in a small historic building fitting its neighborhood, and in terms of location there’s something for everyone: in the heart of the Marais on the Right Bank the 5-star Pavillon de la Reine occupies a 17th century building on the city’s oldest square, Place des Vosges, and is a member of Small Luxury Hotels. It sits right by the Victor Hugo Museum and has a Michelin-starred eatery, Anne, as well as a spa. 5-Star Hotel Pavillon des Lettres is in the 8th, on the opposite side of the Right Bank, near the Arc d’ Triomphe. It has a literary theme, with 26 rooms, one for each letter of the alphabet, and each letter corresponds to a different author or poet the room is themed for. This one has a bar and breakfast spot, and while it lacks a full-service restaurant it makes up with a three-hour afternoon tapas service for guests. In The Upper Marais (3rd), Hotel du Petit Moulin is a 4-Star with an interior by famed designer Christian Lacroix, who made each room unique. The building dates to the era of Henri IV and was the oldest bakery in Paris.
All four were enticing, but we chose the Hotel Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain & Spa for its location on the Left Bank, wanting a bit of an escape from the jammed June in Paris. We were there during June high season in great weather and at the height of the French Open tennis tournament. I checked the rates at our hotel and several others on Hotel.com for the least expensive room, and ours was about $600. That may not seem like a bargain, but you may also not have been to Paris lately. Another favorite hotel of mine, the only slightly under the radar Prince de Galles, a member of Marriott’s top tier Luxury Collection, was $1,200 (I wrote about this in detail on my last visit to Paris). The Park Hyatt Vendome was $1,800. The venerable George V, another favorite of mine, was over $3,000. Those are literally twice, three times and more than five times the price. I’d rather spend the difference eating out and shopping.
The Hotel Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain & Spa was originally three adjacent 17th century mansions, first operated as lodgings in the mid-1800s. That was when it began its rich literary history, and T.S. Eliot lived here in 1910. But the big star was James Joyce, who finished his masterpiece Ulysses while living here in 1920 – today the bar and the largest suite, complete with writing desk, are named in his honor. There’s a comfortable library on the ground floor, full of books, all 47 rooms are unique, comfortable and modern with luxury bathrooms, and unusual for a Paris hotel this size, there is a spa, indoor pool, gym and steam room.
It was redone completely and opened in its current form only in April 2022, making it just over a year old. In that short time, it has garnered rave reviews – Town & Country wrote “the hotel is one of Paris’ best kept secrets – and an oasis for those seeking to escape it all.” Conde Nast Traveler called it “A literary-inspired hotel that’s big on history, comfortable design, and gastronomy, in the heart one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Paris.”
The restaurant, Les Parisiens – also taken from Joyce’s work – is sort of a casual take on fine dining, or an elevated take on the brasserie, but whichever way you describe it, the service and food was excellent, and I would go again even if staying someplace else. It is run by accomplished chef Thibault Sombardier, who has two other well regarded Parisian spots, and features a seasonal focus using impeccable ingredients. The escargot I had, out of the usual tray or shells and instead in a bowl with delicate mild garlic foam, were the best I have ever eaten. It doubles as the hotel’s breakfast spot, also excellent with an elevated take on the typical European buffet spread plus an extensive menu of made to order cooked dishes.
There are a lot of great hotels in Paris, but if you are looking for something a little more escapist, where the friendly front desk staff remembers every guest, where you can have an excellent dinner without leaving, where many other standout restaurants are within walking distance, all for less – often much less – than most better-known luxury hotels in the city, consider Hotel Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain & Spa, or one of its siblings.
Source : Forbes