Revisiting the small hotels of PARIS

Every couple of years we do our update of the little hotels of Paris, and that deadline is now due.

In this latest survey we have revisited several old favorites, added nine new properties to our list and eliminated a couple of earlier choices that have lost their old appeal.

This isn’t to say that this year’s winners are five-star establishments (hotels demanding such coveted ratings charge well over $100 a day). Our list features little two- and three-star shelters that share a common bond: They are relatively inexpensive while providing an atmosphere that is decidedly Parisian.

Leading our list is an old favorite, the St. Simon at 24 Rue de St.-Simon (Paris 75007). Owner Goran Lindqvist spent beaucoup francs remodeling this three-story 19th-Century hotel, which is second to none in Paris’ small hotel category. It is impossible to fault the St. Simon. It is on a quiet street just off Boulevard St.-Germain, it offers a subdued elegance that attracts legions of discriminating travelers. One wall is graced with antique mirrors and a grandfather clock ticks away the hours in the parlor.

Lindqvist’s interest in antiques brings to the hotel priceless pieces, with each room decorated differently. Facing the garden, No. 18 is a steal at about $66 a day. Other rooms open onto private terraces complete with garden furniture and a melange of plants and flowers.

The St. Simon is newly carpeted and a cozy bar does business in the hotel’s ancient coal cellar. Besides installing a lift to replace the creaky old staircase, Lindqvist repapered, repainted and re-plumbed the entire hotel.

For the traveler seeking quiet, privacy and grace, the St. Simon rates a special rave.

A close second on our list is the marvelous little Hotel de l’Abbaye on the Left Bank at 10 Rue Casette (Paris 75006). Facing a quiet street near the Luxembourg Gardens, this one-time 17th-Century monastery with its cobbled courtyard provides 45 tastefully furnished rooms on a scale of roughly $60 to $75 a day. Immense 15-foot doors protect the courtyard’s entrance and ivy climbs the hotel’s ancient walls.

Potted plants are scattered both front and rear where a winter garden offers a profusion of colorful blooms. Just inside the door there’s a lounge with 18th-Century antiques, and only steps away guests gather at an intimate little bar to trade sightseeing tips about Paris. Because De l’Abbaye is booked solid during peak months, guests are advised to make reservations several weeks in advance.

Other praise is reserved for the 41-room Hotel du Pas-de-Calais at 59 Rue des St.-Peres, Paris 75006 (about $45/$50). Just off Boulevard St.-Germain and only a couple of minutes by foot from Cafe Deux Magots, this century-old hotel received a face lift recently that pushed it ahead a couple of stars. Its big attraction is the pretty patio with its fountain, plants, tables and chairs, the perfect place to relax after a day of seeing the sights of Paris.

This little hotel is noted also as the one-time home of Jean-Paul Sartre who occupied room No. 41. The better view is from No. 52, which opens onto a private balcony, with the chimney pots of Paris spread out across the city.

Other appeal is offered by Residence Latour-Maubourg facing the Invalides at 150 Rue de Grenelle (Paris 75007). This ancient home, which has been in the Rene Klein family for well over 100 years, is the perfect choice for guests wishing to visit Napoleon’s Tomb, the Eiffel Tower and the Rodin Museum.

As the name implies, Residence Latour-Maubourg is a former private home and indeed its guests are greeted like members of the household. They share the family heirlooms, play with the family cat (Lulu) and gather on a rainy day in the cheery lounge to read or snooze. Each of the 15 guest rooms ($45/$75) features antiques and private baths. (The Kleins serve lunch and dinner as well as breakfast.) This is a very secure hotel with a locked front door. Because of its few rooms, reservations are an absolute must--weeks in advance.

In the heart of the Latin Quarter, the Hotel du College de France at 7 Rue Thenard (Paris 75005) provides 29 rooms at rates ranging from about $32 to $40 a day. This spotless little hotel is within walking distance of the Pantheon, Luxembourg Gardens, the Sorbonne, the College de France, Notre Dame and the fashionable boutiques of Boulevard St.-Germain.

Appealing Old Standby

Another choice in this same general area is Hotel le Colbert (7 Rue de l’Hotel Colbert, Paris 75005), an old standby which we find still appealing, primarily because of its location (if you’re lucky you’ll get a room whose window frames Notre Dame). Figure on about $50 to $75 for a room with a private bath and/or shower and kick in an extra three bucks for breakfast (which is the case with many of the small hotels of Paris these days).

Bowls of flowers grace the lobby of the Colbert as well as a little bar where guests can, if they wish, pour their own drinks. An Italian restaurant does business next door and a French restaurant, La Cour Colbert, is open for dinner across the street. Just around the corner, meals are served on sunny days at a sidewalk cafe in an ancient square.

This is old Paris and it drips with charm.

Warm and Hospitable

I still have a warm regard for the little 25-room Hotel St. Louis at 75 Rue St.-Louis-en-l’Ile (Paris 75004). Never mind that the carpet is a bit worn and the beds sag and one must hike upstairs to one’s room (alas, there is no elevator). And yes, there are street noises in the evening and very often early in the morning, but earplugs are cheap. And besides, I find the location appealing, the prices reasonable ($30/$55) and the owners (Guy and Andree Record) warm and hospitable. I’m an incurable romantic and this island behind Notre Dame--the street in particular--inspires memories of Paris years ago when I was just beginning to discover this enchanting city.

Just this morning, three floors up in Hotel St. Louis, I flung open the window and inhaled Paris and watched trucks being unloaded at the boulangerie and the boucherie while French housewives hurried by, clutching loaves of freshly baked bread. Directly across the street, window boxes bright with blooms cling to ancient buildings.

Excitement of the City

Strolling this street it is impossible not to catch the excitement of Paris. Flower peddlers make their rounds and there are restaurants where candles glow of an evening. At Le Tastevin (46 Rue St.-Louis-en-l’Ile) fresh flowers appear on small tables and brass pots hang from exposed beams and pewter mugs are clipped to the bar. The restaurant’s cheery glow is visible from the street through lace curtains. It is doubtful that Michelin would take much notice of Le Tastevin, but the meals are a pleasure and the prices are reasonable. And besides, this is the heart of Paris.

On this same street a couple of other small hotels do business, the De Lutece (65 Rue St.-Louis-en l’Ile, Paris 75004) and Des Deux Iles a couple of doors away. And while they shine a bit more than Hotel St. Louis, we found the staff rude and condescending. This is unfortunate because in our last survey we gave these otherwise charming little hotels high marks.

Bright With Plants

The cheery lobby of Hotel de Lutece is bright with potted plants and an antique fireplace glows on those chilly Paris days. Still, it is obvious that these people are spoiled by success (their attitude attests to this). Rates start at about $65 a day at Hotel de Lutece and $35 at the Des Deux Iles, 59 Rue St.-Louis-en-l’Ile (Paris 75004).

In our survey we’ve come up with several choices for those travelers who prefer accommodations on Paris’ Right Bank. The Hotel Montana Tuileries at 12 Rue St.-Roch (Paris 75001) is just around the corner from the Tuileries Gardens and only a scant five-minute stroll from the Louvre. Rates for a room with private bath, TV and a mini-bar start at around $38 a day.

The Montana Tuileries isn’t to be confused with Hotel des Tuileries at 10 Rue St.-Hyacinthe (Paris 70551). Since our last report we’ve had several reader complaints about this hotel, which is unfortunate since the Des Tuileries is conveniently located near the Opera, the Louvre, Place Vendome and Place de la Concorde. Besides, the prices are reasonable (approximately $32/$75).

Lobby Full of Luggage

Still, readers tell us that the proprietress is curt and they complain that often the tiny lobby is littered with luggage. As a result, we are withdrawing our recommendation of Hotel des Tuileries until such time that we are assured that our readers will be received with courtesy.

In the Marais area of the Right Bank our nod goes to Hotel Bretonnerie at 22 Rue St. Croix de la Bretonnerie (Paris 75004), a 17th-Century shelter whose 31 rooms feature exposed beams, period furnishings and modern baths. This quiet neighborhood is only a short stroll from such attractions as the Pompidou Center, the Seine and Notre Dame. No two rooms are alike, with rates starting at around $30 a day. Reservations should be made no less than 30 days ahead of arrival.

Also on the Right Bank, the Hotel de l’Etoile at 3 Rue de l’Etoile (Paris 75017) is another one of those little properties that appeals to the traveler in search of a friendly home away from home. Impeccably clean, its 25 rooms are offered in the $55/$70 range. This three-star shelter provides a cheerful little lobby (a bowl of candy awaits guests at the reception desk), mini-bars, telephones, TV and an elevator. What’s more, it’s only a couple of minutes from the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Elysees.

Honor Bar Downstairs

Back on the Left Bank, thrifty travelers choose the 32-room Hotel du Senat at 22 Rue St. Sulpice (Paris 75006). With breakfast, rooms figure out to about $45 for a double. Recently upgraded, the Du Senat provides TVs, radios, refrigerators and an honor bar downstairs next to the reception desk. This along with one of the friendliest hoteliers in Paris, David Hatchouel, who has been greeting guests at the Du Senat for 22 years. This is in the St.-Germain-des-Pres area and only a whisper from Cafe Deux Magots and the Church of St. Germain, oldest in Paris.

In the same neighborhood the little Hotel Scandinavia at 17 Rue de Tournon (Paris 75006) remains popular with the thrifty crowd (about $40 a day plus an extra 20 francs for breakfast). Only steps from Luxembourg Gardens, this 300-year-old landmark gets few complaints. While there is no elevator, its rooms are crowded with antiques and the lobby is lined with suits of armor. A museum it isn’t--it only appears that way.

Other suggestions:

--Hotel Le Beaugency, 21 Rue Duvivier (Paris 75007). About five minutes by foot from the Eiffel Tower. Rates: $37/$50.

--Hotel Regent’s Garden, 6 Rue Pierre Demours (Paris 75017). Near the Arc de Triomphe. Rates: $50/$85.

--Bradford Hotel, 10 Rue St. Philippe-du-Roule (Paris 75008). Just off Rue du Faubourg St. Honore. Rates: $45/$55.

--Hotel Lenox, 9 Rue de l’Universite (Paris 75007). Only three minutes off Boulevard St. Germain, about 10 minutes by foot to the Louvre. Rates: $40/$75.

--Hotel St. Germain-des-Pres, 36 Rue Bonaparte (Paris 75006). A cheerful little hotel in the heart of St. Germain-des-Pres. Rates: $40/$75.

--Hotel St. Germain, 88 Rue du Bac (Paris 75007). This is an 18th-Century town house with cozy alcoves and small but immaculate rooms near St. Germain-des-Pres. Rates: $27/$48.

(Prices quoted here cannot be guaranteed due to inflation and the fluctuation of the dollar.)

For other information about France, write to the French Government Tourist Office, 9401 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 840, Beverly Hills, Calif. 90212 or telephone (213) 271-6665 or 272-2661.