Hôtel Duc de Saint-Simon

On a small, quiet side street of the same name, the Hôtel Duc de Saint-Simon is just steps from the Boulevard Saint Germain and the pulse of the Left Bank. Guarded by handsome gates and buffered from the street by its own shaded courtyard, this charming hotel offers a very peaceful retreat. The decor throughout is sumptuous and elegant in its use of furnishings, fabrics, paintings and fixtures. Lavish flower arrangements are the perfect complement to the refined ambiance. Guestrooms are each individual in decor and vary from comfortable standard rooms to more spacious two-room suites. There are so many rooms to call favorites, but even so, there are a few that are very special. Off the central courtyard, at the top of a separate entry and stair is a lovely room, 42, with a pretty mix of patterns used in the decor and whose French windows open onto a private terrace. In the main house, 19, a handsome suite, overlooks the lushness and quiet of the back garden. If you are fortunate to enjoy repeated trips to Paris, you, as do so many of this hotel’s loyal clientele, will soon establish your personal favorite. In the basement, against the exposed rough stone of the old coal and wine cellar, you find a breakfast room as well as an intimate bar where you can enjoy a beverage or light snack.