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The Hotel Esmeralda is a funky, old one-star wonder. Located directly across the Seine from Notre Dame, it offers wacky rooms with incredible views at very low prices.
Not surprisingly, the Esmeralda's charm is legendary (and almost intoxicating). For the quirky at heart, this hotel will be a dream come true. However, if you're looking for a standardized and recently renovated stay, then run to the next review.
The Esmeralda's building has obviously undergone some changes since it was built in 1640. (Hello, indoor plumbing!) But it thankfully hit the snooze button the last few times the renovation alarm went off. The result is a hotel with old winding staircases, crooked hallways, original wood-beamed ceilings, and an incredibly eclectic collection of furniture—too incredible, in fact, to do justice to in a small hotel review.
The décor is so remarkable that Lozano—the English, Spanish and French speaking manager—hands out postcards of the lobby. And the views themselves are guaranteed to give you an excellent photo-op of your own: imagine opening your windows in the morning to find all of Notre Dame staring back at you.
What about the rooms? They're unusual, romantic, and unique. The wallpaper is 19th-century French farmhouse, rugs are laid atop carpets, and antique lamps hang in all directions. Let's just call it "dollhouse-eclectic."
The Esmeralda was built in a time when cookie-cutter architecture didn't exist: some rooms have toilets tucked away in little closets or sinks cordoned off from the shower.
One of our all-time favorite hotels anywhere, the Esmeralda has so much personality you almost have to refer to it as a she. The location is magnifique, and the hotel has countless legendary neighbors, including the mythic English language bookstore Shakespeare and Co. Of course, it's also no secret.
Frequented by romantics and eccentrics the world 'round, this is a place where booking early is imperative—that's three months ahead during busy season for all you last minute types.
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