Hotel Saint-André-des-Arts

Nestled into the popular and touristy street of the same name, in the heart of St-Germain des Pres, the one-star Hotel St-André-des-Arts is a romantic daydream of a hotel. It’s a creaky and inviting place, devoid of most modern conveniences but brimming over with charm.

Quick read

Pros: Charming, antiquated feel. Spacious rooms. Breakfast included.
Cons: Mostly unrenovated. Neighborhood can be noisy. No elevator.

Rooms

The hotel’s 31 guest rooms are old-fashioned and, for the most part, unrenovated. Most are spacious (for Paris) and several doubles can be re-engineered to fit three or even four guests comfortably. (This makes the hotel a solid bet for cheapo families.) Rooms on lower floors have especially high ceilings, a common feature of old buildings.

Almost every room boasts some detail to remind you of the building’s late 16th-century construction, be it wooden ceiling beams or stone walls. Rooms sport simple red or green carpets and furniture that ranges from antique to flea-market functional. There isn’t any TV, although Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.

All rooms at the Hotel St-André-des-Arts have a private bath, each equipped with either a tub or shower. Some have been recently renovated with attractive olive tiling and modern fixtures, although unrenovated bathrooms are perfectly fine.

Two-thirds of the hotel’s rooms look out onto either the rue St-André-des-Arts or to a side street. Double-paned windows should keep things quiet when closed, but light sleepers should ask for a room on a higher floor or facing the back. Keep in mind that windows may be open during the summer (pack earplugs accordingly, as this neighborhood has its share of cafés and bars).

Hotel facilities

The friendly husband-and-wife team, Odile and Henri Le Goubin, have been running the Hotel St-André-des-Arts for years. The familial atmosphere they’ve created has made the hotel a home base for travelers who crave something different. It’s especially popular with professors, artists, writers and musicians.

Note that the hotel does not have an elevator. If you’re not afraid to climb, ask for a room on a higher floor where you can avoid street noise and take in some great neighborhood views. (Room #34 was the most interesting room we saw, tucked under the roof with a sloping ceiling and a tiny hallway linking it to its funky-shaped bathroom.)

Breakfast is included in the room rate. To reserve, email or call the hotel directly.