Hôtel Crayon

For English-speakers, the word “crayon” instantly evokes scenes from childhood — of standard-issue yellow Crayola boxes featuring eight classic colors. But “crayon” is French for “pencil” — so while there’s plenty of vivid color and an unmistakable playful energy to Hotel Crayon, located around the corner from the Louvre in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, it’s a more sophisticated, finely drawn sort of place than your first associations might suggest.

With 26 individually decorated guest rooms, the Crayon feels more like a guesthouse than a hotel. The aesthetic is what the French would call bohème chic: jewel-toned walls, fancifully tiled bathrooms, framed black-and-white photographs, antique writing desks and rotary telephones and a mélange of other vintage pieces that the owners picked up at flea markets around Paris, Nice, Lyon, and Marseille.

Some of the rooms — like the Singulière Room, accommodating only one guest — are petite and simply outfitted, while others, like the Insolite Room for two, feature eye-catching décor from a Scandinavian-style bench to a pair of chairs by Jean Paulin. Then there’s the Exquise Esquisse Suite: with its psychedelic drapery, mod light fixtures, and colorful drawings covering the walls, it’s unlike any hotel room you’ve seen before. Flatscreen TVs and free wi-fi are standard across categories.

At the Crayon, the extravagance is in the artistry. Apart from its imaginative interiors and creative character, it’s relatively no-frills when it comes to amenities. There’s a continental breakfast (for an extra fee) every morning in an alcove that’s been exquisitely hand-drawn with murals, and you can grab an aperitif or a nightcap at the honesty bar in the lobby. But who needs a swimming pool or a fitness center, anyway? You’re in Paris — right in the heart of it — and the Hotel Crayon is a rare hotel that perfectly captures the city’s poetic spirit and bohemian charm, offering everything you need and nothing you don’t.