Le Citizen

Just outside of Le Citizen, boats slowly move up the Canal Saint Martin, in the increasingly fashionable neighborhood of North Marais. Inside, clever space-saving tricks, perhaps borrowed from ships, make the most of Parisian hotels’ typically tiny layouts. Some rooms let you store your luggage under the bathroom sink; others offer tiered steps to the ceiling behind the bed, serving as a kind of headboard on which to keep trinkets and tops. Thankfully, the designers kept the palette throughout light-wood-and-bright-white cool, with a book here and a single flower there. Too much stuff or too many patterns would be insufferable. After all, wasn’t it Parisian wallpaper that killed Oscar Wilde?

So the accommodations are petite, sure, but the amenities are big. First, an iPad awaits, preloaded with playlists and movies and maps that highlight the many charms, including galleries and restaurants, nearby. Second, not only is the minibar entirely complimentary, but you’ll usually find snacks and drinks laid out after you return from your excursions each day. You get a full-on breakfast as well. Third, they sometimes hold book signings in the lobby, decorated with works by a rotating selection of artists. As the first designer boutique hotel in the area, no doubt Le Citizen will soon have imitators. They would be wise to pay careful attention.