Thérèse

It would be difficult to imagine a location for a hotel that would be closer to the center of it all than the Hotel Thérèse. Just a stone’s throw away from the Louvre, the Palais Royal, and the Comédie Française, this hotel could hardly be in a better location for shopping or sightseeing. The Opéra, rue Saint Honoré, Place Vendôme, and Place de la Concorde are all an easy walk away, as are the major department stores. And there is no lack of public transportation in the area, for those who wish to explore further. One would almost be willing to sleep in a cardboard box in an alleyway, just to be this close to the action.

Fortunately this is far from necessary. The hotel’s 40 rooms, while not large by any definition, are quietly contemporary and comfortable. With surroundings so stimulating, hotel designers need not rely upon bombastic design gestures or corny retro furnishings to provide an impressive experience. Instead the Thérèse makes use of high-quality furniture and bedding, unpretentious design, and soft natural lighting, creating a relaxing atmosphere which lets the neighborhood speak for itself.

This is a small, inexpensive boutique hotel, and a Parisian one at that, which means it does not provide the same services as, say, a Mexican luxury resort. But for this price, and in this neighborhood (with all the attractions of central Paris right at hand), it would be churlish to bemoan the absence of an indoor swimming pool or a full-service spa.